87 days until marathon - school meeting - Yum Cha at The Emperor's Table North Ryde RSL

Running
I had today off work (yipee!) but had a before school meeting about the boys so didn't run then.  My marathon schedule said 50 minutes for today.  I got home after the meeting and started studying in my cosy, quiet home.  Internally, I was making excuses.  I'll go for a run later, I have so much study to do etc etc.  Finally, I came to the words 'glutamine catabolism' in my textbook and thought to myself 'I'd much rather run in the wind and rain than read anymore of THIS!  So I headed out.  At first it was just windy and not raining.  I spent the first ten minutes actively looking above and avoiding any gum trees that looked they might come down on my head (seriously, that would just be my luck!).  After 10 minutes or so it started raining lightly.  It was beautiful.  There was no one else out running and I started to feel great. Towards the end of my run my mind turned to lunch.  A mantra of 'yum cha, yum cha..' began.  Thankfully my MIL hadn't eaten yet so off we went.  I did take my textbook to read over hot chocolate afterwards :).

Post run fuel!

I LOVE these egg tarts!

I did study while sipping this

One of the world's most comfortable (and perhaps most ugliest) chairs :)

I didn't take my phone on my run - for obvious reasons.  Thankfully no gums like this fell on my head.

Autism

My meeting this morning was positive overall.  It IS difficult knowing that ultimately its not up to me to make final decisions.  The school really has been outstanding and I couldn't expect more for them.  Next year the boys will be mostly unsupported in the classroom with T2 having a shadow on the playground.  The question of separating the boys next year came up and I voiced my opinion that we'd rather they stay together.  I'm very lucky T1 has such great language skills and I can clarify what T2 is trying to say because T1 was in the classroom.

I can't imagine how difficult it would be for the parents of a non-verbal or a child who can't adequately express themselves (verbally or non-verbally) going off to school each day.  For all of you who have 'typical' kids - imagine it.  You send your kid to school, they come home and you really don't know for sure what exactly happened, how your kid feels or perhaps why they feel a certain way.  These kids can be so, so vulnerable.  Its terrifying really. 

Do you have any IEP tips?
What is your favourite yum cha dish?  Mine are steamed prawn & chive dumplings

92 days until marathon day and IEP follow-up

Running

My marathon program said 40 minute run so that's what I did.  I plan to have a comprehensive search for my Garmin this weekend.  Meanwhile I think I'd be so disappointed by my pace that its a blessing I can't find it.  Conditions were a little hotter than they have been in the last few days but overall my legs are coping well.

Its going to be a long, hot summer

source:godisgiggling.wordpress.com

Autism

T1 had cricket training this afternoon.  It wasn't ideal timing, late on a Friday arvo.  He was tired, a little bit silly (most of the kids were!) and not at his best cricket wise.  Tomorrow is his first official game of cricket.  If someone had told me 2 or 3 years ago that he'd be playing a proper cricket match for 2 hours and holding his own socially and ability wise I wouldn't have believed them.  He doesn't know most of the boys and I must say his social skills have been a little shaky, with showing off and copying bad behaviours of others and having some of his own.  The bright side is that this will improve as he gets to know the kids or will give us something to work on with T1.  I'm usually so fixated on T2's progress that I sometimes forget that T1 still needs help.  Twins with autism - the stress, highs and lows!



I've been summoned to the school for an end-of-year IEP (individualised education plan) meeting.  I know what this is about.  School says - T2 is amazing and doesn't need a shadow, me saying yes he does, there are still many very obvious social and language difficulties to work on.  I am gearing up for battle!  Not to say that the school hasn't been amazing- it has.  I'm going to get prepared and try not to stress about it.

My golden rule of running & a free range parenting - autism parent style!

Running

After school drop off I adhered to my golden rule when I plan a run during the day.  This rule serves me well.  It goes like this - don't sit down, don't think, do immediately put on running gear and get out the door asap.  Under no circumstances, I repeat under no circumstances should you sit down.  If you do there will be no run.  What do you think of my rule :-)?  It works for me.

I ran 6km and came home, did my stretches and jumped in the pool.  Its about the only time I'm in the pool lately as the water temp is a little cool but it feels so good after a hot run.

Can you spot the killer hill?

Autism

I'm a natural helicopter parent, which is lucky because if I wasn't I'm pretty sure T2 would be dead.  You think I'm kidding?  I'm not.  Once when I forgot to deadlock the front door he took off and ran across a road and up a road without looking.  He was 3 years old but had no concept of danger - at all.  A classic absconder.  I was chasing him up the street while he was laughing hysterically and running as fast as he could up the street.  Many kids with autism are dragged out of pools, ponds etc every year.  Its one of the many stresses and thankfully T2 is much better (but not perfect) with this.

Anyway, yesterday we were running late for school and I casually asked the twins if they wanted to do school drop off.  They said 'yes!'.  Its a pretty secure system but it did mean I had to remain in the car while the boys walked into the school to lines.  This is free range parenting for me - hee hee!.  But I confess, I immediately parked the car, walked into the school and checked they had made it.  Today I did the same.  Tomorrow I plan on not parking the car.  The lure of leaving late and being able to look an absolute wreck in the morning is overcoming my tendency to helicopter parent.  This a big step for them and for me!

School is making me nervous right now.  I'm hoping I won't toss and turn tonight.  The boys IEP (Individualised Education Plan) meeting is scheduled for next week and the shadow wants to debrief with me beforehand.  Sounds serious.  Aahh- parenting kids on the spectrum sucks sometimes.

On the bright side they did some amazing craft at school today.  Check it out.

T2 - this is amazing..I remember when colouring produced a paper scrunching tantrum!

T1's cute little sheep

A pretty chart for you!

Running

Last night both my eldest and T2 kept me up.  I'm not sure why....a bad dream/sleep disturbance/asthma???  So I wasn't up for a morning run this morning.  After I'd finished the Monday morning cleanathon I do with my MIL every week I forced myself not to sit down, but to lace up the joggers.  It was the middle of the day, 27 degrees and sunny.  According to my training program I was due for a speed session- 2 minutes hard running, 2 minutes easy running/shuffling repeat x5.  Today was my fourth day running in a row.   It hurt, I won't lie but collapsing into the pool afterwards was heavenly.  Tomorrow is a day off running.  Tomorrow is all about hitting the textbooks and preparing for T2's IEP (Individual Education Plan).

I'm pretty impressed with myself for working out how to do this! Hey I'm a GenXer - don't laugh

Do you love running charts/stats?