Hi...I am a parent of a beautiful 8yrs old girl who is currently in the looooong process of being diagnosed (my best bet is Aspergers...but then I am only a parent.....and up to this point not really being heard, sadly enough). Anna is happy at home....free to be herself....free to do whatever her current obsessions are (switching between minecraft...roblox...animal jam...sims is the latest one)........
Given her freedom at home, we don't have any major difficulties (well less than we use to have)....Eating not great...sleeping not great.....her best friend is her younger sister who although only 6yrs old can work with her better than anyone else, but who we have to protect at times vigorously (especially when Anna hits out of impulsivity) and also give her that one on one to help her cope.
Our major ongoing trouble is at school (up to last year it was home).Anna has days, sometimes even weeks when everything seems to be sailing ok. She is not too bothered about school, but when the going is good she is quite happy to go (but always would rather prefer not to go if she was presented with the choice).
However, from time to time there is a problem. It always is with a specific child...'she is mean to me'...'she made faces at me'....and it goes on and on.......So I as a parent try to come up with her with strategies to cope 'ok....If she does this tell her you don't want to play if she is not being nice'....'or just walk away'....'don't join the play if you s always end up arguing'...'play with someone else'....
During the process of this it is really hard to teased out when someone is actually being mean to her or when Anna is misreading the signals....and at the same time reassuring her that no matter what is going on...I believe her :-( :-( :-( :-(.
Her P4 teacher is not very supportive (let the children sort it out themselves)....so I went to the vice principal and finally met with someone who is hearing me....I have suggested if we can start with providing Anna with a 'safe person'....a very gentle teacher who she knows from p2....This should start next week. Anna will go to her on weekly basis to have a chat.
As for anything else I am stuck.....The thing is Anna is very sensitive and the slightest wrong thing one of her friends does she takes very seriously and it keeps growing in her head....by now a month later the current girl who Anna struggles with is a complete monster :-(.
Two months ago it was someone else....few months earlier yet someone else.
So, I am lost....as a mum I don't know what else to do rather than talk about the school day....discuss her feelings...try to get her see their side (impossible ).....Help her to find strategies to cope.....etc....i am lost.....really really lost.
Anyone out there who would be willing to comment and perhaps direct me to some practical solutions...........and is anyone seeing just like me a child with Aspergers or am I loosing it?
Any help would be wholeheartedly appreciated.
Kind regards mum x
