ASD my Kids and Me

13/05/2024

Today big starts a totally useless week of soul destroying and mental health crushing tests.
What do they do to benefit my child ? Nothing it’s an evaluation of the school and the teaching staff. Ok it tracks his progress from year 3-6 but how does that help him ?
Secondary schools rarely use the information for the child as they prefer to carry out their own evaluations.
so why! Why put our 11 year olds through a nonsense test, how about put the teachers through the test make sure they know what they are teaching and evaluation done ta da!
For my Lenny and thousands of other children with mental health issues this week will be hell on earth !
Big try your best but remember your best is enough. Wether you pass or fail it’s not a reflection of you and the amazing kid you are

19/04/2024

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26/03/2024

For all the purple warriors in the world!
Small has epilepsy and thankfully at the moment it’s just absent seizures but they are getting more frequent and Great Ormond street say they will most likely get progressively worse as she gets older.
Support, research, medical intervention, knowledge and love for all the purple warriors 💜💜💜

10/01/2024

23/12/2023

Had an amazing time at my work Christmas Day/ night yesterday.
A fabulous day out in London with the most amazing people followed by a festive meal and a cheeky Christmas cosmo 🍸 and an overnight stay in a hotel ……..
Well to tell the truth… as Mandy Lou’s is my part time project my full time job is SEN mum so technically my kids can also be classed as colleagues yes?
So a day out to see Disney on ice followed by a beefeater festive menu and a night at my home towns finest premier inn 😂😂😂

27/10/2023

So half term descended and landed with a bump, the kids have attended every day of school ( apart from the sprained thumb incident with big)
Both smalls have been fabulous! Monday we chilled at home and baked brownies and homemade pizza and zombie cookies. Tuesday we went to Romford to visit bigs besties and mummies and went bowling where small won !! ( much to bigs disgust 😂😂😂) dinner at Frankie and bennys and back to Romfords finest hotel …. The Liberty bell premier inn 😂 mums hotel of choice when visiting her Romford buddies.
All settled down for a nice early night to get up for our epic London adventure!
starting with a train ride we travel to Westminster to go to shreks adventure, the sealife centre, the London eye and the London dungeons!!!
Both kids were awesome! One mini meltdown from small because she wanted a teddy that was £55.00! And mum said no but apart from that she walked, held hands and listened to most of mum’s instructions, Horray!! Train ride back to Romford and then the long drive home to Colchester they made it home by 9.30 and all slept like logs 🪵
Thursday up early to fat club for mum ( still in target I might add) and then off to Volvo to get the charger fixed in the car. Car fixed and off to tesco to stock up as the kids need 18 snacks and six meals a day during the holiday! And again the kids have been fabulous.
Friday big is off to work with dad and small is with mum, the plan was to go to lakeside for some retail therapy but mum has woken up with conjunctivitis and cant see properly 🙄🙄😷 so a day at home playing games and being looked after by small.
Mum is suspicious as the smalls have been impeccable so is expecting some epic chaos at the weekend or on Monday when they head to chessington world of adventures for the last day of half term, stay tuned I’m sure it’s just around the corner 😂😂

19/09/2023

Well this sums up my tiny fella perfectly 🥰

Take my hand and come with me,
I want to teach you about FASD
I need you to know, I want to explain,
I have a very different brain.
Sights, sounds, and thoughts collide.
What to do first? I can't decide.
Please understand I'm not to blame,
I just can't process things the same.
Take my hand and walk with me,
Let me show you about FASD
I try to behave, I want to be good,
But I sometimes forget to do as I should.
Walk with me and wear my shoes,
You'll see its not the way I'd choose.
I do know what I'm supposed to do,
But my brain is slow getting the message through.
Take my hand and talk with me,
I want to tell you about FASD.
I rarely think before I talk,
I often run when I should walk.
It's hard to get my school work done,
My thoughts are outside having fun.
I never know just where to start,
I think with my feelings and see with my heart.
Take my hand and stand by me,
I need you to know about FASD.
It's hard to explain but I want you to know,
I can't help letting my feelings show.
Sometimes I'm angry, jealous, or sad.
I feel overwhelmed, frustrated, and mad.
I can't concentrate and I lose all my stuff.
I try really hard but it's never enough.
Take my hand and learn with me,
We need to know more about FASD.
I worry a lot about getting things wrong,
Everything I do takes twice as long.
Everyday is exhausting for me...
Looking through the fog of FASD.
I'm often so misunderstood,
I would change in a heartbeat if I could.
Take my hand and listen to me,
I want to share a secret about FASD.
I want you to know there is more to me.
I'm not defined by it, you see.
I'm sensitive, kind and lots of fun.
I'm blamed for things I haven't done.
I'm the loyalist friend you'll ever know,
I just need a chance to let it show.
Take my hand and look at me,
Just forget about the FASD.
I have real feelings just like you.
The love in my heart is just as true.
I may have a brain that can never rest,
But please understand I'm trying my best.
I want you to know, I need you to see,
I'm more than the label, I am still me!!!!
Author Unknown

10/09/2023

Me and dolly had a mummy daughter day today in Romford. Little shop ( mummy got some new books 😊 ), little stint in the toy shop ( dolly got mini Minnie mouse figures) a treat in kaspas and the the grand opening of Blossom boutique blossom rose boutique with Debbie Steans where dolly had a flute of Diet Coke and mummy had prosecco and strawberries 🥰
she was an absolute angel 😇

