First Day of School!!

Well, we made it through the first (partial) day of CHIP. It was touch and go for a while, but all in all he did ok.

Not sure if I already mentioned it, but they split the kids into groups and are having them there for just a few hours the first few days. Today we were there for 2 1/2 hours in the morning with 5 other kids. Tomorrow we will be there for 2 1/2 in the afternoon with the same 5 kids. Wednesday all the kids will be there together for 4 hours. Then starting next week we will start the full 6 hour days.

Anyway, when we first got there, he was little shy in the waiting room. Once they opened the doors and he got inside, he got right down and took his shoes off and ran for the gym area. I stood on the sidelines watching as he let the therapists and paraprofessionals lead him around. He was ok as long as he could look up and see me and come give me hugs every now and then.

During that inital phase, most of his time was spent running around in circles looking at his hand with a staff member hot on his heels trying to get him to interact. It is really hard to get Ben to engage when in a big open area like that. He did ok, but it was hard for me to realize he was a little harder to engage than most of the other kids. :o(

Well, then it was time to transition into the craft room. Ben does not like being put in a little room as he seems to know they expect things from him! And, unfortunately, I happened to be right in the path to the craft room. Seeing me did not help and he wanted to cling. So, I scooted out and the ABA therapist took him and one of the paraprofessionals into the ABA room to settle him. At that point, I knew if he saw me it was over, so I sat on the floor behind the gym wall for a while then finally went into the waiting room with one of the other moms. I heard him screaming on and off for the rest of the time (seems like he would scream during transitions to new things.)

By the time they got the kids ready to leave, Ben was happy again running up and down a climb wall (see pic). He got his shoes on with the help of a paraprofessional, and was happy to see me when they opened the door to us. That is a good thing as last year when we left him at the University program he would usually start crying again when we would pick him up at the end.

So, like I said, all in all he did ok. I think it'll take some time, but he will adjust, just like he did in the other programs we've had him in. And I'm hoping that because he'll be there more consistently than our other programs, he will make the transition a little more quickly this time.

I took some pictures of our first day and of the facility (See pics above). I didn't get many of the small rooms, but this will give you an idea of what it is like at the clinic.

Well, I think I'm going to go chill out for a bit while he takes his nap! Love to you all! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we adjust!!

Love,
Julie