Mum of 3

flowers

Shona, your daughter is amazingly talented! This film is just so moving...I've got tears flowing down my cheeks! As for her project, how about looking through some family photos? She could do some kind of montage using Powerpoint with different 'chapters' based on aspects of her life, like Homes (different houses you've lived in, or just her favourite rooms in the house); schools (Nursery, Reception, Infants, etc..); Holidays; Christmas; Family (cousins, grandparents, etc)...She needn't mention anything she doesn't want to, and could keep it very 'impersonal'. I made a book to show to the children in the class I was teaching in on Teaching Practice, and it was a bit like this. Obviously, I didn't go into details about my life, but just wrote about my family, pets, the village where I grew up, etc...and illustrated it with photographs from the family albums. To be absolutely impersonal, how about 'A few of my Favourite Things' as a title...she could think about the things she most enjoys and film/photograph them, then create a montage set to the song from 'A Sound of Music'! Alternatively, she might want to take the opportunity to show her classmates what having aspergers means for her. There's a book called 'Can I tell you about Asperger Syndrome' by Jude Welton, written as if by a child, to explain his aspergers to friends and family. Another example of a child writing about having as is in 'Our Journey Through HFA and AS... A roadmap' edited by Lynda Andron.This one is actually written by the child himself, and he wrote it for his new classmates when he moved schools. Good luck with the project. I hope she finds a way of doing it that she enjoys.

travel (There used to be a Sunday Times Suppliment called 'Style and Travel', and it was my Dad's pet name for me when I got my first car, a biege Vauxhall Nova! VRRRUUUMM!!!)

face

I just wanted to send you lots of <'>. I've been feeling like this ever since I went to G's parent's evening in March and the teacher started listing all the things he can't do. I'd been expecting it and on one level I was pleased he had a teacher who is so good that she's noticed and wants to help him in all his difficulties. On the other hand, it made it more real that he has difficulties...before this, it was all just me noticing things and asking others what they thought. Now, it's like it's more official. He really does have problems, and it's not something he's going to grow out of. I agree with others that you go through a 'grieving' process, although, for myself, I don't think I'm grieving for the 'perfect ' child I'll never have, more the future that he'll have to face... I do hope you start to feel better soon, Bluefish. What you're feeling is perfectly natural with all you've been through. <'> <'> <'>

Oh No...we only have old fashioned telly! I'd love to see this-it would put my probs right uinto perspective! Are all the children born to the same parents, or are they cousins, etc?

stopped

man

vagabond

Skye, the older lads at G's school are just the same. I think they are genuinely wanting to be friendly towards us, and they have said that they think G is 'cool'. . I think that older children in school often want to 'look after' the younger children. When I was teaching Y6, I used to have lots of success getting my 'naughty' boys to behave by sending them to 'buddy' children in the Nursery. It gave them a huge boost to their self-esteem. If I were you, I'd take it at face-value and be pleased about it. Could you ask the Senco if some of these children could be asked to befriend Lib? They might have heard of 'Circle of Friends', which is a programme that might be good for you, where the older children are supported in befriending a child who needs friends. They have regular meetings with an adult where they plan activities, talk about how the child is getting on, etc. It can work very well.

I agree with you, KateBall. This is not a competition, and the cost of the book is going to be prohibitive to many parents, who will, nevertheless, feel obliged to buy it, which is why it's emotional blackmail. I for one am sick and tired of being asked for money for various school things...and G's only been there 2 and a half terms!

Have a good one

I was thinking about G's speech today, as I was filling out the dla forms . He has similar problems, with ch,sh, y at the start of words, th, and more. The things he says are really clever alot of the time, but people still just look straight at me for a translation! . I wish people would persevere with him, and tell him when they can't understand, as he isn't really aware that there is a problem, so he's not motivated to do anything about it, He had 6 speech therapy sessions, and now he's had his time, but he won't practice what she showed him (he wouldn't even do it for her!), so he's actually worse now than he was when he started 6months ago! . How do you get your's to speak more clearly and practice the exercises?

Good advice, Mel, thanks. We've kind of got this rule, and I'm determined to stick to it from now on!

kneel

It's good that they're understanding. I know what you mean about getting through to him...sometimes I think I'm really getting through, only to find he's picked up on entirely the wrong part of the message! Does he have any professional support for anger management or anything like that?

wing

Sesley, I really feel for you. So many times I've said G is like Jekyl and Hyde...He hasn't thumped a teacher yet, but there but for the grace of God...I know he shouldn't have done it, and you have to be strong and firm with him, but I can't help feeling sorry for him, to feel such frustration and not be able to deal with it in any other way. Have school said what they're going to do?

I'm so glad I'm not alone with my wierd thoughts!!!

So sorry. Have a long hot bath and take some rescue remedy...look after yourself and have some <'> <'> <'> XXX

Hi Frizz, welcome to the forum...No tips, but sympathise...All my DS has to do is practice writing his name, once a day, and it's like blood from a stone!

Welcome to the forum, giggles.

Hi, A and A, welcome to the forum. HFA is 'High Functioning Autism'. There is alot of debate about how HFA and Asperger's Syndrome (AS) differ...I couldn't begin to put all these arguments together, but I think HFA is given as a dx (diagnosis) where there was a delay in aquiring speech, AS is given where there was no speech delay. Now I'm going to duck for cover while everyone jumps in and proves me wrong!

Welcome to the forum

Hi Wenders, welcome