NOW IT'S 420 AM!!!!!!

BELOW  FIND ATTACHED WHAT I AM HAVING INCORPORATED INTO DAKS IEP IN THE D.I.S.--DESIGNATED INSTRUCTIONAL SERVICES---

ALL PARENTS HAVE THE WRITE TO ADD OR WRITE WHATEVER THEY WANT IN AN IEP FOR THEIR CHILD  IT IS ABSOLUTELY IMPARATIVE THAT YOU TAKE A PROACTIVE ROLE IN THE PLACEMENT AND SERVICES YOUR CHILD NEED TO BE AS EQUAL AS POSSIBLE TO THE TOTHER CHILDREN IN SCHOOL

REMEBER FAIR --IS NOT NECESSARILY EQUAL!!

DAKOTAS I.E.P.                       SEPTEMBER  23  2005

I WANT TO MAP OUT A CLEAR INTENTION FOR DAKOTAS YEAR {SCHOOL YEAR 2005 TO 2006}
I WANT TO SAY FOR THE MOST PART OUR EXPERIENCE WITH DAVID DUTCHERS CLASS HAS BEEN VERY POSITIVE AND WANT TO CONTINUE TO PARTNER WITH THE CLASS AND SCHOOL TO GIVE DAKOTA THE OPTIMUM OUTCOME.

I HAVE OBSERVED A FEW THINGS THAT FEEL "OFF" TO ME AND BEING THE PERSON I AM IT IS IMPORTANT THAT I ACKNOWLEDGE THEM AND ASK FOR HELP TO CORRECT THEM.
MOST OF THESE HAVE TO DO WITH THE UTILIZATION OF DAKOTAS ONE ON ONE AIDE AND I WANT CLARITY, DISCUSSION AND REMEDY -PLEASE
1.  BECAUSE I TRANSPORT DAKOTA EVERY DAY TO SCHOOL I HAVE OCCASION TO OBSERVE SOME OF THE DYNAMICS OF THE CLASS ON AN ONGOING BASIS--- AND I HAVE ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS NOTICED THAT DAKOTAS AIDE HAS BEEN ENGAGED IN OTHER ACTIVITY FOR THE CLASSROOM  LEAVING DAKOTA IDLE AT HIS DESK --- THIS IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME
I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE AIDE BEING A PART OF THE CLASSROOM AND ASSISTING WITH OTHERS KIDS OR HELPING THE OTHER ADULTS THROUGHOUT THE SCHOOL DAY HOWEVER I CANNOT DRIVE HOME HARD ENOUGH THAT THE AIDES NUMBER ONE PRIORITY IS DAKOTA AND HIS NEEDS   FIRST. {I WILL FURTHER DISCUSS AND INNUMERATE THE INCIDENCES WITHIN THE DISCUSSION OF THE IEP}
2.   THIS IS A HARD ONE FOR ME BUT I FEEL DAKOTA NEEDS TO BE CHALLENGED MORE ---SPECIFICALLY  I HAVE ELECTED TO NOT PUSH DAKOTA  MUCH WHEN IT COMES TO MAINSTREAMING BECAUSE I HAVE AN INNER STRUGGLE WITH  MAKING HIM DO SOMETHING BECAUSE I WANT HIM TO  OR  DOING SOMETHING BECAUES IT IS HIS DESIRE AND I BELIEVE IT IS THE GENERAL CONSENSOUS THAT BY NOT PUSHING DAKOTA IT MAKES FOR A MORE CALM ATMOSPHERE BUT I CANT HELP BUT BELIEVE THAT ONE OF THE PURPOSES OF SCHOOL IS TO STRETCH OUR KIDS AND HAVE THEM ADAPT TO TRANSITION SO FOR THIS YEAR I WANT HIM EXTENDED TO A FULL DAY
POTENTIALLY WHAT I SEE IS AFTER LUNCH DAKOTA ATTENDING 5 TH WITH RAUL GONZALES AND 6TH WITH LIZ THOMAS-NOT ONLY DOES THIS SOMEWHAT ACCOMDATE DAKOTA GETTING THE BEST FROM DAVID BEFORE LUNCH BUT ALLOWS MAINSTREAMING WITH A FLOW AND MEANING AFTER LUNCH-AS I HAVE OBSERVED THAT OTHER THAN APE ON MONDAYS AND WEDNESDAYS THE TIME BETWEEN LUNCH AND THE ARRIVALS OF THE BUSES IS OFTEN TIME LOST. THE KIDS END LUNCH AT 12:30 OR 12:35 AND THEW BUSES START ARRIVING AT 1:15  ALTHOUGH SCHOOL IS SUPPOSED TO BE UNTIL 1:45 THAT 30 TO 50 MINUTES IS PRIMARILY SPENT PREPARING FOR HOME.
3.  I WANT ALL OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAINSTREAMING EXPLORED THIS MEANS NOT ONLY OPPORTUNITIES FOR ASSEMBLIES AND OTHER ACTIVITES THE GENERAL POPULATION PARTICIPATES IN BUT ALSO THERE ARE SPECIFIC STRATEGIES I WANT TRIED:
THE FIRST BEING SEPARATED FROM THE CLASS WITH HIS AIDE AT LUNCHTIME INTERMITTENLY TO OPEN UP THE POSSIBILITY FOR DAKOTA TO MEET OR AT LEAST BE A PART OF THE NUERO-TYPICAL POPULATION
ALSO A COUPLE OF TIMES A WEEK I WANT HIM TO GO TO THE ACTIVITIES OFFICE AND GET THE ANNOUNCEMENTS, READ THEM AND BRING THEM HOME SO WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO WATCH FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO MAINSTREAM-LIKE PLAYS OR CONCERTS OR EVEN THE FOOD FAIR ETC.
ANOTHER STRATEGY IS A TRIP TO THE SCHOOL LIBRARY PERHAPS ON A SPECIFIC DAY OF THE MONTH
AND ONE LAST ONE IS ONCE AGAIN HAVING DAKOTA GO OFF CAMPUS TO THE ADJACENT BUSINESSES LIKE THE STATER BROTHERS WITH A SHORT LIST OF ITEMS TO SHOP FOR SENT FROM HOME.