08/09/2023

Week one of back to school!
the big one is down to 75% attendance as we spent today in a&e!
Last night while mum was at the neighbours house ( 10 minutes tops) and dad was in charge, big was in the pool and decided to fall off the ladder hurting his thigh, tummy a x wrapping his hand around the steps 🙄 lots of tears and cuddles later and a big bruise later he’s off to bed to see how it is in the morning. Big wakes up with a comedy style thumb, purple in colour and unmoving! Quick call to the surgery to see if they can see him and they advise to head to a&e!
Mum has to drop off small to school, return the courtesy car to Volvo, collect her car, get to an appointment and has a zoom call scheduled!
Zoom cancelled, small dropped off, car returned and collected and appointment attended they head off for a fun filled day of a&e. The thing about Colchester general is, it has fantastic air conditioning and is like an ice box especially on days like today however mum is always freezing even on days like today so a t shirt was not a good call for a whole day of leisure in the hospital😂
Big has explained to anyone who will listen what he has done and shows them his comic thumb, eventually he gets called through and sent off to x ray ( of course telling the technician his whole story again) and they return to the waiting area, mum has had the forsight to pack a lunch and big munchies through his bag of beige.
He gets called in again and thankfully it’s not broken it’s just a sprain and big has a splint to prove it which he happily shows to all his teachers when they collect small from school.
Small is overjoyed to see big and is very concerned about his thumb, stroking his head and saying ”poor LenLen “ …… how sweet! The. She kicks him because he moved his head away 🙄🤨 next time we go to a&e he will be telling everyone that he got his injuries from an unprovoked attack by his little sister 🥰🥰
The weekend looms and I’m sure it will be filled with fun!
Stay tuned

06/09/2023

Day back to school can I go and get my babies yet?
So both smalls have gone back to school. The smallest been waking up at 5:30 every morning during the school holidays but decided that today 7:10 will be the ideal time to wake up and then decide not to get dressed in her school uniform and to go to school in her moana pyjamas! school colours are red and the pyjamas are green so it’s just not gonna work, small is incredibly annoyed at this news decides that she’s gonna smack Mum in the face, because why not start nice and early?
Big wakes up at 7:30, rubbing his eyes and telling mum that he doesn’t wanna go to school today. He’s too worried about going to school today so he thinks he needs another few days off just to get himself ready.
Mate, you’ve had six weeks to get yourself ready to go back to school now it’s mums time Mum has had six weeks waiting for you to go back to school. you going back to school today ! Get your uniform on.
Big decides on one of the hottest day of the year he’s going to wear grey jogging bottoms with his T-shirt and even tries to put on his red fleecy jacket Mum loses the trouser argument wins with the fleecy jacket.
They go downstairs to get breakfast organised get packed lunches, done and gather up all the PE bags, spare clothes bags, book bags and packed lunch bags !absolutely everything else that two small children require the school. into the car and of they go the smallest asking are we going to Chessington today no babe you’re going to big girl school today to which this more replies. No I don’t want to go to big school. I want to go to Chessington today. Will sweetheart we all want to do but I’m afraid for the next 15 years this is your life so get used to it sweetie.
Big small gets dropped off first, little bit of an anxious monkey sees his key worker. He’s happy enough and he goes in without a fight Then it’s time for the small small who runs away from Mum as soon as they reach the playground and Mum spends the next 10 minutes chasing, said small around the playground, to get her into her classroom.
After having the first bit of decent conversation, she’s had in six weeks at the school Mum arrives home to 4 piles of washing and a hell of a lot of mess. By 10 o’clock two loads of washing have been done and mum is sat in the living room, waiting for a small person to come in to watch Toy Story demand a snack or just generally tell mum that they disapprove of today’s plans .
It’s too quiet! Mum wants the smalls back home.
2 o’clock comes and Mum gets into the car on the way to school with a reading book (parenting Hell by Rob Beckett and Josh Widdicombe which is hilarious! I highly recommend it)
to take 30 minutes of me time before the carnage starts again making sure to park as as far away from the Mercedes Mum as possible, because that woman cannot park for s**t, seriously, she’s hit the industrial bins, four tesco loading trollies and more than a few cars during a short time at the school! 😂🥰
Mum gets to big small first and he’s had a great day apart from a lunch time wobble due to the chaos that is school lunch time and the small small has had a good day but after seeing her old teacher in the hall refused to go back to class with her new teacher and needed some Guinea pig time which helps regulate her.
Mum gets both smalls an ice cream for a treat and they head home where small demands Mickey Mouse and green crisps and then proceeds to lay on the sofa until it’s time for karate class.
We arrive at karate which was a mission as the small takes her own sweet time and ends up being bundled in to the car with no shoes on. They make it to karate and it’s evident from the start that small is not going to cooperate today ( to be fair she’s knackered, hot and a bit overwhelmed with her new school routine bless her) she has a wander has a tantrum approaches sir and says “ excuse me , be quiet please too noisy” 😂mum escorts her out half way through for her own sanity and to allow the lesson to continue in relative peace!
sir is very understanding and says he’s had loads of children do the same this week.
Dad picks up small so she can have dinner and big can have his lesson which he rocks!
Lessons finished mum takes big home, cooks dinner and is now ready for bed!
Let’s see what tomorrow brings for the madhouse 😂 stay tuned x