School Archives - Page 3 of 6

Balancing work and kids and school and COVID19

I'm spending way too much time on the phone today trying to manage several problems at the same time and it's just a lot bit overwhelming. While I'm on what feels like a perpetual hold, waiting for a representative to answer, I'm working on tomorrow's podcast release. The kids are really demanding my attention today and there's simply not enough of me to go around. I feel incredibly flustered right now because I can't seem to accomplish anything today. Trying to find a balance between work and kids is so difficult right now. I imagine it's only going to get more difficult as school re-enters our life. I can't record anything until my replacement Rodecaster Pro arrives today. It's being replaced under warranty and I'm sorta dead in the water…

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August 13, 2020

I haven’t figured out how to approach all of this

I'm going to be splitting my focus this week between work and getting the kids ready to begin school next week. I have an interview first thing this morning and then a business meeting in the afternoon. After that, I'm working with the boys to help them get organized and prepped for school to begin next Monday. There are a few phone calls I need to make to the school to figure out some of the logistics that I have questions about. I need to look at a new desk for the boys as well. We have one but I'd like for each of the boys to have their own setup. I haven't figured out how to approach all of this just yet. There are a few things that I'll…

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August 11, 2020

COVID19 / Distance Learning / My thoughts / Planning / School

Distance learning for the first time is pretty f*cking scary

School is getting closer and closer and I'm getting nervous. We will be distance learning for the first time because there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that I would put my kids in a classroom right now. I know it's the right thing to do but I'm questioning whether I'm the right person for the job. Unfortunately, I'm the only person for the job, so I don't really have a choice. Everyone is stressed out and lockdown is continuing to take its toll. The house setup is not really conducive to distance learning and I'm not sure what I'm going to do yet. Using the dining room table is probably the easiest solution but the boys may end up distracting each other if I don't separate them. Ideally, they'd…

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August 5, 2020

My thoughts / School

Finalizing plans for this school year

I just got off the horn with the boys new school and they begin on August 17. We're still waiting on something for Emmett but they're finishing him up now. For the record, I will not be sending the kids to a brick and mortar school this year, as there is no universe in which that would be safe under the current circumstances. Lizze and I are in full agreement on this. The boys will be doing distance learning which means that it will be conducted online, with the entire curriculum provided. They receive laptops and do school for about 5.5 hours a day, 5 days a week. It's going to be an interesting transition but it is what it is. Their safety and wellbeing have to come first. What…

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July 28, 2020

Autism Parenting Struggles / Emmett John / Homework / My thoughts / School Related Issues

Have I mentioned how much I literally hate homework? Can anyone relate to this story?

Emmett missed most of last week because he wasn't feeling well. I had work sent home for him to work on so he wasn't so overwhelmed when he hopefully returns on Monday. Emmett is crazy smart and way ahead of everyone else in his class, so homework is something that should come relatively easy for him. Sometimes it is and other times it's a fricking nightmare. One of the things that Autism has contributed to this mess, is a very literal interpretation of everything. Emmett interprets things in a very literal, incredibly ridged way. There's almost no way to help him work through anything, when he's literally interpretating things. An example that we are struggling with this morning is this. The instructions for a math problem he's stuck on went…

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March 18, 2018

Autism Parenting Struggles / Emmett John / My thoughts

I hate feeling powerless

It's now 1:47 AM and Emmett has just now fallen asleep. We've been trying to help him for hours upon hours. He has a really bad tummy ache and feels like he's going to puke. This is stressful for any kid but it's especially so with a kid like Emmett. To make things even worse for the poor kid, he also seems to be hitting a fever flare because he's getting sores in his mouth again. I don't know what the deal is with these tummy aches but they are consistent, especially when school is approaching. He's not making this up and he's clearly in distress but the cause remains a mystery. My personal opinion is that we're dealing with a side effect of his extreme anxiety. He struggles with…

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March 12, 2018

Emmett John / My thoughts

Emmett and I met with the principal this week

Emmett and I met with the principal on Wednesday to begin planning for the rest of the school year and beyond. There's no interest in a PTA, so Lizze and myself will be working directly with the school. Hopefully, others will join at some point but no one showed up on Wednesday. What's really cool is that Emmett and Elliott are involved in this. It helps the have a sense of ownership in the school and learn some behind the scenes stuff. As I mentioned, it was just myself, Emmett and the principal on Wednesday. Lizze was home with Gavin and Elliott because Elliott had come home from school not feeling well. Otherwise, they would have been there as well. One of the things we're working on right now is…

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March 10, 2018

Elliott / My thoughts / Today's Victory

So Proud

I want to take a second and share how proud of Elliott I am right now. I'm always proud of my kids but sometimes they even surprise me and I find myself even more deeply impressed. Today is one such day.. ☺ On the way home from school today, Elliott was upset because he was given homework over the weekend. The whole class was given homework, not just Elliott, but he's still upset. Anyway, without having to be asked, bribed, chased after, fought or otherwise forced, he came home, and began his homework. I'm not sure I've ever seen this from him. I'm absolutely impressed and frankly, quite relieved. I was dreading the homework battle this weekend and now I don't have to worry about it.. ☺ Elliott, I'm super…

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March 9, 2018