Alec isn't very good at organising himself. This usually isn't a problem as I try to do it for him. Sometimes this doesn't work. Alec's teacher also does things for him, takes his library book, lets me know if something is coming up. Alec is pretty slap dash about notes, some I get some I don't. Last night he tells me he needs a shoe box for a Bilby house, this is good, it is also something he is excited about, I didn't get the note about the Bilby house though.

At about ten to twelve yesterday I find Alec's hat and morning tea sitting on the lounge, he must have taken them out after I packed his bag. They can't go out to play without a hat, I really hoped the teacher had a spare (imagine slightly sick sinking feeling with an oh no added), she didn't at recess but they decided to let him go without a hat as he gets very stressed and agitated, thankfully they found the spare hat at lunch time. This is where it gets hard, normally you would say, well as you don't have a hat you can't play, Alec just doesn't get that, he does on one level, he knows you must have a hat, but getting him to realise the implications to him we haven't had much luck with.

Try as I may to get Alec to pack his bag himself nothing is working, therefore it is easier for me to do. I thought on days we do drive though to pick him up he would pack his bag and use the schedule I made, he doesn't like the schedule much anymore it sets him apart from the other kids and they notice, this is just what I think he thinks, I don't think they do. I would place it on his desk but that already has his excuse me card, a sight word sheet and a reward sheet he wouldn't have much room left to work, I have thought about making a mini one laminating it and attaching it to the bag.

We did have a big surprise on the weekend, I will let you read about it over at cafe grendel as Michael blogged about it. Alec has come so far I can not ever sing the praises of early intervention enough, he will learn as he goes now, it wont always be easy because at the end of the day Alec is autistic and that wont change those core traits are things he will have to work around but being able to communicate where once he couldn't is a testament to the work Alec has done too.

So today after dropping the boys at school I had to come home, collect morning tea, the Bilby house and twigs and leaves and the library book and take them back to school, not a big deal for me but a huge difference for Alec, Cathy said.. let me take that.. oh and that, so when it comes time to do things he has them.

My first instinct is to protect and shield him from things but I know I have to take a step back and let him experience things and learn from them, it can be very hard to do.

Labels: autism