Good deed for the day......

Phew! I volunteered as a "parent helper" for year one's trip to Blackpool Tower yesterday. I was "leader" of five kids - including one of my own. They all had packed lunches in named carrier bags and soon removed their school sweatshirts due to it being so hot - so I had to carry them round all day in a yellow toxic waste bag!
The bumpy ride on the double decker bus had me nauseous before we even arrived at the tower! And the random conversations with other people's kids! Mind boggling! Punctuated by "I'm hot!" "I'm cold!" "I'm thirsty" "I'm hungry""I need a wee!" Fifty overexcited kids all talking at the same time - I was exhausted by the time we got there. And don't kids fidget! They were pulling each others seat belts, smashing their packed lunches, taking their shoes off, screaming....

Once inside the tower I began to feel like a sheepdog! I was constantly head counting and rounding up wandering off children - and boy do they like to wander off! I've got a crick in my neck from looking over my shoulder to check they were all there. If I said "hold your partners hand!" once, I said it fifty times. It didn't help that there were twenty other schools on a trip there that day and half had the same uniform as our school!

The kids tore round Jungle Jims, bumped their heads, got friction burns on the plastic slides and generally had a great time, while me and another mum guarded the exits (yes a few tested the perimeter but I headed them off!). They then ate their sweaty squashed packed lunches and then we watched the superb circus - at least they were seated and couldn't wander off! Then we went to the top of the tower, one little girl was hysterical due to fear of heights so we swiftly went back down. The bus was waiting and I gratefully climbed aboard, only to find we were on the top deck! How wobbly and bumpy are buses "up top?" The journey back was torture with a rolling stomach - the kids loved it and chattered away relentlessly while I resorted to grunts and groans in answer to their many questions.
Still, the kids had a lovely time and no-one got lost (for long) or hurt (much) and they were still bursting with energy when we got back to school. Wouldn't it be great to bottle some of that?

Eye Clinic FAIL!

What a stressful waste of time this mornings visit was! Took 4 youngest kiddos (school hols!) to the orthoptist though only Cody and Dexter actually needed to be seen.
Cody has glasses but refuses to wear them - well actually you can put them on him if you hold his hands and distract him by singing "Row, row, row the boat" but the second you turn your back he flings them - hence his Shrek pair are all twisted as hubby stood on them! Cody however, will LOOK at the orthoptist and show a slight interest in the things she's showing him. His result was inconclusive - keep trying with the glasses, see him in March next year.
Dexter. I knew there was zero chance of co-operation as soon as we hit the waiting room. He was moving chairs, climbing and oh yes, LICKING. You know the grubby box of ancient broken toys every NHS waiting room seems to have? Well, he licked them. The ripped tattered ancient books? He licked them. The depressing posters on the wall, yes, he climbed up and licked them too. He was on a lickfest and no woman was going to pin him down and look in his eyes NOT TODAY! He climbed on the orthoptists swivel chair, licked the medical bin lid (OMG! the germs!) he rolled around the floor screaming and kicking because he just didn't want to be restrained and have someone look in his eyes. I told the woman about his left eye turning in so far he looks like he's staring at the side of his nose! Told her people have suggested it might be a sensory thing he does - which she rubbished. Also told me his eye would be turning outwards if anything! I know which way his bloody eye was pointing! GGGRRRRR!
So, back in 3 months for a repeat of the same. When will they give up? Don't they know kids with autism can't be bribed with chocolate or a sticker or even the promise of a small toy? They don't work off praise and clapping and "Good Boy!" Dexter just wanted that woman to get the f**k out of his face and leave him alone - to lick the dirty bin lid!