The first week of school is finally over...

Where do I begin? School started on Tuesday. Aaron got on the bus for school at 8:00 am. The school didn't call me, so I figured all was well. I started back to work on this day as well at First Command. I'm not sure what this will all entail, but I'm excited to go back to work. Right now, I'm working from 9-3. Anyway, on with the Aaron saga. He gets off the bus and he seems to be okay. I ask him how everything was and he starts telling me about his day. He tells me about each teacher and how he got lost several times and cried several times. He seems really fixated on the whole locker thing and not having enough time in between classes. He said that if he doesn't get to class on time, he will get a tardy. He was very, very worried about this. I told him that the first week of school they are not going to give him a tardy. Well, now he precedes to cry and cry and not stop crying. He told me he was not man enough to go to middle school. I asked him about lunch and he said he ate at a table with classmates, but no one talked to him. He said he got confused about some things because the schedule on that first day was different. He cried again and told me he wanted to be home schooled and begged me not to make him go back. My mom called and tried to reassure him, but that really just upset him more. Anyway, finally it's bed time so I finally have a little peace.

The next morning as I'm getting ready for work, Aaron keeps telling me he feels like he's gonna throw up. I ignore him, knowing this was just a ploy to get out of school. He has run to the bathroom several times, but he's just gagging and nothing else. Well, finally at about 7:30 he does actually throw up, so I call the peds office to get him an appointment. I take him to the doctor and pretty much the doc says he either is actually sick with a stomach virus or it's just nerves and anxiety. Lo and behold it is just anxiety because once we get home, he is happy as a clam, playing with lego's, singing, and having a jolly good time. I can't believe it. I email the 6th grade guidance counselor and arrange for us to go up to the school after it let's out and we will do the whole locker thing until he gets it. When we finally get up to the school, the counselor and I find out that it's not the combination lock that he is having trouble with, it's literally getting the locker open after he has done the combo. We had worked with a combination lock at home over the prior weekend, and he got that just fine, so I 'm glad that wasn't the real problem. The lockers are very skinny as which caused Aaron more trouble because his backpack wouldn't fit. Aaron was also having trouble knowing what exactly to take with him to class. When he keep saying I need to know what I need for class. I thought he was talking about his supplies, but what I discovered is that he was actually needing to know what he needed to take to class. What books or papers etc. to take with him. While I was up at the school, I spoke with some of his teachers. They all seem very nice. Because he no longer has an IEP, (Individualized Education Program) he seems like he is getting lost in the system. I'm sure that's not the case, but I really really regret letting the previous school talk me out of his IEP. He does have a 504, but that only covers any physical disabilities. What was I thinking? The educators at Laytonsville seem to know what they were talking about at the time, but I really wish he still had his IEP. I wonder if I can get it reinstated. I'll have to ask without telling the school that he is a high functioning autistic. I don't want them to try and send him to a special school. He is very capable of doing the work and he needs to be in regular classes.

Aaron seemed to do okay on Thursday and Friday, but he is very unsure about this whole changing clothes for PE thing. That really bothers him. That will be our next challenge this next week. Ugghhh!!