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chris54

Residential Trip.

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He's off tomorrow for a 3 day (2 nights) residential school trip. It is at a center run by the local council, all in the grounds of a big old house. When it was first talked about my son (aged 9) could not make up his mind if he wanted to go or not. One day he did next he didn't, each time it was down to something he was not sure about, and needed explanation/ reassurance.

Now he is looking forward to it. They, the school, have been telling them all about it what they can expect and how things will be done. There will only be his school there, only his class, the other class are there now. Swap over tomorrow.

 

There are only one or two children who are not going. A few people I have spoken to are surprised my son is going but if he is up for it why not. The school have put him in a room with one other boy (most of the children are in rooms of 6 or 8) and allocated a member of staff to by their key person whiles there. I have given the school a short list of things to remember, such as making a point of telling him that it is alright to get up in the night and go to the toilet, a simple thing but he needs telling.

 

This will be the first time he has ever been away without either me or his mum, so it is a big step for him.

I'm looking forward to having 2 nights off, apart from earlier this year when he and his mum spent 3 night at his grans with his big brother and sister and when I'm working night (still there to get him ready for bed and get him up) It will be the first time in his life that I have not been with him at night. For his mum is when she has been in hospital.

 

The school have said that while they are away not to contact them or the children, no mobile phones, if there is a problems they will contact us. So it is a case of no news is good news.

 

He was a bit narked yesterday as his usual 1 2 1 lady he has each morning was not in a she is away with the first group.

 

 

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Wow how brilliant, he'll have a great time. My son who's also 9 went to a place called Beaford a couple of months ago with the school for 5 days - 4 nights. I was worried about how he would be when he was there but gave the people taking him tips on what to do if he didn't cope with the games or the crafts (tends to have meltdowns when he loses or when needs to be in groups). He was fine, had a great time, loved the food, had a couple of meltdowns when he didn't win the welly boot throwing competition but all was fine.

 

The only thing about the whole trip he "hated" was when one of the teachers came to the room one morning and gave him his meds in front of his friends. He was horrified, I'd asked them to do it with him on his own because he hates people knowing he takes tablets to "stop him being a mad and crazy boy". Oh and he was very upset that they wouldn't let him bring an animal spine that he found in the woods home dispite telling everyone that I collect skulls and bones (oops!) The teacher said it was so discusting and some of the girls were actually crying! Boys eh! :rolleyes:

 

They had the no contact policy too which was great because when he has been at his Aunts a couple of times she has insisted that I speek to him on the phone and I can hear he is upset but I know that he only felt like that when he heard my voice and would have been ok if I haddn't spoken to him.

 

He came back being ultra polite, drinking cups of tea and even tidied up after himself! That didn't last long. He also was totally in love with me and full of cuddles which has continued since he's been back and at first I didn't know how to cope with it because he hated me up till then. :lol:

Edited by Sooze2

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I'm sure it will go okay. And even if it doesn't and they do have to phone you to come and get him, that is something worth knowing and recording in writing because it shows how much more preparation and support he might need in the future.

My son's previous school let him go for the day, but stopped him staying overnight. They were afraid that he might get upset/angry and they wouldn't be able to handle it. However he did get very upset and angry that he was not being allowed to stay. Infact the teacher and TA thought he was going to attack them! Again, I used this as evidence that the school were not autism friendly. He should have gone. He was excluded. He would have been okay if he had been supported. But they didn't have the staffing levels to do that. Infact, whatever difficulties a child has they should do more of, not less.

Anyway, I hope he has a brilliant time.

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Dropped him off at school this morning, still as enthusiastic as ever.

At the meeting about trip a few weeks ago they said not to take to much stuff with them (didn't stop some with there giant suitcases) as they would all have to take their own bags up the stairs to the bedrooms. My son has been practicing carrying his bag up and down the stairs for the last week to make sure he could do it with out any help.

And last of all his little beanie cat went in the bag. He takes that to bed with him each night. Well Teddy Bear was on the "remember to bring with you" list from the school.

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