Monday 14 January 2013

Improvements

The first week back at school has been, dare I say it, actually quite calm.  Missy hasn't been in a strop when she comes out, she has talked to me about her day and she has told me what she had for lunch.  Her teacher is now completing a Home School Diary so I can see what she had done during the day.  Colouring features a lot as does singing.

Missy's singing is, on the one hand, rather noisy in the car and always ends with "Was that a good song?" but on the other hand some of her words and phrasing are quite delighful and make us smile.  A new Adele in the making?  She'll make up songs about anything and everything, you name it, she'll sing it.

The mornings have also been fine, no tantrums about getting out of bed at all thus far.  She's even making her own bed - ok, I have to straighten it somewhat and if I dare move her teddies from where she puts them then I get a stern "Mummy!", but the fact she makes it is great in my book.

We've got a follow up appointment with the play therapist tomorrow and I think the main issues we want to talk about are still the constant attention-seeking, the food issue and maybe trying to help her with recognising facial expressions.  I was crying with laughter at something last week and she thought I was upset (thank God the animated film 'Up' was on after she'd gone to bed last night, I was sobbing buckets) and yesterday I was watching something on a music channel, concentrating but with a fairly neutral face, and she asked "What's the matter Mummy, why are you sad?".  I guess it must be harder for her to understand facial expressions considering her no doubt chaotic lifestyle pre foster care.

Daddy and I went to a local adopters coffee morning last Friday, where there were about 10 other adopters (all women much to Daddy's amusement).  It was lovely to be able to speak about our experiences and be completely understood by other parents, with lots of knowing nodding going on. There were a few toddlers there but many of the parents have also adopted older children (5 counts as older). The lady who organises it is very proactive and also arranges a Mum's night out (can't wait!), a Dad's curry and various other get-togethers.  The bizarre thing was that I only found out about it by chance, not because our social workers had given us any information previously which I found quite staggering.

A few other improving points of late - we played two games over the weekend; game 1 I won first time and Missy cried but second time when Daddy won, she didn't cry.  We also played snakes and ladders, I won and again she didn't have a strop.  Missy is also beginning to accept that she has tea by herself, whilst Daddy and I eat later, because she's already had a hot meal at lunch time.  I always sit with her and have a cuppa and talk to her but the fact I'm not eating with her is becoming less of an issue.  Small things for some, big in my book.

In other news, it's snowing and I have a night out this Friday, woohoo!!

 

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