Yesterday was an adventure. I had to take Johnny for a re-evaluation through CenClear in order for him to continue receiving services with Ashleigh and Erin. Because the person they had on staff to do this in the State College area recently quit, I had to drive him to Philipsburg (some 40 minutes from my house) and have the meeting there.
I went to the school a bit early to pick Johnny up, knowing that it might be a good idea to not only have warned him before he left to get on the bus in the morning but also to give him some time once I got there to break himself away from whatever activity the class was involved in. Sure enough, when I walked in the door he sees me and yells "NO mommy! I CAN'T go until I finish LITERACY GROUPS!!!" He wasn't mad, he was excited. As a mom, I'll always prefer him to be that enthusiastic about literacy groups. Autumn has told me before that it is his favorite part of the week. (Which tells me that he is ready for more instruction-based learning, but I know that isn't how they work at a preschool level, and most kids wouldn't do well with it at that age...) My arrival coincided with Ashleigh's departure, so we stood and chatted for a few minutes while Johnny finished his literacy group. The day was reported to have been a harder one than any have been since he started back to school, but still no over-the-top moments. He has been doing a lot of building up for a big tantrum and then talking himself back down. -- Proud mama time!
Anyway, Ashleigh left and literacy groups ended just a minute later. I didn't have to have Johnny out the door quite yet, as I'd planned for a half hour of cushion time because in the past it has taken that long on many occasions, so I told him he could stay and have circle time and then his snack before we left. "My mommy is here, guys," he said. "My mommy had surgery" was followed by "My mommy is taking me to meet a new friend at pointment" and "You guys have to sing the goodbye song just to me since I have to leave with my mommy". It was easier for me that he was excited about my presence. After a snack, we began to head on our way.
We didn't leave until they sang the goodbye song "just to him".
I was already in a bit of pain (my meds were out by that time but I obviously couldn't take more if I was going to be driving) before we even got in the car, and the drive help. After finding the correct building and waiting our turn, we were shown into a little room to talk with one of the men who worked for Mental Health Services. He turned out to be a really cool guy and was easy to talk to. I answered all of his questions about Johnny, and like the last time he was evaluated, the kid himself was only asked about 3 questions in the hour we were there. Having remembered our previous experience, I had come prepared, carrying his iPad. Between that and a play-doh set that the guy (I think his name was Andrew?) let Johnny borrow while we were there, the kiddo made it through the "pointment" okay and we left for home.
I couldn't have asked for all of it to have gone any better than it did, but I was still in a lot of pain by the time it was all over. I knew I couldn't have pushed the meeting to another day because we were already right up against the deadline to get it done. If I hadn't taken him, he would have lost services and we would have had to start the entire process all over. I guess you do what you have to as a parent, no matter the cost to yourself. It wasn't life and death for me or anything, but I am still today feeling the effects quite strongly.
Today is Friday and he will hop on the bus a little after 11, not to return until 4. I need the time to try and rest in order for my body to catch up with me. For the third time this week, I intend to turn my phone off entirely. If the school needs to reach someone, Steve will have to do.
I went to the school a bit early to pick Johnny up, knowing that it might be a good idea to not only have warned him before he left to get on the bus in the morning but also to give him some time once I got there to break himself away from whatever activity the class was involved in. Sure enough, when I walked in the door he sees me and yells "NO mommy! I CAN'T go until I finish LITERACY GROUPS!!!" He wasn't mad, he was excited. As a mom, I'll always prefer him to be that enthusiastic about literacy groups. Autumn has told me before that it is his favorite part of the week. (Which tells me that he is ready for more instruction-based learning, but I know that isn't how they work at a preschool level, and most kids wouldn't do well with it at that age...) My arrival coincided with Ashleigh's departure, so we stood and chatted for a few minutes while Johnny finished his literacy group. The day was reported to have been a harder one than any have been since he started back to school, but still no over-the-top moments. He has been doing a lot of building up for a big tantrum and then talking himself back down. -- Proud mama time!
Anyway, Ashleigh left and literacy groups ended just a minute later. I didn't have to have Johnny out the door quite yet, as I'd planned for a half hour of cushion time because in the past it has taken that long on many occasions, so I told him he could stay and have circle time and then his snack before we left. "My mommy is here, guys," he said. "My mommy had surgery" was followed by "My mommy is taking me to meet a new friend at pointment" and "You guys have to sing the goodbye song just to me since I have to leave with my mommy". It was easier for me that he was excited about my presence. After a snack, we began to head on our way.
We didn't leave until they sang the goodbye song "just to him".
I was already in a bit of pain (my meds were out by that time but I obviously couldn't take more if I was going to be driving) before we even got in the car, and the drive help. After finding the correct building and waiting our turn, we were shown into a little room to talk with one of the men who worked for Mental Health Services. He turned out to be a really cool guy and was easy to talk to. I answered all of his questions about Johnny, and like the last time he was evaluated, the kid himself was only asked about 3 questions in the hour we were there. Having remembered our previous experience, I had come prepared, carrying his iPad. Between that and a play-doh set that the guy (I think his name was Andrew?) let Johnny borrow while we were there, the kiddo made it through the "pointment" okay and we left for home.
I couldn't have asked for all of it to have gone any better than it did, but I was still in a lot of pain by the time it was all over. I knew I couldn't have pushed the meeting to another day because we were already right up against the deadline to get it done. If I hadn't taken him, he would have lost services and we would have had to start the entire process all over. I guess you do what you have to as a parent, no matter the cost to yourself. It wasn't life and death for me or anything, but I am still today feeling the effects quite strongly.
Today is Friday and he will hop on the bus a little after 11, not to return until 4. I need the time to try and rest in order for my body to catch up with me. For the third time this week, I intend to turn my phone off entirely. If the school needs to reach someone, Steve will have to do.
He's growing up so much! hope your rest helped a bit <3 -ish
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