Flashback Friday - 1st days of school

This week my three girls have returned to school, new classrooms, classmates and teachers. 

Normally this time of year has me on my knees with worry. The organisation that goes in to re-launching kids at school is enough.. but the effort needed to re-launch an Aspergers child into school is immense !

In the past...

After 6 weeks of worry and nerves about new routines, new teachers and new expectations, this week would have been planned with military precision.
We would have written a letter to the new teacher over the holidays and hopefully received one in return. We would have had a few 'meet and greet' sessions, some getting-to-know-you sessions. There would have been planning meetings between myself, the teacher, aides, principal, applied learning co-ordinator, welfare officer and everyone else who wanted to have an opinion. 

We would have been practising wearing our new school shoes - well actually practicing keeping our shoes on for more than 10 minutes. We would have have some packed lunch days so the lunch box opening was practiced. Throughout the holidays we would have continued our learning objectives, so there was minimal backsliding.

I would have sat down with a glass of wine and a pen and paper. I would try to explain J-man within a page, give a brief overview. Highlight his strengths. Alert the teacher to his worries and idiosyncrasies  I would encourage them to have a look through his very thick file of reports before we arrived for the first day of school.

On the first day back to school, J-man would be teary and not want to go. He would be angry with me for making him go. I would be as positive and encouraging as a new age birthing coach.. all in order to get one small boy to go to school. I would then come home, sick to the stomach and wait....

Last year J-man completed Yr 12. His days in formal education have finished, at least for now. This week has been a breeze. Not a tummy ache or headache, no melt downs, no lunch box mishaps. The girls went off to their new classes happily. All is well. For the first time in 13 years our house has not been on high alert for return to school week. It's been nice.

It's been nicer than nice. I feel like there's room to breathe. 

J-man - Prep year .. how cute is he ??

Flashback Friday - linking up with  The Camera Chronicles .... join in guys.. you know you want to!!