Comments on: The Most Important Time of the Day http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/ Family, Health, Home and Lifestyles Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:03:01 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: athina http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539444 athina Wed, 01 Aug 2007 16:11:05 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539444 Fortunately, I get off work an hour before the school bus brings the little guy home, so I have plenty of time to get there. It so happened though, that once I was at home and didn't realize that the bus was outside waiting. After a few minutes, I decided to go out to wait for the bus. At the same time, I heard crying and screaming that sounded familiar to me. I ran to the bus to find my son all upset, with his face red and wet with tears, repeating over and over 'mommy comes, here's mommy' and the desperate girl who assists the driver trying to calm him down! 'He thought you wouldn't come to pick him up' she said. As soon as he was in my arms, he calmed down and after a while he asked for water. I think I was more upset than him, feeling so guilty with myself that I caused this to my child. It was more tragic to me than it was for him, I think. But, I can cope, he doesn't. Fortunately, I get off work an hour before the school bus brings the little guy home, so I have plenty of time to get there. It so happened though, that once I was at home and didn’t realize that the bus was outside waiting. After a few minutes, I decided to go out to wait for the bus. At the same time, I heard crying and screaming that sounded familiar to me. I ran to the bus to find my son all upset, with his face red and wet with tears, repeating over and over ‘mommy comes, here’s mommy’ and the desperate girl who assists the driver trying to calm him down! ‘He thought you wouldn’t come to pick him up’ she said. As soon as he was in my arms, he calmed down and after a while he asked for water. I think I was more upset than him, feeling so guilty with myself that I caused this to my child. It was more tragic to me than it was for him, I think. But, I can cope, he doesn’t.

]]> By: Caroline L. http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539386 Caroline L. Wed, 01 Aug 2007 13:25:22 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539386 I have been thinking about this for a few days at the most important time of day! I have read everyone's comments and I wonder if these kinds of real life 'natural environment' situations could be integrated into each child's therapy - to teach the child that changes in bus routine happen, that anxiety-inducing as these situations can be for anyone - they can get through it with practice and learn flexibility. when my child developed rigid behavior, as a result of very expensive and poorly delivered 'therapy', we worked hard to reteach flexibility in the 'natural environment'. that included a lot of mass transit. (we also constantly model age-appropriate verbal responses to frustrating situations, to let our child know its okay to be 'nervous' and 'scared', but to talk about it, not have a 'freak out'.) basically I am re-teaching my child how to whine. Building a program to address potential bus situations may sound time consuming and expensive, but I bet the bus drivers would be all for helping out! The bus drivers are great in my experience, and always have my cel phone, or radio to the bus company when they are going to be early or need to drop off at a different location. I have been thinking about this for a few days at the most important time of day!

I have read everyone’s comments and I wonder if these kinds of real life ‘natural environment’ situations could be integrated into each child’s therapy – to teach the child that changes in bus routine happen, that anxiety-inducing as these situations can be for anyone – they can get through it with practice and learn flexibility.

when my child developed rigid behavior, as a result of very expensive and poorly delivered ‘therapy’, we worked hard to reteach flexibility in the ‘natural environment’. that included a lot of mass transit.

(we also constantly model age-appropriate verbal responses to frustrating situations, to let our child know its okay to be ‘nervous’ and ’scared’, but to talk about it, not have a ‘freak out’.) basically I am re-teaching my child how to whine.

Building a program to address potential bus situations may sound time consuming and expensive, but I bet the bus drivers would be all for helping out! The bus drivers are great in my experience, and always have my cel phone, or radio to the bus company when they are going to be early or need to drop off at a different location.

]]> By: mumkeepingsane http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539160 mumkeepingsane Tue, 31 Jul 2007 13:36:46 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539160 If Patrick was, just once, driven back to school because I wasn't home he would probably never want to get off the bus at our house again. Or, he'd decide to get off early, or he'd stand instead of sit every time the bus got near our house, or, or, or....It really would be a disaster. Luckily I have several backup plans, an understanding bus driver, and a really fast truck! If Patrick was, just once, driven back to school because I wasn’t home he would probably never want to get off the bus at our house again. Or, he’d decide to get off early, or he’d stand instead of sit every time the bus got near our house, or, or, or….It really would be a disaster. Luckily I have several backup plans, an understanding bus driver, and a really fast truck!

