[JessFinds] Sensitive Kids II

I wanted to publicly thank everyone on the posting boards over at HSCBook. They have helped me keep perspective over the years and reinforce that I am not completely nuts, my kid really is as quirky as they come and she will be a better for it in the long run. Awesome people. They don't judge me when I get put out or feel sorry for myself or even make it about me. They don't judge my kid. They just are there.

They got angry for me when I was horrified at how the Kindergarten teacher treated my little girl on the first day of school. They rooted for us when we started Miss Crab in Montessori. They pushed me to seek further testing. But more than that, they share their ongoing stories, struggles and victories.

Tasmanian Devil

We are having a rough month. I think in the last 15 days we have hit some big marks on the "top life stresses" list. But my family is a tight knit group and we land on our feet. One of those stresses was finding out that Miss Crab is not only backsliding in her behaviors at school, she is becoming defiant and unmanageable. A distraction to the other students. My sweet, soulful, quiet, introverted little butterbean is the Tasmanian Devil of the class. G-R-E-A-T.

Tasmanian Devil?

We are pretty strict parents. We don't cut our kids much slack and have pretty high expectations. I imagine I will be paying for lots of therapy bills later, but they seem to do better with boundaries firmly established. When we get loosey goosey, my girls fall apart. We trust our instincts and have had to do a lot of creative parenting. The acting out at school actually shocked me. I was prepared for "she refuses to speak" and "she won't make eye contact." I was not expecting to find out she was holding the class hostage with her antics. But aside from that, I was a little put off by the implication from the teachers that we are not firm enough with her. I guess they figure if she acts out at school, it must be worse at home - right? Still, irritating. I was also put off by the lack of suggestions or solutions, it was as though we were called in for a complaint session.

My little sweetie definitely needs intervention. She needs some occupational therapy for socialization issues and sensory issues. She may need her hearing checked. She may even have mild Asbergers or be on the spectrum. Or maybe she is just really, really sensitive. Or maybe has Executive Functioning issues....anxiety.... God only knows what genetics have piled on this bonbon.  I just know that she is the best and I want the best for her.  The county has finally gotten back to me and we are on track now to get her the help we need. I have attempted to get "in" with the developmental pediatrician again (is there a shortage or something?). Still waiting on that one.