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Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Daily School Notes

The boys' teacher sends home a little note each day with an
overall evaluation of their behavior while noting any good
or bad things that happened. It helps a lot with non-verbal
kids, since I can't say "How was your day?" and have them
answer. They got to bed late after being out to watch fireworks
on Monday night. I had to drag Harry out of bed to go to school.
So, I wasn't surprised to get this note home this afternoon! :)
I read somewhere in my research about autism that
their neurotransmitters act like they have a loose connection.
Sometimes they can transmit and sometimes they cannot, almost
like an old transistor radio when the needle is a tad off and you get
all that static. Some days are like that with the boys...clear connections
and focus and some are not...like the radio knob needs tweaking. I guess
Harry just needed a little tweaking...or maybe another hour of sleep! :)

32 comments:

  1. Sounds like all of us today on this delayed monday! ;D

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  2. So true! I just had to laugh when I read it. I thought it was Monday all day today!

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  3. On the bright side ... teacher didn't mark 'very bad!' Tomorrow will be a better day!

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  4. I just smiled when I saw that. I could have that note written about me many days. Some days we are just not with it:-) I don't know what I would do without a communication notebook. I look exclusively at it and don't tend to pay attention to the calendar or any note that is written to the masses. I guess I got spoiled and think that I only want to hear the news that specifically pertains to Davin. It does not work very well for early dismissals and days off from school, however;-) Glad you are back to your routine. Did you enjoy your day today? Do anything special?

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  5. Helen ~ The face she circles is for his attitude and behavior. So, although he was in a fog, he was still good! :)

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  6. Heather ~ I enjoyed being alone! And I did laundry and worked on a stack of paperwork, so it was a good day.

    I've been caught by surprise on some early dismissal days when the bus pulled up! LOL! So glad I hadn't gone shopping! :)

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  7. Well, I guess that report card could fit most of us today. I thought it was Monday all day today, and got mad at myself for being so inflexible in my thinking. Then our 22 year old son said, "It seems like a Monday". Good, it's not just an old age thing. Hope tomorrow is better for all of you!

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  8. we get those as well right now at the beginning of school...and yeah your tweeking metaphor holds...sometimes it is the little things...

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  9. Poor Harry! He needed another hour or two of SLEEP!

    Ya know...Fetal Alcohol kids have that same effect of the loose neurotransmitters and we experience that same thing at our house. Some days SHARP and bright and other days...cannot remember the smallest details! Keeps us ON our toes!

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  10. Looks like he still did "good" even though he was a little off. Can't complain about that!

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  11. It is a good thing for me that my students don't have a rating chart like that for me! Harry may not be with IT.....but he is with you and with us...and well....as Scarlet would say..."I can't think about it today..." I often plead the Scarlet O'Hara...and just move on...(smiles)!

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  12. Isn't it amazing how we can look up a subject on the computer and learn so much? Neurotransmitters... now that is a big name.
    Did anyone tell you that you have great teaching skills? Good explaination by using the radio.

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  13. Glad you have this communication with their teacher. I hope Harry catches up on his sleep.

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  14. Yeh, we all have 'those' days! Nice way for the teacher to communicate, I love it!

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  15. I have plenty of days when that note would/should apply to me... days when my cell phone ends up in the refrigerator and such.

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  16. I think we both need another hour of sleep!!!


    You give me such insight to something I didn't know about before your blog. I'm so grateful, and love your boys and your blog.

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  17. I taught school for 20 years and I do whatever my kids need now. An extra hour or two of sleep?--that's what we do! Makes our school mad sometimes, but I decided long ago that I know what my kids need better than anyone.

    Everyone at our house would have gotten a frowny face yesterday!

    Gloria

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  18. Christian ~ I'm actually glad I don't get graded every day like that. haha.

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  19. Gloria ~ I could have used another hour of sleep this morning myself!

    I didn't know you taught 20 years! wow..that's great!

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  20. Early to bed tonight!
    Have a good day Harry!

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  21. Hi Betsy,

    I can relate to this post in many ways. We have been having many "off" days around here.
    Thank you so much for your sweet words about little Andrea. Can't wait to see her.

    big hugs,
    Barb

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  22. I agree with everybody else that we all have our off days...or days that we're just not with it. Last week my youngest was out of school for three days b4 the holiday weekend...so we both literally were off kilter for 6 days. I don't think either of us has adjusted to our normal routine this week yet...and it's almost Friday.
    My nephew was just recently diagnosed with Asperger's, Betsy. I've heard that Asperger's is related in some way to Autism...I know that the communication challenges that you're talking about are similar to what my nephew is dealing with. On top of everything else, his parents are splitting up. Can you recommend any reading material for me?

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  23. Hey, I don't have autism. My brain is what they call "typically developed," and I wasn't with it the other day either. Give 'em heck Harry!

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  24. I like that they circled the good happy face though ... because no doubt your son would understand the picture & he wasn't being bad, he was just a little foggy & this happens to everyone.

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  25. I have found that Son needs a certain amount of sleep in order to function well at school. And any change in the routine at home has the potential to mess him up as well. Its amazing how we as moms can know when they will have a good or not so good day when they leave the house!

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  26. That circle on Good must be making him feel better.

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  27. I wonder what it would look like if we all had a little note each day with an overall evaluation of our behavior?! More sleep is always a good thing.

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  28. sleeps does wonders for all of us, eh?! :)

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  29. All his life MOTH has had similar comments made of him, generally 'He's just not tuned in.' I think he & Harry wander off to a lovely little place in their minds that you & I will never be invited to Betsy. Maybe we should tweak both our boys together!
    Millie ^_^

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  30. I hate to see that "very bad" face on his "report" paper--it wasn't circled, but I hate to see it there for potential circling. He is not very bad, ever. Just probably frustrated and like you said, things just aren't connected so well some days. We all have those kind of days but because we are considered "normal" people don't say/circle a "very bad" face for us. But we all know that we are often very bad, in way different ways than your boys and in more serious, deliberate ways. I wish there were no judging! I really do. This probably doesn't make a lick of sense.

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  31. At least he still got 'good'! :)

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