SCHOOL DAZED, CONFUZED AND SCHMOOZED

I absent-mindedly remembered (or forgot to remember) that I started to tell you about my run-in with the twins school earlier this week. BAD ME!!! I suppose for those of you left wondering, I should fill you in.

Tuesday, the twins had their staggered entry day. This seemed to go fine. Kierra had a few minor meltdowns but the teacher assured me it was fine and to be expected. Later that day, I get a call from the principal telling me that they might have to move the twins to the morning kindy class. Apparently there are 3 high needs kids in this class, and they didn't fully realize that one of the children were more high needs than they actually were. I tell her no we can't move to the morning, because Kierra has specialized services (in-home therapy) in the mornings. This can't be moved, and we had discussed this in April when I registered them for Kindy. She says ok that's right, and that's the end of it.

Or so I thought....

The next day (the day before school officially starts) I get a phone call in the morning from the principal again. She tells me she's sorry, but the twins will HAVE to move to the morning class. I tell her no, they can't. She says she realizes the problem it poses but there is nothing they can do about it! I'm furious!! How do they expect me to respond to this? I ask them why another child can't be moved, and she replies "there are reasons". Oh how stupid of me! REASONS!! Do any of them surmount to their children being forced out of therapy? Most likely not!!! I tell her it's not in the best interests for Kierra to loose therapy services. Her therapist can't simply switch from the morning to the afternoon! Again sorry.

I hang up and start to flip out! I mean fully flip out! I call Jarrett and the moment he answers I start to bawl incoherently to him about the situation. I'm not sure if it took the third time of my explanation before he understood what I was exactly saying. Of course this pisses him off! Then the principal calls back on the other line saying, "Just wait, we're trying to sort this out. Go relax and have a coffee until we get back to you." EXCUSE ME! Don't tell me to relax!!!

Now I call the foundation Kierra gets her in-home services from. They tell me that my therapist would have to be pulled (as of the next day), and they would have to re-assign someone else, WHICH COULD TAKE UP TO TWO MONTHS!! So my kid would have NO therapy for TWO months! I didn't think the situation could possibly get worse until I was told she would probably have to be re-assigned a new speech therapist, occupational therapist and psychologist!

Fully expecting to go to the school that day, and reeming the principal a new one, I make arrangements to have someone watch the girls for a few hours. A fresh headache is coming on and I'm popping motrin like M&M's. Finally the principal calls me and tells me that they moved another student (bully for you!), and that the twins can remain in the afternoon class........ for now! I say what does FOR NOW mean? Apparently if it's still a problem, they reserve the right to pull them out of that class and put them in another. OMG are you serious? Part of me is happy that this isn't going to mess everything up, the other part of me feels sick thinking I'm going to have to re-live this moment again!

Fast forward two days. Everything seems fine. The twins are enjoying their new class. Last night around 8pm, I get a call from who? The principal. She just wants to comment me on this short story I wrote and distributed to the teacher about being friends with someone with Autism. I had a copy for every child/parent with my information if they wanted to discuss it more. First off, I don't think kuddos are necessary. She's my kid, and as such, I do this because I'm trying to develop a good relationship from the get-go with Kierra and her classmates. Second, she's clearly kissing my ass telling me how wonderful I am. Then she goes on about how the girls are doing wonderfully and how happy they are to have them in that class. I politely tell her the girls enjoy it too. Me and hubby had to laugh: how desperate can you be to call someone up on a Friday night because you know you regally pissed them off earlier in the week? I should be happy I suppose. This week could have ended very differently: me highly medicated.

So there you have it! Who would've thunk that my children's first week of Kindergarten would be so emotionally fueled???? Then again, if you knew the history of me, you'd know this would be the more likely scenario. Things can NEVER be simple around here!