First week of Kindergarten....

What a week this has been for us! Our oldest started high school, Boo started Kindergarten (both on the same day) and Bo and Banana started 4th and 5th grade!
To make it more exciting, all of us have been sick! I had to keep Boo home today because he had a low grade fever.

So far so good with school. Boo seems to be doing fabulous! He is excited about going and his teacher says he's "perfect". I had a feeling he'd do well because he tends to hold it together more under peer pressure situations. He doesn't want to throw a fit in front of other kids he doesn't know well. So this is all great news, right? Eh, not so much. We have been dealing with the fallout of his great efforts at school, at home. He comes home and all of his frustrations he held inside all day come POURING out. He becomes rigid and intolerant of anything that doesn't go his way. He is also showing some separation anxiety again. I went to leave for the store the other night and he would NOT let me go. He followed me out to the car, kicking and screaming. I tried to bring him back inside and explain why he couldn't go with me but he wouldn't listen. Then a nosey Mc. Nosester lady came walking by with her dog and stopped in front of me and Boo and just stared. I suppose she thought I must have been abusing him by the way he was wailing, but I was trying to talk loud enough over Boo so SHE could hear me say "You cannot go to the store with mommy and you HAVE to go back in the house now". I can't tell you HOW much it disturbs me when people STARE at you like you are an abusive parent. If they only knew what we endure. If they only knew HOW MUCH we LOVE our children. If she only knew that I spend a great majority of my day tending to my son's specific challenges and needs in the best way I know how. If she only knew that not only do we NOT SPANK Boo but we just spent THREE months commuting to put him through an intensive and expensive program!!!! These are things I want to shout at people who like to stand in judgment of me. I have been seriously considering putting a sign on our front door that states "A child with FASD lives here. Extreme tantrums are expected daily. If you have concerns please call me or feel free to bring me some coffee and I'll explain FASD to you!!!!"

Ok, enough of my rant. Now onto Bo. I am very excited because Monday we get to go visit the Braille Institute where (hopefully) Bo will be taking some classes! They offer classes like Karate and cooking to children with visual impairments. I have been wanting to put Bo into this program for a while but he's been a little nervous about trying it. I finally decided it's time. He is having a difficult time with his vision lately. As he gets older, he is becoming more and more aware of his limitations. It is extremely frustrating for him. I can't imagine how he must feel sometimes but I can't let my empathy for him hinder his road to independence. I have to challenge him and teach him that while his disability is significant and he does have some limits, he CAN achieve the same level of success in life as everyone else. He may have to work harder at some things but we all have limitations. We all struggle with something. He has so many strengths and gifts. He is very intelligent. He is so loving and caring. He has a great deal of empathy for people who are sick or hurt. I can see him being a teacher or a counselor of some sort. I want him to be happy and find fulfillment in his life.
This is what all parents want and hope for their children.
Well it is late once again and my pillow is calling me. I have been hit with yet another sinus/cold thingy. I am going to try and rest up this weekend so I am fresh for next week. We are still working on getting a routine down. I finally went to the teacher supply store today and bought a pocket chart for Boo's schedule. Now I just have to put it all together! Once it's together, I will post pictures of it.....
'Night!