Stretches, meltdowns, fevers, and drinks....

What do all of those have in common??

My day. My Monday!

I spent the weekend sick with the flu on the couch. Boy was t a doozy. I'm a terribly big baby when it comes to being sick. I whine and cry and mope around. And for two full days I laid on the couch and did just that. I had a low grade fever that would come and go but never broke. Until today.

When I woke up this morning, I still had my beautiful chest cough, but hardly any body aches. I was thankful! I knew I needed to be ready for school today. Who knows what Monday will bring. (And had I known, I would have called in sick and stayed curled up under my warm down comforter.) I was feeling pretty good and went to school a bit early even. 

I had everything ready for our day. K was going to work in his special zone with is aid today. I was ready to tackle T who has refused to do work unless he gets to type it. Ugh. But I was ready.

Then the day started. By 9:15, K was in the quiet room refusing to work. And by 9:30 T was in the other quiet room refusing to do work. And that's when I stopped being "ready" for today. I only have 5 kids and two of them were refusing to work. 

And so it went...k and t refusing to do work. My aide and I back and worth bouncing two refusing children with the three that were working. 

Lunch came and went and the afternoon was on the downhill. I don't know much about Autism, but something I have come to learn in my few months in this world, sometimes kids need to have a HUGE meltdown in order to focus and move on with their day. So my aide and I decided it was time to make K work until he finished or else had his meltdown.  Meltdown it was.  

The meltdown lead to a therapeutic hold.  Ready for this, K stretched my shirt! I couldn't believe it. He so such a strong kid, and I lost my hold on his arm and BAM he had my shirt and stretched the neck. After recovering the hold, I looked at my aide and said "I'm going to need a new shirt". I have never been more thankful that I am a daily wearer of tank tops under every shirt than I was today. Meltdown finished and K recovered, I found a tshirt to finish the day in.  In the middle of the hold, because K is such a fighter and a very strong 14 year old boy, my fever broke in the middle of my sweat, and I honestly started to feel better!

K came around and finished his work. T eventually came around and did most of it. I am planning something new for him tomorrow. My aide had the brilliant idea of rewarding our 3 that had been such good workers for the day...they got ice cream sundaes :) 

Now about the drinks? Most (well, I'm pretty sure all) of my colleagues drink.  They joke about how I need to start in order to survive. And honestly, I thought about it today. Around 10 am when I was watching my classroom fall apart.  I sat in my office at my desk and cried. My aide walked in, put a hand on my shoulder and simply said "Don't cry.".  It took me back to fifth grade when my partner teacher told me how important it is for me to hold it together and be strong for my kids, they can't see me break down.  So I followed both their advice, and stopped crying and was strong for my kids the rest of the day.  Then I came home, laid down for a bit, and made dinner.  All while drinking my boring unflavored water. I think I might get some cranberry juice tomorrow, but for now, I'm not giving in to the very strong urge ( and encouraging colleagues ) and starting to drink. My kids need me strong and they need the same me every single day.  

Tomorrow is Tuesday.  There's going to be something good in that day too...

Happy teaching!

-M