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Challenge: It's Back to School: Share Your Advice

Back to school TO-DO list for the special needs mama

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  1. Last minute scramble to get the renewed prescriptions from doctor for OT/PT services during the school year that expired in May.
  2. Remember your minivan ran over one of the kid's glasses during the summer. ACK. Order new glasses from cheap online service and cross your fingers they fit. Insurance doesn’t cover a new pair until January.
  3. Email coordinators regarding an adaptive seat for your child in the bus. Freak out about the bus. Should I be putting her on the bus? Cry for a good 10 minutes to your sister-in-law.
  4. Pinterest 100 Bento box lunch ideas but secretly know all your son will eat is a PBJ and grapes every day.
  5. Make over the top, probably unnecessary, info sheets for teachers and aids about both children and their peculiar behaviors and favorite songs. Try to find a nice way to ask them to sing every direction they give your daughter if they want her to follow any instructions and explain how your son will need someone to remind him not to stick his hand in the potty when he flushes. "That's Yucky".
  6. ORTHOTICS. Crap. I don’t even know where they are since we were barefoot all summer. Call and schedule that appointment ASAP.
  7. IEP revision request over email/phone for adaptive chairs and behavior intervention plans. Get the run around as each person says they really aren’t back yet from the break.
  8. Buy school supplies x 4 even though you only have 2 kids in school. You got a list for the regular-ed class and the special-ed class. I am the Oprah of Kleenex boxes. You get a Kleenex box. You get a Kleenex box. You all get a box of Kleenexes.
  9. Realize you actual never registered your daughter for the school where she will go to PPCD (preschool program for children with disabilities) this year. You had the IEP/ARD, emailed the PPCD teacher about safety issues, frequently emailed the PPCD coordinator all summer about revisions to IEP, talked the nurse about health issues, got her on the bus schedule, but never actual registered her and school is next week.
  10. POUR A GLASS OF WINE and tell yourself YOU GOT THIS> THE KIDS ARE GOING TO BE OK!

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