I'm THAT mom. The mom that drives the teachers crazy. The mom that is always asking questions about how the little man is doing. Was it a good day? Who did he play with today? What did he do in group time? Where is he compared with the other kids?
My little man is only four and I am already driving his teachers nuts (at least, I think I am, they pretend otherwise).
Why? Because my little man, shall we call him Batman? , is different. He's had hearing problems and has a significant language delay... bad enough that I can't really blame it on his hearing any longer. Doctor and therapists keep talking about pdd-nos and being on the spectrum (that would be the autism spectrum). Only, the thing is, he doesn't fit. Yes, I know he is different but he isn't different in the way my autistic students are. He's different in his own Batmany way.
He's super affectionate and cuddly, craving to be held and touched. He is empathetic in a way that autistic kids aren't. He knows instantly when something is wrong with me and he tries to fix it. He comforts me and his little brother, Robin. Okay, he comforts Robin when he isn't busy making him cry. He does this at school too, wanting to comfort his friends who are upset but not knowing how.
Yes, his social skills leave something to be desired. But I blame that on his parents. I always found it hard to make friends and his father doesn't want to go anywhere. We are working on that... working but failing.
Batman is four. He will be off to kindergarten next year. I want him to be ready. Heck, I want him to be ahead. I am desperately afraid that his teachers will decide that he's just stupid and put him in the corner or leave him to a TA. He's not. He's actually quite intelligent... he just can't express himself clearly. I honestly believe that if he walks in that door to kindergarten the first day ahead of his class, his teacher won't do that.
So I begin my push to stay ahead.. always ahead. This blog is my attempt to document the work I've done with Batman perhaps to help others but mostly to help me remember what he can do and why I keep doing this.
