We can prep them for-ever, but in the moment of an anticipated event, he reverts to his comfort zone (don't we all?), tho his 'place', his 'comforts' are all his own, and not normal for us over-30 crowd.
Mine still does the same thing, thinks, tells me he can handle something, and then BANG, we're there and he doesn't handle. For that moment. Eventually, once the newness wears off, and he knows what to expect, he reverts back to his self-confident, all knowing 8 year self. But it's very painful to witness, to handle.
Don't be depressed --- and don't give back those strides he has made...this was one moment in time...
Just asking--why did you go in the room with him? Did he refuse to go?
He is a slow to warm up kid. Give him a few weeks in the new room, and he will be back to his old self. New situations may still throw him off for a while. The progress may not be visible for a while, but it is certainly not lost. He just needs to check out the scene, before the comfortable N comes out to play. I really believe that, based on your writings about him.
We had to take our son to a PT (when he was young) each week and I thought it a waste of time. I didn't have the energy to do all the exercises with him during the week, but you know what, he mastered everything in time. Kids have their own timing in development but it is hard to know when to "intervene early" and when to ride it out. Most of the time kids turn out fine--and probably would even if there wasn't intervention. But at least us anxious parents have to cover our bases. Glad N has come into his own!
I never talked much about my oldest, Tommy, on the auggie list, but trust me, been there and done that. If N. can't keep it together in a "typical" classroom without support, the worst thing that's going to happen is that he'll get a referral for evaluation and he might end up with services and an IEP. So the worst is that he has a couple of rough weeks and then you get support for him. They won't let it go on for very long if it's bad, because it will disrupt the entire room.
Just breathe and let it happen.
TC,
Is holding him back one more year and giving him more time to progress before kindergarten an option? Or have you already held him back?
Allison
Cate is totally right; at best he'll settle in, and at worst, they'll decide that yeah, he does need support.
I know you're not discounting his accomplishments; I know you're still proud as hell of the strides he's made. But I understand COMPLETELY how hard it is to be so very disppointed when backpedaling happens.
I will never ever forget Matthew's first K orientation, when he absolutely refused to go into the room and I watched all the other kids and other parents (the parents glowing and saying enthusiastically to their kids as they walked out "Wasn't that great? Didn't you love your new classroom?")
All I could think was "Why can't my kid just be NORMAL for once???"
It's all about progress, not perfection, even years later. Hugs, my sweetheart.
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