Back to School Nerves

Here we are.  Once again, it's back to school time. I suppose the older I am becoming, the faster everything seems to be going. How can it possibly be September in a few days?  I am eager as most families to send my kids back to school, especially my son who truly needs the structure of a school day routine. I have to admit something though, I  am nervous about it. A different kind of nervous than the little butterflies in my stomach.  Like most parents, we want our children to have a good year.  As most of you know my little boy has Autism. I know when I tell people that truly don't know much about Autism they always say "well he looks normal to me". I don't know whether I should laugh or scream in those moments but that's is why I do what I do.  To help bring awareness and acceptance for my son and all the people that have Autism. This brings me back to my nervousness about the new school year. My little boy is in an integrated classroom which for those who don't know what that is, is a classroom that has a certain number of children that have special needs and the rest are all typically developing children. There are two teachers in the classroom so they can help target and support all the differentiated learning that happens. It is a great teaching model. I always get a bit worried and nervous about how he will fit in and to be honest as he gets older some of his behaviors make him stand out from the rest. The educator in me isn't bothered because I believe he will eventually learn how to control his tendencies to have outburst but the mommy in me just wants to wrap my arms around him and protect him from it all. When people ask me about my son I often describe him as an exaggerated 6 year old....I say he is just like any other boy his age but if a typical boy his age is has a hard time losing at a game well my son may throw a fit when he loses....see my point he is an Exaggerated six year old. Which make my nervousness exaggerated too.  I suppose some parents feel nervous about the first day but families with special needs children have all of these thoughts swirling in their heads. "Will the new teacher know how to support him if he has a meltdown?" "How will the other children react to him after they see him having screaming fits?"  "Will he get any invites for a play date this year?" and "Will his teachers see past his challenges to the smart, funny, and extremely charming little boy he is?"  There are so many thoughts swirling in my head but I have to trust him and all the hard working educators that are working to bring him to his best. I know I don't stop for a moment. I often wonder if the teachers find me annoying but I know the good ones don't. They know I am simply a Mom looking to have my son achieve his best.

My advice to other families in similar situations is to do your best to establish a good relationship with all the people supporting your child. This has worked successfully for me. I still get nervous at that start of a new year but I am learning to push down my nerves a little at time and express myself and his needs to those that help him. It actually helps me by doing this. I know there will always be bumps in the rode as his challenges are not going to simply disappear but we will face them as they come.