The Old Kiddos and the Older Ones

This marks my first week of "regular" scheduled sessions...although it's already promising to be irregular since I have an all-day training on Thursday and an IEP for one of my higher-profile cases on Friday. Back-To-School Night is on Wednesday, too. This year, I will try to stay longer than an hour...

I saw a few of my kiddos from last year and they acted as if 3 months hadn't even passed. I caught DA on his way out to the track and told him I was about to ask his teacher to send him to speech. He begged that I call him up tomorrow instead. I asked him why and I practically saw the proverbial light bulb turn on above his head as he said without skipping a beat, "Because today is the first day that I'm dressed in my P.E. clothes so I don't want to miss P.E." I was like, What the heck does that mean? I let him go since I needed to work on some IEPs anyways.

My last kiddo for the day was a new one who was quite the chatterbox. I mistakenly thought he was this other kiddo that I've seen on campus now, flapping his hands in a way that's characteristic of autism. So I kept watching his movements and taking down mental notes on his "odd" behaviors. He did remind me of my other kiddos with ASD -- kind of rigid in routines and rules, very talkative but lacking topic maintenance, and very knowledgeable about specific topics. Looking back in his file, this kiddo's primary dx is just specific language impairment. After he left, I e-mailed his main teacher and asked that she let me know of any concerns she may have. She wrote back that he really enjoyed his time with me and that we even talked about earthquakes (which we did). LOL I went back to the Teacher's Lounge and that's when I saw the other kiddo and realized that he was not the same as my student...

...not that I want to add onto my caseload but re: mystery flapping kid -- hasn't ANYONE noticed and been concerned?? I am very tempted to go up to him and ask what his name is. Maybe he is on my caseload but he is one of my new Wednesday kiddos that I haven't seen yet. He is one that is to be continued...

After school, I was driving down the street when I saw DA's accomplice, CV, who was standing on the opposite side of the street and waiting for me to pass by. As I drove past, he yelled, "HEY! LEMME HAVE A RIDE!!"

Yeah right!! LOL Of course not even 10 seconds later, I drove past DA with his fellow hoodlums and I start shaking my head again. Those boys. Should I move them back to Tuesdays so my Tuesday Boys Series can continue?

I went on my merry way to Costco, leaving the work day behind. I was shopping for dinner, when I emerged out of an aisle and almost ran into one of my favorite kiddos from last year! This kid was such a clown and a smarty-pants. I asked how he was liking high school and then wished him well. I bum-rushed off b/c in my cart was a ginormous bottle of vodka that I had picked up for my brother. (For reals! It's for my bro!)

The days haven't been super-stressful but nonetheless, I've been extremely tired. Tomorrow is sure to be another day full of even more funny stories since I see my kiddos with autism.