Yesterday. :(

So I volunteer in my sons class about once a week for reading groups.  Today I entered his classroom during recess and there was a little girl in there.  She is one of my sons good friend in the class and she started  to tell me a story of the day.  Each word that she said made my heart break.   She began by telling me how frustrated my son had been that morning and how he had started yelling and then begun to throw chairs and shove desks around the room.  I listened as she continued, " we decided to try a new thing today.  It was cool.  The whole class got to go outside for and extra recess and run around."  When we got back he( my son) was not frustrated anymore, she said. Then she smiled and turned away.

I love the innocence of little kids. This little girl even though she was tattling  and telling me how bad my son acted, understood and that lifted my spirit.  She wasn't scared or mean about how my son reacted she understood that he was frustrated and that he was doing the best he could in that moment.  I wanted to hug her and thank her for understanding how hard it can be for him.  I didn't but I thanked her for being his friend and for understanding that he gets frustrated sometimes.

I believe that the Assistant Principal came and deescalated my son and was able to help him process his frustrations. My son had a great rest of the day.  I am so grateful for each of the staff at his school that work so hard to help him.  We made it another day. Yea!

Underwear

Over the last school year my son had difficulty with playing with himself at school and showing his penis to others (not on purpose) but never the less we where struggling.  As embarrassing as this is for me to talk about, I found a way to completely stop him from doing this so I thought I would share!! I made him a onesie by sewing an undershirt to a pair of underwear. It was been a life saver for us and I thought someone out there might benefit from it too.  

School Struggles

Second Grade!  Yikes. I would have never imagined that this year would be such a challenge.  Last year was so amazing and we breezed through without to many issues.  We had a little bullying issue that was fairly easy to resolve and academically my guy was near perfect.  This year has been the complete opposite.  I have been getting 2-4 calls a week to come to the school to help calm, motivate,  redirect, and bring changes of clothes ( he has started having potty accidents).  I have been very overwhelmed and unsure how to assist.  I started by just waiting to be asked for help.  And Things  kept escalating, so I  took a different approach.  He teacher this year doesn't seem to respond well to my suggestions so I called and emailed the principal and asked for a change in his IEP ( individual education plan).  Working with the schools special education teacher really helped too.  We formulated a plan to assist his sensory needs and give him support when and where he needs it,
1. he is wearing a pressure vest
2. using weighted blanket as needed
3. taking 3 scheduled breaks in special education classroom
    (where he can jump on trampoline)
     get extra one on one help with difficult tasks
     see a schedule of the day to ease surprises
4. he sits in front close to teacher
5. has a desk away to do work if needed.
6. has his own tools to use so he gets desired color and type of crayons/ glue/ scissors/ etc

We have been not having him ride the bus, and getting him to school right as the bell rings to minimize unstructured free time. Which has seemed to help.  Also I make him swing for 10-15 minutes downstairs before school to help get him ready to start the day!  All these things are helping and I am hopeful as we go back to school from Christmas break thing will go better!!  I love my little guy so much!  I pray it goes well for him!

A New Year

Oh how the year flies by.  I am going to try and commit to posting again.  This year my boy started 2nd grade.  How is he that old.  We have had a wonderful summer full of swimming, camping, and playing with cousins.  It is amazing how a lack of routine and cause trouble for my guy!  He thrives when we are busy but the lack of routine has caused us and increase of stimming behaviors.

My sons behaviors include; pacing, bouncing, spinning and these in combination.  He can get stuck doing these for hours.  It makes me a little sad at times to be honest, but digress.  We have once again started school and the stimming  behaviors have minimized. (which is good)  We had such a great year last year that I knew I was in for it this year.  We started the second grade off with a bang.  Bus problems, bullies, and tantrums during class.  This teacher has her work cut out for her.  So does this mom.  :)

The bus:  I got a phone call from the school asking me to call because there has been a problem with my son on the bus.  We were told that he was breaking the Rules and would be kicked off the bus if he continued to do so.  I was a little taken aback.  I had not heard of a problem before that moment.  I call the bus supervisor and we found out we have a very strict/mean bus driver.  I started asking around and the other kids all think she is mean and so even said the felt like she was  "picking on" my son.  I was furious.  I called everyone one involved. Principal, her supervisor, the bus driver, the school phsycologist.  Say hello to Momma bear!  Long story short, the phsycologist is talking to the bus driver about her behavior and how it is causing my son to react poorly.  I love that they let adults who hate kids to work with them.  What a nightmare.

Bullies:  On a positive note my son only seems to have one this year, as apposed to 3 or 4 like in years past.  I was asked by his Occupational Therapist to video tape my son while he is lining up for school in the morning. ( this has been a problem time for him) I was there one morning to record his interactions between his peers when a girl in his grade walked up behind him, grabbed his the top of his backpack and started dragging him across the play ground.  He was yelling at her to stop.  She drug him to the ground where he scraped up both of his elbows.  I was watching the whole thing.  I was running towards him but couldn't get there fast enough.  It was so painful to watch.  I could help but yell at her.  Then I took my boy to the office to report it.  ( He wanted to stay outside and play) :(
It is so hard to send your kids into the world knowing that they are going to be bullied.

Tantrums in Class: As you get older the work get harder and it is easy to see that this trail will be an ongoing battle.   My son is a great reader, good in math but the quantity of the work overwhelms him.  You set a worksheet in front of him and he starts " Its to hard, I cant do this, I hate school, this is stupid, I wish school didn't exist, I hate homework, etc, etc."  We have not yet figured out how to solve this problem.  It is a daily battle.  I love him so much I will fight it and continue to fight it as long as I have too.

I love my boy and all that comes with him!!

Cafe Rio Pulled Pork

CAFÉ RIO PULLED PORK

3 ½ lb pork roast

8 oz bottle of La Vitoria Mild Taco Sauce (its GF)

1 Tbsp cumin

1 c brown sugar

1 can coke

Cook pork all day on low ( I put 2 cups water in with it) shred meat and then top with sauce cook for at least an hour in the sauce.

Lime rice

1 yellow onion

 2 cloves garlic

1 can green chilies

1 Tbsp lime juice

2 tsp cumin

3 cups rice

6 cups water

Cook rice as you normally would

Serve with black beans and salad.  Make as you desire.  Leave out tortilla for GF folks. 

Yummy Stew

STEW

2 lbs beef cubed

4-5 potatoes cubed

4-5 carrots sliced

3 ribs of celery sliced

1 medium onion chopped

1 TBSP sugar

2 tsp salt

½-1 tsp black pepper

2 Tbsp instant tapioca

3 cups V-8 juice

Brown meat and then add all to crock pot cook on Low 8-10 hours.

Sausage Spinach Potato Soup

Sausage Spinach Potato Soup –

2 TBSP olive oil

1 small onion diced

2 cloves garlic diced

Sauté onion and garlic

1 lb Italian sausage GF

4 cups chicken broth GF      ( they sell it at Smith’s I believe or health food store for                                                                   

4 cups beef broth GF                   bouillon cubes)

6 potatoes sliced

2 tsp dried basil

1 tsp oregano

½-1 tsp  black pepper

¼ tsp salt

Simmer for 20-30 minutes or until potatoes are soft

Add 2 cups baby spinach

Top with parmesan cheese if not dairy free