In my house no one likes to hear the words "when school starts" or "almost time to go back to school". I'm sure it is like that in most homes but it doesn't make it any easier when you have the extras that come with DMD plus that Wyatt has been e-learning since the initial pandemic school shut down on March 13, 2019. If you can imagine I am a nervous wreck about him starting school in a month. I worry about how he will adjust, how the teachers will adjust to Wyatt and his quirks, how Wrigley will adjust to being back at school, will Wyatt find some friends, will the kids be nice to him and help him and will Wyatt accept their help and be nice back and the list goes on and on. In order to help calm my nerves, not just this year but also previous years, I make a list of things we would like to be done for Wyatt for the next school year and reach out to whomever will be in charge of his school life for that year. This year is no different and seems more important and stressful than others.
The summer for a dmd family includes A LOT of back to school planning especially when there is a change in school or change in abilities. . This year was no different but it does include more anxiety than other years for the reasons in a previous post.
There is so much that goes into the planning especially when there is a transfer to a new campus. Every year Wyatt and I take a private tour before changing campuses or even if in the same school but there is a change in the building where the previous classes were held. This tour includes the admin team, his physical therapist and his new teacher. We always find something (small or big) that needs updating. On the tour 4 years ago we realized the need for automatic doors in middle school. We have been blessed with an amazing physical therapist who is ALWAYS looking into the future for Wyatt. She noted that the high school didn't have the doors either so we also started working on getting those the same year. There are definitely some DMD parents who don't think this is a necessity because their child usually has a buddy with them but Wyatt doesn't have a close friend who would always be with him. So my worry is he would be somewhere in an emergency and can't get out, so if the door is automatic he can push it or Wrigley is able to push the button to open the door for him. In 2018 this was one of the first requests we figured we would have to fight for but luckily it wasn't. The doors in middle school were put in the day of 6th grade orientation and the doors this year are already there. What a relief! It was a great feeling to see that and allowed us to check one thing off our list. When you have a child with disabilities you can't wait for things to happen because your procrastination is not their emergency. I believe since they were able to plan for this for 4 years it was able to come to fruition without much drama.
As I have talked about in length, Wyatt struggles with anxiety, low frustration tolerance and noise distractions. All which make many of the aspects of school hard to adapt to completely. In order to prepare his teachers for these special personality traits of Wyatt we have meetings for them to meet Wyatt and for Wyatt to get a feel for each teacher. But as much as we can prepare Wyatt and the teachers it never fails that we have to have another meeting about a month in to school because someone didn't really "believe" us, and just figured he is just like all the other kids who don't like being at school. I graciously accept the new meeting but I go in armed with information, even if it is the same info that I gave the teacher before school started. I suggest to everyone to go in with a good attitude because killing them with kindness usually makes for a better future than going in bitter and demanding.
I want all of you special needs parents out there to prepare, it makes you and your child feel better about the year. Talk to his teachers, therapists, students (if your child lets you), and to your child. The best way to make the school year start out smoothly is preparation so if you haven't started get going...my boys start school on August 9 so less than 3 weeks before the big day! Wish us luck.
Comments