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struggling with special needs children

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member
Does anyone else have children with special needs.I am struggling with mine.My youngest cant use a toilet when their at the age they should be.I am getting tired of changing them,does that make me a bad parent?The constant hyperepisodes are taking their strain especially that i am going through other personal stuff in my life
1,006 Replies 1,006

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi Hanna I am sorry you are feeling ill and hope you get better soon.The graduation was last night and it was a huge success and the kids all enjoyed themselves.I helped set up the hall from 9am to 2pm and just had enough time to have a little rest before heading back to the hall at 5pm.Sixteen of the 17 graduation attended and got bag with book and koala that you got sighed by all your classmates and teachers and some parents.They even put on a little performance for us.My son was one of the original ones from prep with 4 all up who did prep to year 6 at that school.I noticed their was only 8 year 12 students at the high school.Numbers certainly get down as the years go by.I helped pack up and put the chairs and tables all away and I was the only person who new where they all went.My son was getting tired and cranky so I took home.

Hanna3
Community Member

Hi Mark

 

That's great news that the ceremony all went well and you must have been busy!  It sounds like a long day for you but satisfying.  Did you son enjoy himself - it sounds like he did.

 

That's a very small number of kids in the high school - are people not moving to live in that area Mark - I mean young people with families.  This area here seems to be filling up with older people, it's become a big retirement area but that's not really good - where I lived before there were more young families - young couples with young children and plenty of teenagers.  It's not good to have too much of just one agegroup I think - it's good to have a mix of young, middle aged and older.

 

I have been doing some house cleaning pending an inspection in a week  it's best to do things a bit at a time in this muggy climate.  I'm going out now but will check back in later on - and I hope you get some much needed rest today after all that!

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi Hanna the area put here is getting a lot of new people.My sons school had 12 new students in the last month and the high school said they to had a lot of new enrolments to.My sons class will be over 50 student next year which is a lot more then when my daughter started high school.A lot drop out and get jobs a n d work on the farm before they finish school.It was extra low this year.My daughter had 16 on her year 12 class 3 years ago.

It is trying to rain here but only a bit of drizzly rain.Storms are forecast for tomorrow.

My son enjoyed th a graduation and it was very fun with games  efore dinner.

Hanna3
Community Member

Hi Mark, it sounds like you have a younger population there than here.  Here has turned into a big retirement area.  It's nice that all those kids are going to the local schools.  I guess the ones that drop out can pick fruit for a time to earn money and go on to something else later - I have heard that orchardists are desperate for fruit pickers as it's hard work for not a huge amount of money. 

 

There was some sort of motorcycle rally here today, I saw a big group in another street in front of the RSL - from a distance they had some impressive bikes - but when I got back to the car to go down and look they had all gone.  I think they must have been having a coffee break and had moved on.  A shame as I would have liked to see the bikes!

Not much happening here it's been drizzling rain all day so a bit dreary, although any rain is needed.  I think it's getting hot after today though.

 

Where I lived before I had a couple of friends who were high school teachers - they said the private schools were poaching teachers from the public system as they could offer higher pay.  One of my friends there was a high school English teacher - she told me how she had a new class of 15 year olds - she asked them to write about a page about themselves - this was so she could look at their writing and spelling, and get to know something about the kids in her new class.  She said when they handed it in, half the class had only written their name at the top of the page and had written nothing at all.

 

She said these kids were not interested in school and their parents weren't either.  As a teacher she found this very demoralising.  It does seem a shame the kids didn't make some attempt at writing something for her - she is a delightful person and was trying to be a good teacher.  

 

I am going to watch a movie tonight - it's a dreary evening here and it's nice to stay home and relax.  I hope you all have a good evening there Mark!

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

I also learnt that my daughters name is on the honour board.The principle came up to her at the graduation and said she saw her name on the honour board.We didn't know it was on it.

Hanna3
Community Member

Hi Mark, that's great about your daughter.  How do they get onto the Honours board - is it for a special achievement etc?

 

It's very hot and overcast muggy here - I have to go out soon - it's really unpleasant weather!  Not much news I'm afraid at this end - everyone is staying quiet due to the heat.  I think it's going to be a bad summer.

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi Hanna yes they get on the honour board for academic achievement. She was a straight A student most of her school life.She also got an award from the mayor when she was in primary school.

Hanna3
Community Member

Hi Mark, Wow what a great girl your daughter is!  You must be a very proud Dad!

 

It's terribly hot here.  I went to a local Op Shop and found a perfect copy of the TV series Long Way Round, abou two guys who travelled around the world by motorbike!  What a find!

 

I'm tossing up between getting a copy of Easy Rider or On Any Sunday - both meant to be great motorcycle movies - do you know these Mark and if so, which would you recommend?  Would love your opinion if you have seen these movies!

Matchy69
Blue Voices Member
Blue Voices Member

Hi Hanna my daughter was in a 3 way battle with another 2 girls to be Dux of the High school.She came third in the end.

Yes I do know those movies. The On any Sunday is like a documentary and covers motorcycle racing from dirt bike to hill climbs and road racing.It was directed by Bruce Brown who also directed the surfing movie The Endless summer.I enjoy watching it and enjoy the motorbikes as it was 1971.

East Rider is a couple of guys going travelling America on Harley's in 1969 and has unique filming style as well with an unexpected ending.I have both on DVD and enjoy watching both.Easy rider is more a movie but both enjoyable.

Hanna3
Community Member

Hi Mark, Wow you must be proud of your kids they are doing great!  It must help to have such a supportive Dad like you are - congratulations on your family Mark!

 

It sounds like I'll have to get both movies, they both sound good in different ways.  I recently discovered I enjoy watching baseball too and I've only seen one movie about that.  I don't have any friends who share my interests unfortunately - anyway thanks for that information, I'll definitely put them on my "to buy" list!  Looks like I'll have plenty of movies to watch over the Christmas and holiday season!

 

I'm just back from the library, I was printing out an article about this man's dog dying, it was so heartfelt and moving about his dog that I just had to keep a copy.  I miss Sam a lot and it's quieter now he isn't here to run around saying hi to the neighbours - everyone here knew him and now he's not here we don't seem to talk much anymore.  You wouln't think a small dog could be such a social networker but he was here!  I will look around in the New Year - but I still can't get used to how quiet it is without him.

 

I would have so preferred for him to be put down at home but there is a critical shortage of vets and none could take the extra time it took to travel to my home and then back again to their practice.  I still feel sad about how he had to be taken to the vet surgery, it wasn't what I wanted for him.  He was so sick and sedated I guess he didn't know really - I spoke to a friend about it and she said he knew I was there and I was with him when he was being euthanazed and that was the main thing.  Still it wasn't what I wanted for him - but maybe there is no way to make the memory of that any easier - this article was about how he had to take his dog to be put down and how he and his partner couldn't stop crying.  People don't let you talk about missing your dog, but he was my family and I miss him dreadfully Mark.  Thanks for listening!