Today started dark and early at 5:20am. As I headed to the bathroom for a shower, Jonas met me there. My initial thought was to tell him to go back to bed, but before I could get the words out, I realized that he was crying. When I asked him what was wrong, he winpered that "Today is the field trip to the Science Centre." Because he's always so excited about going there, I thought maybe he had had a bad dream or something. Starting the day with tears and "Mom, can I please not go on the field trip?" was not at all what I expected.
It turns out that he has been dreading this trip all week. Not because he doesn't want to go, but because he knows he's going to have to write an essay about it when he gets back to school. He loves the science centre and he loves field trips but he is overwhelmed at the thought of having to write about it. Between is struggles with handwriting and organizing his thoughts, he was literally sobbing at the thought.
He has his occupational therapy assessment in three weeks, and we're truly hopeful that he'll start getting the additional help he needs once that happens. The school board has limited resources so all the red tape has to be gone through before he can get a share of them. After 4 years of inaction at his first school, and two years on the waiting list at this school, I say "It's about bloody time!"
I left a message on the school voicemail this morning, requesting a meeting with his teacher and the special resources teacher. They talked us out of persuing an official IEP (Individual Education Plan) last year. They have been fantastic with him in the two years we've been there, but it seems that whatever unofficial accomodations they had in place for him have not been reestablished this year. Whether it's because of the teachers union's work to rule campaign or not, I don't know, but the boy needs help so this mama it putting her big girl boots on and going back into the trenches. Wish us luck!
Cheers!
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