Cool School Photos

I can't wait to get Cyclones first school photos. Even more so because they are so cool.

I was thrilled to see the way they do the school photos - geeze they are expensive even in kinder.
I have been going through alot of old photos recently and found my stash of school pics of both Teen Queen and what really stood out - apart from my Yr12 photo wearing a Guns N Roses T-shirt and black jeans stoned out of my tree *cringe *giggle - was how "stiff" they are.

There are the few grins, a lot of vaguely uptight looks and really no one is having fun.

Not at Cyclones little school. They take the usual individual shots and the class ones. They also do friend and family groups and the kids can do whatever they want. No stiff poses and unsure smiles here! The kids are clowning around, arms around each other and true, happy smiles everywhere.
Also on offer is a full school pic. Every student and teacher and as many animals as they can round up on the day.

You should see the class shots - all the kids get into ridiculous poses and pull faces with their teacher right alongside them all.

Now THAT's the kind of class photo I want....

Welcome to WTF?

Ever read the piece "Welcome to Holland"? Check it out HERE. It was written in reference to finding yourself with a child with a disability but all the mums of kiddies On The Spectrum liked it so much we pinched it for ourselves.

Madmother did her own version called Welcome to Somalia


The Steward announces over the intercom - Welcome to Holland! Errrm, no I tell her - this plane is going to Italy! I paid for these tickets months ago, I've learnt how to say alcohol in every different dialect!

The Steward looks confused and returns shortly - there has been a mix up, I'll get back to you. After circling for hours she returns and announces we will be landing in Las Vegas! WTF? I don't want to go there - it's too bright and shiny and the noise never stops. I planned on Italy, dammit. What's wrong with these people?

Oh thank goodness the plane is decending....I look out the window and see Somalia - NOOOO! The plane suddenly raises altitude again and I watch whilst we fly over Egypt *sigh, circle over Iran, over Nepal *sigh

I need to stretch my legs, I'm sick of watching Adam Sandler movies over and over and the food is just wretched.

I have no idea where or when this plane is landing and now I don't care. At least I'll have friends in Holland and Somalia...maybe a few in Las Vegas. I just want to GET OFF.

Where do they keep the fucking parachutes?????

The first school term for Cyclone

Well it had its downs...

Called to the school twice to pick him up early due to belting 2 other kids. One drew blood *sigh.
Being called every name under the sun if I came to pick him up - when he wasn't ready.
Realising he is taking up ALOT of the (gorgeous) teachers time each day.

and it's ups

Cyclone will be going full time hours next term, after a nice slow build up and a rewards system.
He is participating in a few more activities without meltdown.
Seeing that the other kids consider the meltdowns and screaming as merely "a Cyclone thing". Most don't bat an eyelid at his antics, a few of the older children seem to take pride in being able to settle him through an episode.

Cyclone resents changing activities, he wants to be left alone to build all day. He needs to be cajoled and soothed through any change through the day. Whilst he is making progress it's time to see if we have more than Sensory issues going on. As brilliant and engaged as his teacher is I can see he may need more help than she can give during the day.

We have finally seen a Pediatrician that I adore and is a leader in the field of Spectrum Disorders. We are looking at possible Aspergers Diagnosis- which has always been a possibility, it's just he doesn't meet about 50% of the criteria but the rest to a tee.

And there's the rub.

YES he can communicate - he never shuts up. YES he can hold a conversation. YES he can play with other children happily (under certain circumstances).
NO he isn't totally obsessive about things. NO he doesn't line up pencils in a straight line. NO he wasn't programming computers at the age of 2. And he can't count cards.

Small grumble here - YES Spectrum Disorders seem to be the new black....that's because there are rising numbers of them. NO you are not an expert because your 2nd cousin is autistic and he doesn't act like that. YES he seems fine when you see us at the shops (because I have primed him for 2 hours before we leave the house), YES he had fun at your kids birthday party and had perfect manners (and you didn't see the 3 hour manic meltdown and screaming when he got home overloaded out of his brain) - because when you say those things to me...or infer there isn't enough discipline, or that I don't handle him as well as I could YOU PISS ME OFF ROYALLY.

No one knows my son as well as I do, I am not stupid and have read volumes on the subject of the Spectrum (and if you knew me well enough you would have noticed that my spazzy quirks give an indication of where Cyclone got it from). This isn't going to end in the near future so if you don't mind please just leave it up to me, I'm happier chatting to those on my online community that know what it's like first hand and pass me a virtual joint when I need it....



So THERE

A great way to start the day at school.

Say good morning to the chickens scratching around. This one has 'earrings' according to Cyclone and she is a particular favourite. Heaps of schools have chickens now, they ALL should cos they are such funny things to watch.




