Charlie had such a good week last week it was easy to think that the tide had turned and we were on the home run. But, this is Charlie and we have some testing times. Monday he totally refused to go. This is because on a Monday, the school staff don’t go in until they have had their lateral covid tests so the pupils can’t go in until all the staff have been tested. Just this simple change of routine is enough to send Charlie out of whack, and he can’t get his head around the change. I think Mondays will be very testing. Charlie went all day Tuesday (yay) and then today I got the dreaded call. After 2.5 hours, he had a meltdown, worst the school have seen and I had to go and collect him. This is sad news for us. We are going to have a decompress day at home tomorrow and then try again on Friday.

In some ways, this is helpful. It means the school see him at his worst and will now hopefully understand his triggers and find solutions on how to work with him. Let’s hope so! We will see on Friday. It is coming at a tricky time, I am taking on more hours at work and I have a job interview for a new job too. I felt so confident on the change in him and with time for induction, training etc I thought I would have a few weeks of a full time Charlie so that I can ease myself back into work guilt free. However, that plan does seem to be failing on me now. Was this too naïve? Should I of known better? Ahhh these questions will taunt me!

Today, I did a positive parenting course with Amy McCready. It was only a free 1 hour webinar that introduced you to her work and gave you an option to sign up to the course and it’s modules. It was $200 so it’s not entirely in my budget, but I did take bits away from it and I will look into the books and do a bit more research into this method. I’ve popped a link below to the website and the course.

Online Parenting Course for Parents of Toddlers to Teens ⎸ Positive Parenting Solutions

Part of the issues I have with managing to parent Charlie is because he doesn’t respond to traditional parenting. His ASD and attachment disorder means he needs another form of parenting. Can I get access to this? No! Not one professional has ever referred me to a different style parenting course, website or resources. I have had to gather my own information, research and come to my own conclusions! With no real direction to see if I am in the right direction. Another positive, is that it gives us a chance to address these issues before the EHCP AR (annual review) which will be after half term now. Fingers crossed it’s a nice easy one, but none of them have been easy so far! We’ve only had 2, both at different placements and both ending with placement can’t meet need. I will do a more comprehensive blog when we have the review.

I do have some good news though, I’m beginning to feel as though this blog is a bit negative. Charlie met my boyfriend on Saturday, and it went fabulously! I am so pleased. It gave me such a lot of anxiety, timing it, and the seriousness of the relationship. Was I ready to introduce someone to my children, was he ready? Is it serious enough of a relationship to warrant meeting the kids in the first place! But I’m glad I did it, because it was absolutely the right time and he is absolutely the right person to be meeting the children. And we are absolutely going forward with this relationship.

It is absolutely Baltic out there, stay warm and well people.

Georgina x