Two Fridays ago, SJ had his first ski club trip. He was going with about 40-50 other junior high students (Bob wasn't one of them). My husband dropped him and his ski equipment off at school that morning. The students were leaving school around 2:15. They drove to Seven Springs, one of our local ski resorts.
I was a little (okay a lot) worried about how he would do without my husband or I being there. My husband had planned to go up separately with one of our friends, but they decided last minute not to go. Topher and Willie were also there, which made me feel somewhat better. However, SJ doesn't also have the patience to wait for his friends.
This personality trait of his did cause him some stressors that night. Since he was in a big rush to get on the slopes after their mandatory ski lesson, he didn't wait for his friends. He lost track of Topher and Willie. Topher kept trying to keep in contact with SJ via text. The problem was that SJ wasn't always aware of that fact. When it was time to eat dinner, SJ returned to the lodge. Most of his friends had already eaten. SJ started to panic, because he couldn't find his money. We had given him a $25 gift certificate. Thankfully, Topher had some extra money to loan SJ, so he was able to eat. Topher is a good egg!
Most of his friends went back out to the lift before SJ had finished his meal. He was once again by himself. He claims he skied the rest of the night solo, but I think he may be exaggerating. The students skied until 9:15. They had to report back to the lodge for check-in and then had to get back on the bus for the return home.
Willie's dad picked up all three boys and dropped him off at our house. SJ then started telling my husband and I the tale of his woes of the night, including the fact that his money was in his boot the whole time he was skiing (we had already known most of this from the texts that Willie and Topher had sent their dads).
The next day, we realized that SJ also left or lost his good ski gloves at the resort. He also lost my husband's ski strap that he had let him use. My husband talked to SJ about staying with his friends, being mindful of his money (SJ was quick to point out that my husband shouldn't have put his money in his boot) and to be careful with his ski accessories (we are certainly not going to be buying $40 gloves every week). He also assured him that he would be there next time, so he can squash any dramatics that may pop up. Even with all the problems he had, I am super proud of SJ for joining a club with typical students and mostly blending in with the group.
Tuesday, January 27, 2015
after school speech part 8
Two weeks ago, SJ had his bi-weekly speech therapy session. She said he did a very nice job. After she chatted with him for a few minutes about his week at school, she worked on "why" questions with him. He has difficulty at times reading people's expressions, so I thought this was a great activity for him to practice. He also doesn't understand sarcasm very well, so that can also be very problematic for him. (Bob can attest to that, especially since he is very sarcastic!)
She showed him some pictures and asked him two why questions about each picture. She said he had some trouble, but with prompting he was able to give an acceptable answer. For example: There was a picture of a boy looking at a broken vase on a table. He looked like he may have been crying. She asked him, "Why is the boy worried?" He responded with "because he is going to get in trouble". Then, she asked him "Why is the vase in pieces?" He said, "The boy must have broke it."
She worked on that topic for most of the session. She assigned him more picture cards for homework. He did okay with this homework assignment. He still needed an occasional prompt.
She showed him some pictures and asked him two why questions about each picture. She said he had some trouble, but with prompting he was able to give an acceptable answer. For example: There was a picture of a boy looking at a broken vase on a table. He looked like he may have been crying. She asked him, "Why is the boy worried?" He responded with "because he is going to get in trouble". Then, she asked him "Why is the vase in pieces?" He said, "The boy must have broke it."
She worked on that topic for most of the session. She assigned him more picture cards for homework. He did okay with this homework assignment. He still needed an occasional prompt.
Sunday, January 11, 2015
the snowflake
Before you think I am going to be writing about actual snowflakes, I am not. The Snowflake is the name of the dance that they have at our district's junior high. Bob didn't go last year and was still not interested this year. However, SJ wanted to go. I was extremely surprised, but happy to hear this.
Now for the big question. Did he want to go with a girl? There were rumors that a certain girl wanted him to take her, but he doesn't reciprocate her feelings, so that wasn't going to happen. I told him he could go with friends in a group or we could simply drop him off by himself. He thought about it for a while. He opted to go with Topher.
The night of the dance SJ got dressed in the same attire from the last wedding we attended. He looked very handsome. Of course, I took some pictures at our house. I was practically crying while I was taking the pictures (my baby was going to his first dance!). We drove to Topher's house to pick him up. Topher was arguing with his mom about the color of socks he was going to wear. His mom won that argument (I was in total agreement with her) and we took more pictures of the two of them. I drove them to the junior high and told SJ to leave his IPod in the car. I wasn't sure if they were allowed to have electronics at a school function, plus I wanted him to interact with the other students at the dance. Topher's dad was picking up the boys at the end of the dance.
I was a little stressed about how SJ's behavior would be at the dance. When Topher's dad dropped him off, he was crying and seemed upset. Topher's dad told my husband that SJ wasn't happy and he tried to calm him down. My husband thanked him and we went to talk to SJ.
Apparently, there were a few things that happened.