LASTLY I WANT TO AGAIN VOICE MY CONCERN ABOUT THE SIMPLE FACT THAT DAKOTA TECHNICALLY HAS 3 MORE YEARS HE COULD ATTEND HIGH SCHOOL BUT THE QUESTION BECOMES APPROPRIATE PLACEMENT-MY QUESTION IS WHERE ARE TRANSITIONAL SERVICES??? HOW CAN PARENTS AND YOUNG ADULTS MOVE ON OR MOVE OUT OF THIS PLACEMENT IF THE SCHOOLS ARE DRAGGING THEIR HEELS ON ALTERNATIVE PLACEMENTS?? IS IT RIGHT OR APPROPRIATE THAT A 20 YEAR BOY BE SITTING IN A CLASSROOM WITH A 13 OR 14 YEAR OLD GIRL??? NO MATTER WHAT THE CHALLENGES?
WE NEED AND MUST HAVE  NOW SOME SOLUTIONS AND OPTIONS BECAUSE ALL PARENTS CAN CONTINUE TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN IN WHAT THEY CONSIDER TO BE THE  LEAST OF ALL EVIL WHEN THERE IS NOTHING OUT THERE BUT THE DISTRICTS ARE STILL RESPOSIBLE TO PROVIDE FOR THESE KIDS TILL 22 IS IT ANY WONDER WHY THIS CLASS CONTINUESTO OVERFLOW{WHICH IS ANOTHER CONCERN I HAVE}  BNECAUSE NO ONE HAS GOTTEN THEIR STUFF TOGETHER AND REALIZED THAT ALL THESE KIDS GROW UP AND THEY NEED TO BE VERY SLOWLY EASED IN TO THE COMMUNITY AND IT IS ALL OF OUR JOBS TO DO SO
WE HAVE TO HAVE A UNITED FRONT AND CAUSE
SO THESE KIDS DON'T BECOME STATISTICS
AND THAT DOESN'T MEAN FOLDIND BOXES OR HANGING UP HANGERS
IT MEANS FINDING EACH OF THEIR NICHES AND APPLYING IT TO A WORTHWHILE PATH FOR THESE KIDS

ADDITIONALLY I WANT TO THANK ALL OF YOU FOR LISTENING AND FOR ANY INPUT OR ASSISTANCE YOU CAN PROVIDE TO INCORPORATE THE ABOVE REQUESTS

WOKE UP CANT SLEEP

YOU WOULD THINK BY NOW THAT I.E.P.'S WOULD BE NO BIG THING BUT I FIND MY SELF  DREADING ANOTHER  ONE-- HERE IT IS  3 AM  AND I   HAVE TO BE  AT SCHOOL BY 10--YIKES