Giggle at the geese, they always honk loudly every morning - strutting around reminding everybody that they are the in fact the ones in charge...




And collect the ponies and place them around the schoolyard to munch on the grass.
It's the responsibility of the older kids to care for the ponies. At lunchtime they bring them all into school for a drink and back out to the paddocks or the College Oval next door (they quite like the grass being mown for free!).

I thought I liked the animals and the responsibility theme going on at this school, but today I realised there is something else I love even MORE.

There is no school bell, no music played or ear-piercing siren when break/lunch times end. The children do it themselves.
If you get there at the right time (like I do because the first years leave earlier) and sit under the trees you hear them sing everyone in.

It starts with one or two children that notice it's 1.30pm. They call out "time...for everyBODY to come...in...now", then a few more join in "time for everyBODEEE to come in.....now" and it ripples out across the yard and into the paddocks beyond. The older children do a quick scan of the back areas and perimeter all the time singing out to their peers.

Love, love LOVE IT! It's magic.

School and the Sensory Child

And doesn't that title sound like something published in some high falutin journal? Well it's not. I'm sitting on the lappy by Aquamans pool drinking a little sumpin sumpin and generally relaxing.

Or am I celebrating?

Today was a good day at school for the Cyclone. On those days I drive down the bushy, winding school driveway with a big grin feeling all is well with the world.
On the other days I drive out holding back the tears and wondering how my boy will ever learn to cope with life on a day to day basis, with the things other kids just take in their stride....or don't even notice.

Cyclone loves his school. He loves the animals, he loves the space, he loves the freedom and most of all he loves his Buddy whom I shall call Indie. Indie has all the patience in the world and he is only 9 years old. Some days he will only listen to Indie and Indie gets called out of class to get Cyclone off the play equipment, out of the library or talks him down out of the tree he has decided to reside in.

Being "sensory" means Cyclones Sensory Integration Function is well...dysfunctional. There are short-circuits and longer pathways in his little brain. He is capable of absorbing ridiculously large amounts of information but ironically it also blows his mind. Am I making any sense?

I'll try again. Too much noise/information...overload and meltdown tantrums. Conversely not enough stimulation and he seeks it - usually by talking VERY LOUDLY, making ridiculous noises or throwing himself around so he can feel the sensations properly.

You wouldn't really notice it until something happens that he is not expecting, or he must do or experience something he hasn't done before. It's taken me years to realise Cyclone gets anxious. About the outcome, or that he cannot do the new thing perfectly or better than everyone else.
For years I wasn't sure if he was as highly strung as I am - or just a very naughty boy.



This is Cyclone on his first day of school. Standing next to the pizza oven the children have built themselves.

I enrolled Cyclone at the local primary school, literally 300 metres from my front door. It's a big reason I bought the house. However during a presentation from this very school in which they waxed lyrical on all the academic achievements of the preps (they can all write at GRADE 2 LEVEL WOOO!), I started to crap my pants.
The didn't mention anything about individuality, personal growth, creativity or responsibility. Just the fact that the bloody preps write at a higher level that the rest of the state.

My son doesn't sit still for long, isn't particularly interested in writing or drawing and - as far as I'm concerned - streets ahead in other subjects that I wondered if he had a place there. How would he fit in if he didn't toe the 'party line'? Would he be a 'problem child' because of his energy? Would anyone be bothered (or have time) to find out the (usually simple) things that make him tick?

Crapsville. Mummy freak out time.

Cyclone is going to school

Yep, it's time and he is really looking forward to it. Let me introduce you to one of Cyclones fellow students



This is the view from the gazebo where the children wait to be picked up at the end of the day



I know it seems silly driving him 20mins away when there is a perfectly good school 2 streets away. But...not really. Have a look at those pics - I know where I would rather be each day.
At this school, the students take responsibility for the care of the animals. The younger students collect the eggs and put the chooks (heaps of them and all different kinds) away at the end of the day.
The older kids place the horses along the driveway in the morning to mow the grass and put away the bigger animals at night.
The preps sell the eggs at the school market, record sales etc - that's one of the ways they learn maths.

I also love that according to the school handbook - "It is the responsibility of the first year students to locate every puddle in winter".

So my sensory Cyclone wont be considered a problem child if he can't sit still and needs to roll around in the grass during class. If he gets overwhelmed his teacher will see it and send him out to round up the geese or count eggs.
They go on impromptu excursions if the class discussions lead them on a mission, riding lessons in the sports program and the 2nd language is Auslan because the students got bored of Indonesian and voted for it themselves.

Yaaaaaaaaay! Oh and the school is also in the top 10% for science/maths.

BRING IT ON - we are all so excited!