You've got Mail....... ANXIETY delivered.

I have always been a social creature by nature. I love interacting with people. One on one, groups, phone calls, texts, and emails. You name it I love it..... usually. It's been about 5 years since I haven't felt some anxiety when interacting with others in any capacity. My children's diagnosis has taught me to fear communication. That may sound totally opposite from what you would expect but hear me out. As Ike's and then Mike's journey with ASD/ADHD started I began getting phone calls, emails, and meetings about their behavior.

 "Mrs. Lambert we have had an incident in school......", "Mrs. Lambert we would like to set up a meeting to talk about....", "Mrs. Lambert we are afraid your son has......".  I feel like it is a million different conversations that end the same, your sons are the problem and we need you to fix it.  It would make anyone jumpy whenever the phone rings. I have developed a sixth sense for knowing its about my kids when the phone rings.

The hardest part is the fact I am usually helpless to do anything in the situation. Do they want me to sit next to  my children all day to make sure they aren't disruptive? Did it ever occur to them that my child might be reacting to the situation they have been put in? Conform, fit in that round hole. I have been kindly told by some that maybe home school is the answer. If I thought home school was going to give my children what they needed don't you think I would be already doing it?

I received that back to school email from the principal this week. All I felt was dread, even though the thought of two seconds to myself should have had me doing a happy dance. Will my kids succeed at school this year? Not if nothing has changed from last year. When you don't change the classroom situation but expect children to act differently because they are one year older, it's called  "beginning of school" optimism.

This year I will not cave in to it. This year is going to be different because they will work with me and help me create an environment that not just my children but all those near them will succeed in. It's what I tell myself every year at this time. It's my game time pep talk and it's what I do to survive.