AM GEARING TOWARDS MORE SOCIAL MAINSTREAMING FOR DAKOTA THIS YEAR AND BACK ON TRACK WITH AN EXTENDED SCHOOL DAY--- I KNOW HE DOESNT HAVE MUCH MORE TIME IN TRADITIONAL SCHOOL BUT I AM ADAMANT THAT IT BE PRODUCTIVE TIME AND FRUSTRATED BECAUSE ONCE AGAIN IT SEEMS THAT IT IS ALWAYS AN UPHILL BATTLE TO GET SOMEONE TO LISTEN TO YOU  AND ACTUALLY  ACT ON YOU REQUESTS FOR YOUR CHILD

FOR ANYONE WHO HAS NUERO-TYPICAL CHILDREN  THEY JUST DONT NOW THE INCREDIBLE FRUSTRATION IT IS  TO HAVE A CHILD  BE RECOGNIZED FOR WHATEVER ABILITY HE OR SHE MIGHT POSSESS AND TO TRAPPED IN THEIR OWN WORLD WITHOUT GETTING THE NECESSARY SUPPORT, DIRECTION, ENCOURAGEMENT AND  EDUCATION  THEY NEED TO BE A CONTRIBUTOR TO THEIT OWN LIFE AND TO THEIR COMMUNITY.

I WILL POST MORE LATER ON THE OUTCOME OF THE I.E.P. FOR NOW I HAVE TO HIT THE MIRCOSOFT WORD  TO LAY OUT THE PLAN--WISH ME LUCK!!!!!

BEEN ON VACATION

HELLO TO ANY AND ALL THAT PEEK AT MY RANTINGS

BEEN ON VACATION AND HAD A BIRTHDAY TO CELEBRATE SO HAVE BEEN OUT OF THE LOOP FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS

HAVE SEVERAL THINGS TO ADD WILL SIT DOWN THIS WEEK AND CATCH UP!!!!!!!

GODS LITTLE TRICK ON ME!!!

RIGHT NOW I AM ABOUT HALF CRAZY OVER THIS BROKEN LEG WHICH HAS TURNED INTO MUCH MORE .  THE FUNNY THING ABOUT THAT IS ; I THINK ITS A LESSON  GOD  IS TRYING TO TEACH ME CUZ I USED TO SAY ""YOU KNOW WHEN A KID GETS A BROKEN LEG THEY SET IT AND IN 6 TO 8 WEEKS THE CAST COMES  OFF AND THEY ARE GOOD TO GO   BUT WHEN A KID  HAS A BROKEN HEAD {FOR LACK OF A BETTER COMPARISON} ITS NOT LIKE YOU CAN FIX IT WITH A CAST SO NOW I AM FINDING OUT THAT SOMETIMES  EVEN SIMPLE INJURIES CAN BECOME MORE AND I AM HAVING TO EAT MY WORDS AND LEARN A VALUABLE  LESSON .  IT DOESNT HAVE TO BE A CHRONIC  IN CURABLE THING TO MAKE YOU CRAZY AND WRYTHE  IN PAIN FOR YOUR CHILD .  SOMETIMES  THE SIMPLEST THINGS JUST CANT BE FIXED SO WE HAVE TO LIVE TO ACCEPT THEM AND DO THE BEST WE CAN!!!

LETTER TO A MOM

I JUST GOT AN EMAIL FROM A MOM WHO ASKED ME ABOUT DIFFERENT THERAPIES --IF I HAD DOEN THEM OR NOT AND HERE WAS MY RESPONSE:

