12/18/08

We have a new sign to add to Tyler's reprotoire, yeah! He now can sign "table" independently.. woo hoo.. he's learning so fast now. Not sure if it's school, the increase in B12, or the fact that we've been working on signs for over a year now but I'm so happy that it all seems to be coming together.

As for school, Tyler acts a lot different when it's me vs. dad who drops him off. With dad, he'll walk from the car all the way to the classroom and then go with the paraprofessionals without crying, with me, he doesn't like to walk in at all and he typically cries when I leave, sigh, it's so heartbreaking. Well today we had a bit of a standoff. When I got him out of his car seat and went to put him on the ground to walk inside, he kicked his legs up before I put him down,I said ok, mommy will carry you inside the door but then you need to walk. Once we got insie the door (it's a main hallway) I put him down (on his knees since he wouldnt' put his feet down) and we had a stand off of me saying "stand up".... crying, "stand up"...crying.... Then I decided to try to use his blanket as a reinforcer so I held the blanket up where he'd need tos tand to get it and I said stand up for blankie.. nothing but crying. when I'd go to pick him up eh'd just kick his legs up and not stand. I attempted to distance myself from him but couldn't go far as the floor is hard tile and if made enough at me he'd start banging his head, which is what happend. I had to block him from injurying himself twice so I couldn't really play hard ball cause I had to think of his safety first. Mind you there are people and kids walking by us during all this. It was actually nice to be in an environment that itw as completely socially acceptable for Tyler and I to be going through this stand off, whereas if we were at the mall, people would be going, what's wrong witht hat kid, why doesn't she just pick him up, etc. So anyway, we got lucky becase Tyler's Occupational Therapist went by and started to talk to Tyelr which I asked her not to do, i.e. she didnt' know we were at a stand off so I explained to her to not give him attention as he is misbehaving but that I could nto walk away as he was going to injure himself. SO she was great and stayed back so I could walk away.. he watched and cried (on his knees) as I walked away, got about 15 feet, he hadn't moved adn was still crying... I turned around and when he saw me coming back he stood on his feet which was immediately followed by a "GOOD BOY, GOOD BOY" from mommy and I gave him his blanket as soon as i got to him and sang him ABC's as we walked to class which is one of his favorite things to do. Yeah, thanks OT, mom perserveraed and Tyler didn't get hurt.

When I dropped him to the parapro I told her what had happend as it was obvious he had been crying and we were a bit late and she goes, we love parents like you! And they love us for the reasons I said before... a 26lb 2 year old refusing to walk, not a huge deal... an 15 year old refusing to walk and getting mad at you, much bigger deal. We dont' want to give into Tyler when he's throwing a fit, I placed a demand on him, i.e. you will walk when we get inside the school, and I needed to follow through with that demand or else he'd realize that he can get out of a demand in the future if he exhibits bad behavior, we dotn' want that. but now, it's my job to support him next time to make it a bit easier.. as long as you provide supports before the bad behavior then it's ok. OT had a great suggestion that I could sit him on the bench when we get there nad then eh can get up and walk when he decides he's ready which won't take long cause he can't sit still.. that way it's his choice but he's walking like I want him too. I'll try that after the break as today is the last school day until the new year.