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539153 Kristina Chew, PhD Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:53:58 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539153 Another family in Tennessee (Nashville area) is saying that their autistic child was <a href="http://www.tennessean.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2007707310348">abused on the same bus</a>. Another family in Tennessee (Nashville area) is saying that their autistic child was abused on the same bus.

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539103 Kristina Chew, PhD Tue, 31 Jul 2007 03:04:40 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539103 A motorized scooter on the (shoulderless) Pulaski Skyway would be a wild one indeed (great views of Manhattan, not that one should be looking)-------I really don't know who I could put down if it were someone who could actually pick Charlie up. At first it seemed like asking the live-in nurse was a reasonable solution, but that didn't work out. So I will continue to drive in high anxiety---Jennifer, your comments give me reassurance! A motorized scooter on the (shoulderless) Pulaski Skyway would be a wild one indeed (great views of Manhattan, not that one should be looking)——-I really don’t know who I could put down if it were someone who could actually pick Charlie up. At first it seemed like asking the live-in nurse was a reasonable solution, but that didn’t work out.

So I will continue to drive in high anxiety—Jennifer, your comments give me reassurance!

]]> By: Daisy http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539100 Daisy Tue, 31 Jul 2007 02:24:19 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539100 This is one of my stressors when school is in session. Amigo has finally learned to manage his anxiety to the point where he can stay home "alone" for a few minutes if the bus is early or if I am a bit late This is one of my stressors when school is in session. Amigo has finally learned to manage his anxiety to the point where he can stay home “alone” for a few minutes if the bus is early or if I am a bit late

]]> By: mcewen http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539099 mcewen Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:50:02 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539099 Well thank you so much for adding to my sanity quotient for the day! But I would point out that if you had taken my sage advice and invested in a motorized scooter you'd whizz through that traffic. Come to think of it, maybe I should invest in one myself! Sage takes sage advice. Cheers Well thank you so much for adding to my sanity quotient for the day! But I would point out that if you had taken my sage advice and invested in a motorized scooter you’d whizz through that traffic. Come to think of it, maybe I should invest in one myself! Sage takes sage advice.
Cheers

]]> By: Kristina Chew, PhD http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539091 Kristina Chew, PhD Tue, 31 Jul 2007 01:02:58 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539091 <a href="http://www.nashvillecitypaper.com/news.php?viewStory=57132">This story</a> from Tennessee---a 9 year old autistic student was sexually assaulted while on a special ed bus----can only add to any worries. This story from Tennessee—a 9 year old autistic student was sexually assaulted while on a special ed bus—-can only add to any worries.

]]> By: KimJ http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539087 KimJ Tue, 31 Jul 2007 00:26:01 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539087 I don't know about the current school district, but back in CA, if you weren't there at the bus stop (your house) they called the cops. There were other bugs in the system that made us cancel bus service with them but we sure didn't like that idea. I don’t know about the current school district, but back in CA, if you weren’t there at the bus stop (your house) they called the cops. There were other bugs in the system that made us cancel bus service with them but we sure didn’t like that idea.

]]> By: Joeymom http://www.blisstree.com/articles/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/comment-page-1/#comment-539083 Joeymom Mon, 30 Jul 2007 23:52:48 +0000 http://www.autismvox.com/the-most-important-time-of-the-day/#comment-539083 Here they take the kid back to school, too. Once I was desperately sick when the bus pulled up, and they took him back to school before I could drag myself from the bathroom to the front door. Right now the driver knows one of my emergency contacts is the mom of another one of her drop-offs, so she has agreed to just drop him with teh other kids. We haven't had to revert to that yet. We got that understanding when I showed up to pick up those kids one day because my friend had an emergency and was stuck at the hospital with her third. All the connections got made in common sense. ;) I still rush home for the bus. Here they take the kid back to school, too. Once I was desperately sick when the bus pulled up, and they took him back to school before I could drag myself from the bathroom to the front door. Right now the driver knows one of my emergency contacts is the mom of another one of her drop-offs, so she has agreed to just drop him with teh other kids. We haven’t had to revert to that yet. We got that understanding when I showed up to pick up those kids one day because my friend had an emergency and was stuck at the hospital with her third. All the connections got made in common sense. ;)

I still rush home for the bus.

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