IN DIRECT RESPONSE TO YOUR QUESTION ABOUT THE THERAPIES I HAVE NOT DONE THEM SPECIFIC TO DAN PROTOCOL-- PLEASE REMEMBER WE ENTERED INTO THIS 18 YEARS AGO SO INFORMATION THAT THAT POINT WAS VERY DIVERSE TO SAY THE LEAST HOWEVER WITHOUT BEING A NAY-SAYER I AM REALLY NOT CONINCED THAT THE DE-TOXIFICATION; CHELATION; GFCF IS ""THEEEE ANSWER"" JUST AS I AM NOT TOTALLY CONVINCED THE THE MERCURY IS ""THEEE CAUSE""   HERES WHAT I THINK  OUR KIDS MAY HAVE EXPOSURE AND POSSIBLY HIGHER CONTENETS OF BAD THINGS THAT DOES CONTRIBUTE TO THEIR CONDITION AND BEHAVIOR AND I AM QUITE SURE THAT THOSE WHO DILIGENTLY FOLLOW THE DAN PROTOCOL ARE SURE IT WORKS -- FOR THE MOST PART BUT I GUARANTEE YOU THAT FOR EVERY ONE WHO HAS HAD A SUCESS  STORY I WILL BET THERE IS ONE WHO DIDNT SEE THE SAME RESULTS WHAT I DO KNOW IS THAT WE CONTINUE TO TRY TO PINPOINT THE CAUSE OF AUTISM BUT NO ONE -- AND I MEAN NO ONE AT THIS POINT HAS A ROCK SOLID ANSWER SO WE MUDDLE THRU AND DO WHAT WE FEEL WORKS FOR US AND TO BOW DOWN AND PRAY TO THE ""DAN ""GODS  OR ANY OTHER ONES AT THIS POINT STILL PRESENTS THE POSSIBILITY OF IT NOT WORKING ON YOUR CHILD-- THAT IS WHY I KEEP TRYING TO IMPRESS ON THOSE I MEET THAT IT IS STILL THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR OUR KIDS .  IN ORDER TO DELIVER THAT YOU HAVE TO SPEND TIME -- LOTS OF IT WATCHING OBSERVING LISTENING EXPERIMENTING TO ASSIST YOUR BABY TO LEARN TO LIVE IN THE WORLD WITH THIS TERRIBLE CRAP CALLED AUTISM OUR SOCIETY IS IN SUCH A HURRY AND SO FIXED ON KEEPING UP WITH THE JONES THAT ALL MANY THINK ABOUT IS  FIND A CURE --GIVE THEM A PILL AND OUR TROUBLES WILL BE OVER OR IF SUSIE AND JOHN DID THIS FOR THEIR KIDS THEN SURELY IF I DO IT FOR MINE IT WILL WORK-- UNFORTUNATELY THE WORLD IS NOT SO ""COOKIE CUTTER"" ITS NOT FAIR ; ITS NOT KIND AND IT CERTAINLY IS NOT EASY HENCE DENIAL FOR ALOT OF FAMILIES FIRST LEARNING ABOUT AUTISM      I DO BELIEVE THAT THERE IS CERTAINLY NO HARM IN UTILIZING WHAT YOU KNOW TO MAKE INFORMED DECISIONS THAT COULD HELP AND IN THAT ASPECT I HAVE TAKEN A LITTLE HERE AND A LITTLE THERE AND MADE MY OWN RECIPE WHICH WORKS FOR US AND I AM CURRENTLY DEBATING TRYING A FEW BIO- MEDICAL THINGS  BASICALLY ENZYMES ,PRO-BIOTICS AND POSSIBLY THE TRANS DERMAL CHELATION --ALL MORE HEALTH FOOD THINGS RATHER THAN DOCTOR MEDICAL THINGS AND I ACTUALLY HAVE ONLY STARTED THE PRO- BIOTICS-- TRYING TO GIVE IT A CHANCE BEFORE I START ANYTHING ELSE-- BUT ONE MORE CATCH IS THIS EVEN IF THESE THINGS WORK ---HOW LONG WILL THEY WORK? WILL THEY CONTINUE TO BE EFFECTIVE AT THE SAME LEVELS OR WILL THEY HAVE TO BE INCREASED OR DECREASED--POSING A NEW PROBLEM ESPECIALLY IF THEY REQUIRE BEING DECREASED COULD WE POISON OUR OWN KIDS BY GIVING THEM TOO MUCH OF WHAT WE THINK IS  GOOD THING THERE BY CAUSING ALTERNATE BEHAVIORS TO ERUPT AND BEING BLIND ENUF TO NOT REALIZE THAT WE DID IT TOO THEM INSTEAD OF THINKING THAT THEY ARE DEVELOPING ANOTHER PHASE OF A DIFFERENT BEHAVIOR WHEN IN FACT THE THING WE GAVE THEM ACTUALLY TRIGGERED THE BEHAVIOR???? THATS WHY I AM SO ADAMANT ABOUT JUST TAKING TIME TO BREATHE AND THINK THINGS OUT AND OBSERVE-- BELIEVE ME ITS NOT EASY -- I AM NOT A PATIENT PERSON AND I DONT WANT MY SON TO SUFFER ANY MORE THAN HE HAS TOO BUT THE ONE THING I HAVE REALLY COME TO OBSERVE IS WHEN THINGS ARE PREDICTABLE AND SAFE AND THE MOON AND THE STARS ARE ALLIGNED RIGHT AND I SEE DAKOTA PEACEFUL AND ENGAGED I REALIZE THAT THERE IS A CERTAIN INNOCENCE THAT COMES WITH AUTISM. HE OFTEN TIMES DOES NOT NOTICE OR ACKNOWLEDGE THAT HE IS DIFFERENT FROM ANYONE ELSE AND THAT HE IS PERFECTLY HAPPY BEING AND DOING WHAT HE IS .   ITS ALL OF US OTHER CRAZY PEOPLE TRYING TO TWEAK HIS WORLD BECAUSE WE THINK THERE IS SOMETHING WRONG NOT BECAUSE HE DOES!!!!    ITS ONCE AGAIN MY PASSION TO TRY TO GET PEOPLE TO JUST TAKE ONE EXTRA MINUTE TO DO NOTHING  TO STOP THE SCHEDULE STOP THE APPOINTMENTS STOP HAULING THE KIDS FROM THERAPY TO THERAPY AND GIVE THEM A MINUTE TO JUST BE KIDS , TO TAKE A MINUTE TO SEE IF THINGS ARE WORKING. YES DO EVERYTHING IN YOUR POWER -- BE WILLING TO TRY NEW THINGS BUT ALSO BE STRONG ENOUGH TO OBSERVE WHEN IT DOESNT WORK  OR ITS NOT RIGHT FOR YOUR FAMILY AND DONT LET ANYONE INCLUDING ME TALK YOU INTO OR OUT OF WHAT YOU FEEL IS RIGHT FOR YOUR CHILD   

