If I worked in a traditional medical office, snot on my scrubs would probably be normal. But I’m an office manager in an eye clinic. Snot is not a part of my day.
Today is the first day back to school after a 2 week spring break. J woke up today adamant that he was no longer going to school. He barely got dressed after putting pajama pants on instead of clothes first. He didn’t eat breakfast. He tried to leave without shoes or me before I was ready. He decided taking a backpack was too much work.
When I got him to school with a lunch box that also contained some breakfast and his binder, he didn’t want to get out of the car. I explained that I had to work and if i don’t make money, he doesn’t get food or fun stuff. So he got out of the van and nearly kicked his binder into the way of on coming traffic.
I stayed in the van watching but it seemed that he was really agitated and being verbally abusive to the parapros who were there with him. So I pulled out of the drop off line and into a parking spot. I went up to hug him (deep sensory input) and he blew his nose on my scrubs.
I ended up having to walk him in to school. We compromised on going to a life skills room instead of class. I basically left him with hi low expectations. No fit throwing today so you can have electronics time. Electronics time means he can spend his money on Amazon. I told him he’s allowed to feel the way he feels about school but he’s not allowed to act badly about it.
On my way out, I ran into another mom on the sidewalk who I know from special Olympics. She was trying to coach her son to go into his classroom from across the lawn. We acknowledged that it was a rough morning for all of us, a few tears escaped, and I hugged her. We walked out of the school together, hopeful that our kids navigate this Monday well.
Grace Under Autism 