Author: Melissa

The sun is not shining, it’s cold and snowy.  I hate cold, snowy days in general but I heard something so amazing this morning that it FEELS like the sunniest, happiest day in a very long while.

This morning at school drop-off I approached one of the classroom aides to see if she could help me figure out a name Monkey had been trying to get me to spell the night before.  There are two kids with names that start with “J” in his class but it was not either of those names.  We were just stumped.  She wasn’t able to think of any other child who it could have been but she said this to me…

“You guys are just so amazing!  He is so interested learning to spell.  He’s going to be a great speller.”  I thanked her but said, “HE works so hard.  HE wants this.  I am so impressed with him.”  ((I like to make it clear that, while I realize I am a AWESOME mom, lol, he actually should get some of the credit here :-p  ))

And then she said…this is where it gets good, people!

“He is changing so much.  He is paying attention more in class.  He is able to sit longer.  He’s making great eye contact.  He’s just so focused.” 

Just in case you think you read that wrong … she said my son is more FOCUSED in school.  In January of this year one of the 3 main areas he needed improvement in was his attention.  Since January she has SEEN it improve.  She has only been in the classroom since January also so any improvements really are in the last 2 months!! 

OMG OMG OMG OMG!  I’m not a touchy-feely person in general but it was only by the barest margin that I restrained myself from hugging her.  When we left I literally jumped for joy in the hallway.  We’ve seen the improvements at home too but we never know if they’ll see it at school or even if we’re imagining it…but we aren’t!  We really and truly are not imagining this mental focus we’re seeing in him.  Of course, he’s still pretty much unable to control his body activity but somehow, against the odds, he’s starting to be able to exert some inner control.

What a blessing!  It could not happen at a better time.  We’ll be working on his kindergarten placement in 2 months.  The integrated classroom is looking like a surer thing.  I was in contact with a SC member yesterday and it was mentioned that although there were cuts in the school budget this year the SPED budget was actually INCREASED.  I had expressed some sadness that there would only be one classroom and he agreed that they’d like to do more of them.

Just in case anyone is curious…who the heck knows why he’s improving right now.  We have been supplementing him with Acetyl-l carnitine for 4 months.  We’ve been told, in general, to not expect to see improvement from a supplement for 3-4 months.  It may be a coincidence.  It may very well be that he’s just maturing.  The aide was unaware of the new supplement and the research results surrounding it…so maybe it isn’t wishful thinking on her part either.

Ultimately, I don’t really care why it’s happening, I just care that it is.  Though…I do wish I could tell you all, “Run out and try this amazing supplement because LOOK WHAT IT HAS DONE.”  “Consider it, who knows what will happen,” just isn’t as satisfying.

We’ve borrowed  one of these:

from Monkey’s classroom to see if it helps us with the overstuffing issue.  It mimics an exercise ball but it’s much more compact.  He absolutely loves it and carries it with him everywhere.  I don’t know yet if it will do anything to help with the eating issue but it makes him WANT to sit.  This boy never sits, except to use the computer, and now he’s running around asking for a seat.  He even just moved a dining room chair into our living room so he could use it.  He keeps calling it “Dawit’s seat” I wonder if he ever uses it at school himself…may be something to try there as well, if not.

And, holy moly, he just said a new sentance!  “I want to sit there.”  Nice!

Monkey has never been thrilled to go to school even on his best days but he usually doesn’t put up a fuss.  He’d rather stay home and I cannot argue with him, I’d rather stay home too!  On his worst days…well, let’s not discuss those days again (*touch wood*) they’re in the past. 

The days that truly confuse me are the days like today.  He wasn’t excited about school but he wasn’t terribly upset.  He was just tearful and emotional.  Before we left the house he told me “elbow.”  He wanted me to kiss his elbow…not that he’d hurt it…he just needed a kiss from Umma (this is a common tactic.)  He seemed to recover but when we got to the school he was pouty and his bottom lip was quivering.  He didn’t melt down but he did try to delay going into the school a little bit.  By the time we left him, he was fine.

I really, really wish he could tell us what was wrong.   I really, really wish we could find a way for him to enjoy going to school.  🙁