WILL I EVER LEARN?

I AM NOT SURE I WILL EVER GET THIS BUT THIS MORNING AS WE ARE TRUDGING THROUGH OUR FIRST WEEK OF SCHOOL FOR THE 15YEAR  OR SO I FIND MYSELF MAKING THE SAME MISTAKES AND IT IS ONLY AFTER WE HAVE GONE THRU THE BEHAVIOR AND THE STRUGGLE THAT ENSUES  BEFORE I REALIZE THAT ONCE AGAIN I SCREWED UP.

DAKOTA WAS ABSOLUTELY MORE DIFFICULT TO GET UP THIS MORENING THAN THE REST OF THE DAYS THIS WEEK SO I THOUGHT I WOULD GET HIS BREAKFAST FIRST AND LET HIM SLEEP A FEW EXTRA MINUTES  -- BUT OF COURSE MY THICK SKULL DIDNT REMEMBER THAT I WAS  SWITCHING THE ORDER OF THINGS AND I MIGHT AS WELL JUMP OFF A CLIFF --   SO WHEN I WAS DONE I TRIED AND TRIED AND TRIED TO GET HIM UP AND MOVING AROUND AND SHORT OF DOING SOMETHING MEAN LIKE A SPRITZER WATER BOTTLE I JUST COULD NOT GET HIM TO GET UP I EVEN TOOK HIS FOOD INTO THE BEDROOM AND PUT IT UNDER HIS NOSE BUT THE MORE I PUSHED THE MORE HE DUG HIS HEELS IN -- ABD REFUSED TO WAKE UP AND GET GOING

I DONT KNOW WHY I DONT GET THIS ---                  IT IS AN APPRECIATION OF TIME; WHICH NONE OF HAS ENUF OF ;  WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF ME BACKING OFF  HE WILL COME AROUND FOR 80% TO 90 % OF THE TIME. IF I JUST STOP INTERACTING WITH HIM AND PLEADING TO GET UP AND GET GOING AND GO ABOUT MY BUSINESS LIKE HES NOT EVEN GOING TO SCHOOL HE WILL CAVE. ONCE HE DETERMINESTHAT HE IS NOT THE ISSUE AND THE CENTER OF ATTENTION  HE WILL START TO TALK  OR GET UP AND HEAD FOR THE BATHROOM OH DONT GET ME WRONG IT DOESNT ROLL RIGHT INTO THE PERFECT SCHEDULE OR TIME CONSTRAINTS BUT AT LEAST IT IS SO MUCH CALMER AND LESS CONFRONTATIONAL AND A WHOLE LOT BETTER FOR DAKOTA AND HIS DAY AT SCHOOL. AT LEAST I KNOW WHEN HE FINALLY ARRIVES AT SCGOOL IF ANYTHING HAPPENS BEHAVIOR WISE AT SCHOOL AT LEAST THEY CANT POINT TO ME OR WHAT HAS HAPPENED BEFORE HE CAME TO SCHOOL

AND THATS  THE MAIN OBJECTIVE-- TO GVE HIM A FRESH START IN THE MORNING SO THERE IS NO UNDERLYING   REASONS FOR BEHAVIOR--AT LEAST FROM HOME!!!

