Autism Mornings

I don't know what's harder on me as mother. Weekends with an ASD (autism spectrum disorder) child or school mornings. This past weekend was LONG. Tyler had some behavioral problems yesterday. He ended up spending a great deal of time in time out. Saturday was tough, but not quite as bad. It's such a haze that I can't remember much specifics of Saturday but I do remember in involved trying to help someone out but Tyler making it tough because the attention wasn't on him so he was acting out.

So all weekend I'm excited for the school week. It means a quiet house, uninterrupted showers, a quiet breakfast and lunch, and the ability to clean the house very efficiently and effectively while playing music if I so chose (Tyler doesn't like it when we play music) with the bonus of not having my child whine at me for EVERYTHING. OK there is another bonus. The husband is also at school! Not that I don't want him around. It IS nice to have him around when Ty is not here. We get that on some Fridays.

So, I do look forward to the school week. Except for one thing. It hurts my heart when my kid goes off to school crying and begging not to go because he doesn't like it. It makes me feel like I'm doing something horrible to him.

Most kindergartens are excited to go to school. AT LEAST for the first few weeks. My kid? No, he's already protesting. In fact, he started last week. On his 6th day of school. "I don't like doing work mommy". "I don't want to go to school!!!!!!!!".

Right now, they are calm protests. But we've seen this cycle before. It won't be long until the total freakouts begin.

We had a little one this morning over his jacket. The school does not allow you to wear hoods in the school. That means, you can't put your hood on your head. Tyler thinks it means any jacket with a hood is not allowed. He totally freaked and begged for something different. I didn't spend money on a scooby doo light jacket for it to just hang in my house! I made him wear it and assured him it would be OK.

He cried at the bus stop. He cried getting on the bus. I promised him it was OK. But I still felt so bad for him. He was really scared to go to school. I ached as I watched the bus pull away, his backpack in his lap and his head bent over into the backpack, clearly scared and upset. I called the school and asked the BCBA to please explain to Tyler that it is OK for him to wear the jacket. So she said she would. I hope he is OK.

And thats my cue. I've finished typing this up, I've finished my breakfast. The house needs a LOT of attention after a very busy and chaotic weekend.

-Tylers Mommy