This blog was initially set up as a means of communicating with my son's team. Since then, I've heard from other parents with similar stories. If you are living with challenges or journeying alongside someone who is, you are not alone. There are many of us. I'm a single adoptive Mom (http://richesofsimplicity.blogspot.com/) of a young man who lives with many abilities and many diagnoses. We have journeyed together through many challenges and a few adventures over the years as my son has tried to find space in this world that makes him feel more comfortable, an attempt made especially difficult when living with Attachment Disorder, PDD-NOS (Autism), Developmental Coordination Disorder, ADHD, prenatal substance exposure, etc. Some of the strongest elements used in this journey have been music, visual arts, therapeutic parenting, team-connection, boundary-setting, boundary-setting, boundary-setting, communication skills, community-building, continual lifeskills training, and elements of Theraplay. (Click here for some written resources.) On this journey, there is laughter and tears and growth and hope. The greatest of these is hope.

Thursday, January 6, 2011

January 6 continued



When Chef went to bed tonight, we talked more about what might help him feel less anxious. So tomorrow's plan is for me to ask his new worker to please make an appointment to meet with Chef at school so Chef knows when to expect him, and to talk again with Chef's sister and brother-in-law to see if he can come there for respite weekends. Chef's part is to make a list for his new worker of what would make him comfortable/uncomfortable regarding a new respite family.

And on that note, dreamland beckons.

4 comments:

  1. Cindy in NCJanuary 9, 2011 at 2:53 PM

    HI! Sounds like your boy is in overdrive regarding the new respite home. I took one of my teen clients to allow him to "interview" the new respite workers he was going to be working with. He made up questions, the ones he worried about, which we gave the new workers ahead of time, unbeknown to him, so that they could be prepared also. The client felt MUCH more "in control" of his surrounding and the people he was going to be working with...it was "AMAZING" what a difference it made...just food for thought my friend! TAke care. cindy in NC

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  2. JourneyingJanuary 10, 2011 at 9:07 AM

    Excellent plan :-)

    Chef will be discussing his list with one of his social workers, and will definitely be involved throughout the process, and I like the idea of implementing your "interview" piece. For Chef, the primary concern is the unfamiliarity/adapting to change. Historically, it has been very difficult to find respite homes for Chef, so choices will have to be very prioritized. Always a journey ;-)

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  3. Cindy in NCJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:08 PM

    Do you guys not have respite workers who come to YOUR home? That way the change is in person only and not environment...that is how we do it here.

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  4. JourneyingJanuary 10, 2011 at 12:23 PM

    We're presently working on finding a weekend respite home to provide respite from after school on Friday til Monday morning.

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