SO THE NEXT TIME YOUR LITTLE ONE "STONEWALLS"  JUST TRY BACKING OFF AND PRETENDING THEY ARENT A PART OF THE EQUASIONAND SEE IF THAT HELPS THEM TO COME AROUND. 

 

TRYING TO BE CREATIVE

SCHOOL STARTED THIS MONDAY  I AM NOT EXCITED  EXCEPT FOR THE FACT THAT IT IS POTENTIALLY  DAKOTAS  LAST YEAR. I JUST FEEL THAT I HAVE SPUN MY WHEELS THRU MOST OF SCHOOL AND HAVE FOUGHT AND FOUGHT TO NOT SEE MUCH ACCOMPLISHED.

IT IS TOTALLY FRUSTRATING BECAUSE YOU WANT TO THINK THE BEST AND YOU WANT TO STRIVE FOR YOUR KID TO GETQUALITY INSTRUCTIONAL TIME BUT THE REALITY IS THAT IS THEY ARE NOT IN "TYPICAL " CLASSROOMS  THE EDUCATIONAL VALUE IS DIMINISHED GREATLY AND SOMETIME NOT BY ANYONES FAULT INCLUDING THE TEACHER  JUST THE ENVIROMENT ALONE LENDS ITSELF TO DISASTER AFTER DISASTER -- EACH OF THE 14 TO 18 KIDS ALL HAVE SEPARATE NEEDS AND HOW CAN MUCH OF ANYTH9NG BE ACCOMPLISHED WHEN THIS IS A DAILY  STRUGGLE.....

GETTING THAT OFF OF MY CHEST  I WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH MY LATESTCHALLENGE AND SOLUTION:

DAKOTA IS STILL SPORTING A CAM-WALKER WHICH IS LIKE A BIG SKI BOOT  IT IS QUITE AWKWARD AND FOR SOMEONE WHO ALREADY HAS MOTOR PLANNING ISSUES IT HAS BEEN  AN OBSTACLE TO SAY THE LEAST    WHEN I TOO DAKOTA TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY I SOON REALIZED THAT THERE WOULD BE ALOT OF RESTRICTIONS WITH THE CAM WALKER BUT THE ONE THAT WAS MOST PROMINENT WAS BOARDING THE BUS THE SIMPLE CLIMBING REQUIRED TO GET INTO THE BUS WAS A HUGE  ROADBLOCK--I ALSO REALIZED THAT WITH ALL THE KIDSAROUND AND THE HEAT AND THE END OF THE SCHOOL DAY BEING A PRESSURE SITUATION THIS WAS NOT THE APPROPRIATE ENVIROMENT FOR A TEACHING SITUATION

SOOOOOOOOO I CALLED UP THE HEAD OF TRANSPORTATION AND EXPLAINED THE THE SITUATION AND ASKED IF I COULD BRING DAK DOWN TO THE  BUS COMPOUND WHERE HE COULD PRACTICES GETTING IN AND OUT OF THE BUS WITHOUT ALL THE HUB-BUB THAT WAS GOING ON AT SCHOOL  SHE WAS VERY GRACIOUS AND TOLD US TO COME ON DOWN  AND SHE WOULD BE GLAD TO HELP US

DAKOTA WENT DOWN THERE AND ACED IT RIGHT AWAY  I WAS SURE HE WOULD BE OPK BUT I JUST WANTED TO RE ASSURE HIM THAT HE COULD DO THIS AND THE VERY NEXT DAY WE HAD A CONVERSATION ABOUT BEING ABLE TO GET IN THE BUS AND DOING IT ON HIS OWN AND --BINGO  HE WAS ON THE BUS THE VERY NEXT DAY AND SIMPLY PUT NO ANXIETY AND NO PROBLEM

YEAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH