Author: Super Autism Mum

At a recent autism course I met a mum who asked to keep in touch with me as the path our son has taken is exactly the path she wants for her son, who is a year younger.

We kept in touch and met a few times for coffee and chats. It felt like we were a good support for each other.

She found out that her son got into the same language unit as our son, so was delighted! We arranged a playdate for the 2 boys during the summer holidays so they would know each others face on the first day of school as they were going to be in the same class, primary 1/2

I mentioned to my son in the morning that mummy’s friend was coming over with her little boy, but he said no way! His new thing is ‘I don’t like…..’ which just means he doesn’t want to talk about it or do it, so he said ‘I don’t like mummy’s friend’ so I just dropped the subject.

When the doorbell went, I said to my son to go out in the garden and play, but he was too nosey (takes after his mum!) He kept back and I said to my friend not to look at him or say anything and let him come to her. It worked!! Her little boy came in and just started playing and my son wandered over to him.

2.5 hours later they were still playing!!

Going from past experience of playdates, I expected and hour at the most.

This was an overwhelming success!!!

We found out we got the funds for Center Parcs that we applied for. We are delighted! I didn’t think we would, as the funds we applied for were means tested. Although we are on ok salaries, we have alot of outgoings.

To apply we had to give a breakdown of our monthly income and expenditure. I got great advice from the carers centre on putting everything on the application including haircuts, Christmas and birthday present spend, insurances, road tax, work lunch, weekend take away etc.

The maximum allocation is £300 and we have been allocated £280 which is a massive help for us.

I will put the information on the benefits page.

I am so looking forward to spending Wednesday’s during the summer holiday with him. I was never like this. I always stressed when I was on my own with him as I didn’t cope well if anything happened out of the house, but now we do ok 😉

I have booked disability swimming lessons through Glasgow Club one week, an hour a day Monday to Friday. He loves swimming so I know he will love this.

Plans so far:

• Bus into town – free for us both with his bus pass
• Lunch out just the two of us
• Swimming – I panicked the first time I took him myself, but it was totally fine
• Park
• We will also be in Center Parc and Alton Towers

Primary one report card arrived!

It read like he loves school and has made friends which at the moment, is all I ask for.

The teacher noted – he is a happy boy growing in confidence and it has been great watching him blossom. He is a roll model for the other kids and had also helped the other kids develop.

Very proud parents!

Roll on primary two!

I currently work as a Finance Administrator, and I love it, but I have always wanted to work with children. I didn’t want to be a teacher, and didn’t think of any other option. I loved accounting and maths and we had family friends who were accountants who had a big house and fancy car – maybe that’s why I ended up here ha ha.

I still would love to work with children, and I think that my experience now would be a massive advantage. Now, I know I want to go into a nursery to work. I think that my experience will help with children that show signs of being on the spectrum, but, as I have realised, more importantly at that stage, a support to the parents. My only problem will be getting attached to the children and their families. When our son left nursery there were quite a few other kids leaving, around 10 more, and all the nursery girls were in tears. It was very cute ❤️

My plan in a few years, is to do a night class in childcare. I want to end my working life doing something fulfilling. Only 9 years till the mortgage is paid off!!

I never started this website to be a blog, but to be an information site. A go to place for anyone needing help and information but no clue where to start. That is my aim and I am working on it.

I do like the aspect of documenting my day, whether good or bad, to show others how hard it is being an autism parent, and to show other autism parents that you are not alone.

Any feedback will be greatly received 🙂

I don’t work a Wednesday as my parents have commitments on a Wednesday, so when returning to work from maternity leave, I took a Wednesday off.

I kept this day off when my son started school on the advice from my mum. Our son is hard work so she advised keeping the day off and using it to catch up with washing/shopping etc and to have a time out day.

I don’t think I make the full use of the day that I should. I run about shopping when I should make sure I keep part of the day to myself, even if it’s just to sit on my bum watching TV.

When my son is back as school, I am going to plan my Wednesday better. So far, the first week me and my mum are going to the cinema, and the second week I have booked a spa day!

So far so good!

Our son attends a trampoline class for an hour every Wednesday night. He loves his trampoline so we started this class through Glasgow Club Sports as we knew he would love it. He has done 3 sessions of 10 week blocks and is almost finished the 4th block.

Someone from the sports club called me this morning. There are 2 weeks left of this block and they asked if daddy could go in to the class to help support the instructors, as our son runs about alot when he isn’t on the trampoline, and they need a bit of help. We chatted a bit about it, and though she didn’t say he couldn’t go to the class, I got the impression that is what she was trying to say.

They know our son has a diagnosis and have been fully aware since the start, we have never had any problems. I phoned my husband to talk about it. Daddy takes him to the class and said the girls in this block aren’t as good as previous instructors. We pay for him to attend the class, it’s a small group of similar age. They should have something for them to do when it’s not their turn. He wasn’t happy.

I was really upset after this call. Is this the start of people telling us he can’t do things?

I had already booked the next block, so I called and cancelled it. Need to think of something else for him to do and maybe try trampolining again in a few years.

His teacher has said we should try drama as he dramatises everything! That is something I will look into once his speech and understanding improves a bit more.

When I went to pick my son up after my work yesterday, my dad told me his friend had popped in and my son was totally fine.

My dad’s friend arrived when my dad and son were out a wee walk, so was in the living room when they got home. My dad’s friend knows about the diagnosis. He didn’t look at my son, just chatted to my dad and let my son go to him. He made no fuss of him at all, and it worked! My son wasn’t uncomfortable, it just took him a minute to get used to the new person.

Have we cracked it?????

Had my son known someone new was in the house, he wouldn’t have gone in. By making no fuss, it allowed him to take in what was going on.

This is our new plan. No preparation and no fuss. Let’s see how this works…….

Daddy was at a concert tonight in Edinburgh. My parents called earlier to see if we wanted to join them and go out for dinner, sounds good!

Dropped daddy at the train station at 3pm, then headed to my parents. We spent a couple of hours there, then headed to the Chinese restaurant we like. It was a lovely afternoon. In the restaurant I had to give him my phone for a bit to let us eat our starters. But then he ate all his dinner and made us all laugh being silly.

I know that when daddy is out, he doesn’t go to his own bed. I am used to it now. I know eventually that will change, but for now I go with the flow. Secretly I love it when he is in beside me, and it is rare that it happens so I am enjoying it while I can!

The only problem is, it takes him ages to fall asleep it was almost 11pm before he finally fell asleep!! Do you know what though? I didn’t care!

Image credit Daddy and Mummy Quotes

Today was sports day at school. I asked him last night if he wanted me to go but he said no way! I didn’t push it. I really wanted to go but I knew he wouldn’t like me there and my priority is making him feel comfortable, so I wasn’t going.

I asked again this morning and again he said no. I didn’t make a fuss.

When the bus picked him up I said I wouldn’t be there. They told me I could watch from the window. I spoke to my mum who said I had to go, I couldn’t miss it – so I went!

My plan was to watch from the window, but when all the other parents walked out, I just followed them. I got the biggest smile when he saw me, it was lovely. But then he said ‘can we go home’ and I thought, oh no, here we go! I said to him he needed to do some sports games first and luckily his teacher came over, took his hand and walked him over to the games.

He joined in a few, and I was so proud at how much he was engaging even with me there. It didn’t last long, but it was great to see him joining in. Small steps!

We went to the classroom to collect his bag and jacket, but I couldn’t find his lunch box. He started to panic followed by a major meltdown. I tried to calm him saying we would find it, I tried turning it into a game picking things up asking if it was underneath. Thankfully the head teacher popped in and she went to find out where it was – it was still in the lunch room. He was so upset. Once we got to the car he calmed down straight away, while I had a mini breakdown in the front seat!!