1. Every student had their electronic device! (Oops, that was my fault that I didn't let him take it in.)
2. The music was WAY TOO LOUD! (SJ's exact words). Loud music is always problematic for SJ. We should have had him take ear plugs, but being this was his first dance we weren't aware of how loud the music would be.
3. Two girls asked him to dance (how dare they...just kidding). He did tell us that he told the girls "no thank you", so at least he wasn't rude. We suggested that he may want to dance with a girl the next time, but he wasn't receptive to that suggestion that night.
4. He felt lonely at the end. We told him there was only one way to solve that problem. Talk to someone!
Even with all these things that happened, I am still so happy and proud that he went to the dance. I wish Bob would be as social as SJ tries to be sometimes, but they are different kids.
A few weeks later, he told me there may be another dance in February. He said, "I think I will take a date to the next dance. At least then, I won't be lonely." I smiled and said, "That is a great idea, SJ." Now, to get him to understand that when you take a girl to a dance, he will actually have to dance with her. Something else for us to work on with him.
Now for the big question. Did he want to go with a girl? There were rumors that a certain girl wanted him to take her, but he doesn't reciprocate her feelings, so that wasn't going to happen. I told him he could go with friends in a group or we could simply drop him off by himself. He thought about it for a while. He opted to go with Topher.
The night of the dance SJ got dressed in the same attire from the last wedding we attended. He looked very handsome. Of course, I took some pictures at our house. I was practically crying while I was taking the pictures (my baby was going to his first dance!). We drove to Topher's house to pick him up. Topher was arguing with his mom about the color of socks he was going to wear. His mom won that argument (I was in total agreement with her) and we took more pictures of the two of them. I drove them to the junior high and told SJ to leave his IPod in the car. I wasn't sure if they were allowed to have electronics at a school function, plus I wanted him to interact with the other students at the dance. Topher's dad was picking up the boys at the end of the dance.
I was a little stressed about how SJ's behavior would be at the dance. When Topher's dad dropped him off, he was crying and seemed upset. Topher's dad told my husband that SJ wasn't happy and he tried to calm him down. My husband thanked him and we went to talk to SJ.
Apparently, there were a few things that happened.
1. Every student had their electronic device! (Oops, that was my fault that I didn't let him take it in.)
2. The music was WAY TOO LOUD! (SJ's exact words). Loud music is always problematic for SJ. We should have had him take ear plugs, but being this was his first dance we weren't aware of how loud the music would be.
3. Two girls asked him to dance (how dare they...just kidding). He did tell us that he told the girls "no thank you", so at least he wasn't rude. We suggested that he may want to dance with a girl the next time, but he wasn't receptive to that suggestion that night.
4. He felt lonely at the end. We told him there was only one way to solve that problem. Talk to someone!
Even with all these things that happened, I am still so happy and proud that he went to the dance. I wish Bob would be as social as SJ tries to be sometimes, but they are different kids.
A few weeks later, he told me there may be another dance in February. He said, "I think I will take a date to the next dance. At least then, I won't be lonely." I smiled and said, "That is a great idea, SJ." Now, to get him to understand that when you take a girl to a dance, he will actually have to dance with her. Something else for us to work on with him.
after school speech part 7
At SJ's last speech session for 2014, SJ's therapist worked on picture cards and question strips. She showed him a picture and he had to answer the questions. There were nine in total. He was able to answer six of them without assistance. She needed to prompt him on the other three. Here is an example.
There was a picture a smiling girl showing a completed assignment with a 100% at that top. The first question was "Why is the girl happy?". He told his therapist that she was happy, because she got everything right. The second question was "Why is a star a good sign?". He told her teachers give stars for good work.
She assigned him twelve more picture cards with sentences for homework. She also worked on Multiple Opinions. She had him complete sentences that were under the topic of "Christmas presents". Here are his answers.
My favorite present was a Wii.
I like that they're free.
I don't like getting clothes.
I believe that Santa will give me good presents.
I think the best gift was an IPod.
I feel that if I'm nice I'll get presents.
I don't think that coal is a good gift.
In my opinion they are fun.
I can't stand clothes.
One of the worst presents was pajamas.
She also told me we could pick another topic and have him answer the same questions for homework as well. She was very happy with his effort that week. I am always happy to hear that!
There was a picture a smiling girl showing a completed assignment with a 100% at that top. The first question was "Why is the girl happy?". He told his therapist that she was happy, because she got everything right. The second question was "Why is a star a good sign?". He told her teachers give stars for good work.
She assigned him twelve more picture cards with sentences for homework. She also worked on Multiple Opinions. She had him complete sentences that were under the topic of "Christmas presents". Here are his answers.
My favorite present was a Wii.
I like that they're free.
I don't like getting clothes.
I believe that Santa will give me good presents.
I think the best gift was an IPod.
I feel that if I'm nice I'll get presents.
I don't think that coal is a good gift.
In my opinion they are fun.
I can't stand clothes.
One of the worst presents was pajamas.
She also told me we could pick another topic and have him answer the same questions for homework as well. She was very happy with his effort that week. I am always happy to hear that!
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