After having Miss A in my bed last night I knew today would be a struggle. She was tired when she woke up and nothing was going her way. she couldn't find her favourite skirt, the dog was chasing her , Miss L was taking her toys... you get the picture.
So when we get to school I told the teacher she was tired and to keep an eye out. Her aide wasn't there yet and we had a relief assistant. Barely 2 minutes in the class and she was having a meltdown. Right on the mat in front of the class. The teacher didn't notice so I had her in my lap trying to hold her down. Twice Miss L walked past but my girlfriend aid she had her. After a few minute of being hit and kicked I knew it was going to last a while. I asked my girlfriend to grab the teacher, she came over and asked if she should take her. Do you not remember what we talked about last week? How long this can go on and what she needs? I said no we needed a quiet space so we went into the kitchen. By this time I was crying in frustration and for my daughters pain. She kept kicking and hitting and headbutting me as I tried to calm her down. She got worse when she heard the teacher had started for the day, she knew she was missing out. The relief assistant came in and tried to talk to her-big mistake. Never talk to a child while in meltdown. So then I picked her up and we went outside. It was nearly 9am and still no aide??
Luckily my gorgeous friend was outside looking after her own child and Miss L. Even she wasn't impressed by the lack of assistance. We let Miss A play for a while and I said when I saw the aide I would take her back in. Well I never saw her arrive so we walked back to class only to find her sitting there with no idea of what had happened. I told her we had a meltdown I had to go out. At this point Miss A is on the ground tyring to kick me. She needed the toilet but wouldn't let me go and the aide just stood there saying now don't do that. How about being proactive and taking her off me? Or getting down to her level and trying to talk to her? After about a few minutes back and forth I got sick of it and said here you go and pried her off me and said goodbye.
For an aide trained in cerebral palsy, sensory needs and meltdowns I saw no sign of that knowledge or understanding. It was just last week we put our plan in place too.
Where to now?
Quite sad and pathetic on their part really! And how painful for you!?
ReplyDeleteI hope you get some action!!!
Thanks, yes it was pathetic to see so many professionals and all sitting on their hands :(
ReplyDelete