So this school year we have transitioned into a new school. Her old school went from Kindergarten through grade 3. It was an absolutely wonderful experience. She had great regular ed teachers, the most wonderful school nurse, awesome resource teacher who kept and eye on everything. She had the same special area teachers - music, PE, art, library and they all knew her well. All of these teachers sort of watched her change and grow through the years and it was the safest, sweetest place anyone could possibly go to school.
This year she moved on up to Intermediate School - grades 4-6. It is also a great school and I am sure I will feel the same about it soon enough. I have, however, underestimated the the effects of the transition on Ayden Jane. When she is home and with people she knows and is familiar with she communicated easily and life is smooth. I think I sort of forgot how much time/effort it takes for her to 'process' people. First there is recognizing them. then there is learning to read them. That may sound a little strange, but Ayden Jane does sort of have to learn to read expressions of people one person at a time. It takes her a little while to be comfortable knowing if you are happy, or sad, or angry or joking. So the long hallway was filled those first weeks with all new faces.
The school nurse at her old school was wonderful and a huge support to Ayden Jane. Sometimes her body felt off but she needed help knowing if it was an okay off or a problem. Nurse Sharon always answered her with confidence and learned to read whether she was sick, needed a hug or just reassurance so she could stop worrying and get back to work. Her resource teacher, although not someone she saw every day made it clear to her that she was always available if she needed anything.
Here we are half way through the fourth grade and I am just realizing how 'alone' my kid has been this year. I don't really mean alone because her teacher absolutely loves her and her resource teacher also is fantastic. However, they are new to her... She is not comfortable communicating and therefore just does not do it effectively.
Add to all of this that I realized I have completely messed up her food. With my work schedule I leave before she is up most mornings and she pretty much gets her own breakfast. Lately, it has not been much. She eats a small bar, a piece of fruit and a slice of cheese. She does also get MCT oil and a bit of dark chocolate to wash it down. Ayden Jane used to be a major breakfast eater but over time she is just not too concerned about it.
Where the real trouble comes in, is that I thought she was eating snack at about 9:30-9:45 before special area. She is/was not. She was not eating snack until after 11. Then trying to do math. There have been some pretty significant behavior issues at this time (which I didn't know about last fall).
Piecing it all together, this week we begin adding in mandatory avocado at breakfast (unless Dad wants to cook sausage and eggs or something) and then have a bit bigger snack and eat it around 9:45 or so, before the 10:00 special area. Her lunchtime is not until 12:30 so hopefully this will power her through. Hoping for better learning, better behavior, happy kiddo...
This year she moved on up to Intermediate School - grades 4-6. It is also a great school and I am sure I will feel the same about it soon enough. I have, however, underestimated the the effects of the transition on Ayden Jane. When she is home and with people she knows and is familiar with she communicated easily and life is smooth. I think I sort of forgot how much time/effort it takes for her to 'process' people. First there is recognizing them. then there is learning to read them. That may sound a little strange, but Ayden Jane does sort of have to learn to read expressions of people one person at a time. It takes her a little while to be comfortable knowing if you are happy, or sad, or angry or joking. So the long hallway was filled those first weeks with all new faces.
The school nurse at her old school was wonderful and a huge support to Ayden Jane. Sometimes her body felt off but she needed help knowing if it was an okay off or a problem. Nurse Sharon always answered her with confidence and learned to read whether she was sick, needed a hug or just reassurance so she could stop worrying and get back to work. Her resource teacher, although not someone she saw every day made it clear to her that she was always available if she needed anything.
Here we are half way through the fourth grade and I am just realizing how 'alone' my kid has been this year. I don't really mean alone because her teacher absolutely loves her and her resource teacher also is fantastic. However, they are new to her... She is not comfortable communicating and therefore just does not do it effectively.
Add to all of this that I realized I have completely messed up her food. With my work schedule I leave before she is up most mornings and she pretty much gets her own breakfast. Lately, it has not been much. She eats a small bar, a piece of fruit and a slice of cheese. She does also get MCT oil and a bit of dark chocolate to wash it down. Ayden Jane used to be a major breakfast eater but over time she is just not too concerned about it.
Where the real trouble comes in, is that I thought she was eating snack at about 9:30-9:45 before special area. She is/was not. She was not eating snack until after 11. Then trying to do math. There have been some pretty significant behavior issues at this time (which I didn't know about last fall).
Piecing it all together, this week we begin adding in mandatory avocado at breakfast (unless Dad wants to cook sausage and eggs or something) and then have a bit bigger snack and eat it around 9:45 or so, before the 10:00 special area. Her lunchtime is not until 12:30 so hopefully this will power her through. Hoping for better learning, better behavior, happy kiddo...
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