Preschool starts in February!!!!

Jo Jo's first day of preschool will be February 10th 2014!!!

Today Jo Jo had a evaluation at Rockland Preschool and he did a great job. They were really impressed with his attention span and being able to follow through with activities and transition. That's my boy!!! He is such a good little boy. Thank you to Early Intervention and ABA Therapy!!! Without these services Jo Jo would never have been able to complete the evaluation.

During the Evaluation I had to fill out more paperwork. It never ends! Today I had to fill out a sensory processing packet, a general information packet, and another evaluation packet. It becomes extremely repetitive and annoying with all the paperwork. 

We also got to visit Jo Jo's classroom and meet one of his new fellow student's. He was adorable and couldn't wait to play with Jo Jo, and Jo Jo could have cared less. The classroom was very similar to Caylee's classroom which is directly across the hall. Awesomeness!!!! They also have a lot of technology in the classroom, and they even have there own occupational therapy room with a therapy swing! So far loving the program and teacher's! 

There is a little but more left to do for Jo Jo's Eligibility Evaluation. The school will be observing in January at Jo Jo's play group and they will also come and observe ABA Therapy. Then mid January we will have our Eligibility Meeting with the director, therapists, teacher's, early intervention, and us of course. The meeting will be our first IEP Meeting also, They will tell us he is eligible for the program and we will talk about his education plan. 

The director has already told us that Jo Jo is eligible because he has a diagnosis but they still have to complete there evaluation in full by law and they also get to observe Jo Jo which gives them a better picture of what they will need to be doing for him. Jo Jo will go to preschool four days a week from 9 to 11:30. The same time as Caylee which makes everything easier! I'm very excited for Jo Jo to start school. I think he is going to love it! He is a fast learner and I think he will fit in just fine. I am also very sad because my baby is starting school. It's going to be weird not having any kids in the house. Gonna miss my little man!

There is a reason it is called a Safety Harness!

One of my biggest pet peeve's is when someone has to use a safety harness for there child, and people stair or make comments such as "why do you have your kid on a dog leash". Hhhmmm a dog leash what a awful way to describe someone who is trying to keep there child safe. I understand we all have our own belief's on parenting but is this mommy war necessary?

Every parent is different, every child is different, every situation is different. My situation is that I have a 2 1/2 year old son with Autism and he like's to wander, but most of all he run's! He also does not respond to his name. For us a safety harness is necessary for our Jo Jo.

I have once read and have been apart of conversation's with parent's and non parent's opinion's of a safety harness. Some people are very understanding and other people not so much. The excuses and reason's people come up with why a harness is bad is appalling.

Parent's have said thing's like "You should just put him in a stroller". Wow really how about my kid get some exercise and just walk with me. What's the difference, either way your child will still have a safety harness on. I have also heard comment's like "If you can't control your kid, then you shouldn't have had kids". Seriously!!! Who are these nasty mother's to judge my parenting!!!! I think the one that really light's a fire under me is when it is referred to as walking a dog, and last but not least "My child feel's like they have freedom when they can walk on there own". Ok well what toddler should have that much freedom? Your child could disappear in a second, no matter how vigilant you are. Accident's do happen even to the most cautious parent's.

I only want to protect my child, It's not cause I can't control him, it is because he has autism and doesn't understand what a normal developed toddler can. He doesn't understand walk with me, or don't run. The safety harness was designed for it's exact purpose, safety!

At Jo Jo's group I was talking to another mother who also uses a harness on her son. She uses it for all the same reason's as we do. She also expressed how hurt she get's when people stair at her or make comment's when they see her and her son with the harness. She said that times are already tough and the last thing I need is someone making me feel like a bad parent for using a harness, she is only trying to protect her son.

I guess the biggest point I want to get across is that you don't know everyone's unique situation and every parent has the right to use a safety harness if they feel it is necessary. Why bash another parent for protecting there child? Parenting is hard enough, if anything we should be empowering each other to be better parent's!

Every Tuesday

Every Tuesday Jo Jo goes to a Sensory Processing Play Group at the Early Intervention center in Brockton. It's usually about a 1/2 hour drive from our house. If anyone knows Brockton, Ma it is a adventure just driving through. Keep your doors locked and be prepared to see something you don't see every day. This week I just laughed! I needed some humor in my day and when I watched a car make a right hand turn and the driver's side back door swung open and the lady in the back seat screamed and reached for the door and closed it, I just died laughing waiting for the light to turn green. Yup love Tuesday's driving through Brockton!

Play group is from 1:30 to 3:00, it usually ends 10 minutes early. We have been going for about 2 1/2 months and will continue going until Jo Jo turns 3 in February. The group changes all the time. Sometimes there is only 3 kids, sometimes it's up to 7 or 8 kids.

Jo Jo loves his play group. He really enjoy's going. Every time we go I let him walk in first and he marches down to the classroom and heads to the chalk board every time. It is going to be really hard in February when we stop going. Everyone we have met there have been awesome!!! When Jo Jo is in his play group there is a parent group that meet's and I have met some awesome mom's! We usually talk about what our kids have been doing, achievements they have been, and services we are receiving. It has been an amazing support group to be apart of.