No More Back To School Jitters - Tummy Aches That Is

How many trips to the school nurse does one child have to make before the mommy arrives to take him home? Are his daily visits really because he has a tummy ache? Or are they because my puzzle boy has begun a new school year full of change?

Caleb loves school, and is happy to get up and head out the door each morning. Until 9:30am when he decides his tummy aches and he needs to go home. Another question in the Caleb puzzle. What makes his tummy ache, what is giving him the back to school jitters?

Could it be-

A New Teacher
The New students in his class
A New schedule as a 4th grader
A New classroom
The New text books

I am sure some of those are the reasons for his tummy aches (jitters). However, we also know our puzzle boy has begun to realize that he can't read and write like a 4th grader, that he doesn't always understand what is going on in his class room and that he can't play wall ball like the rest of the kids.

So, when my phone rang letting me know Caleb had arrived for his second visit that day to the nurse, I asked to speak with him, as I heard my sweet puzzle boys voice I could hear the mommy I need you tone without the words. So, off to the school I went to check on Caleb and his tummy ache (jitters). There sat my puzzle boy with his pile of early reader books while all around him they were reading novels. Was Caleb feeling awkward over his pile of books?
Was Caleb tired of looking at picture after picture?

So, what was the mom to do? Do I take him home, do I leave him, do I stay with him? Oh, the MOM journey is so difficult at times.

Caleb has an IEP (individualized education plan) but it takes a few weeks into the school year to get the schedule of his learning lab time going. So, there he sits as if I dropped him off in a foreign speaking class and he only speaks English. Does he sit there day dreaming of being home riding his 2 wheel bike, playing video games, eating fishy crackers and being with mom.

Yes, I took him home and even the next day decided he needed a day off from his tummy aches (jitters). Call me a bad, give in, wimpy mom but I could not stand the thought of my puzzle boy sitting one more day with the tummy aches (jitters). Then the call from the school came - they were holding a math group and wanted Caleb to join them at 1:00pm. Caleb was happy to get ready and head to Math group back to his familiar territory in the learning lab, back to a teacher he knows, a room he feels safe in, students he relates to and a no tummy ache zone for Caleb.

This week we are tummy ache free as we are back into a routine of his familiar territory the learning lab.

If you ask me "MOM knows best" and if a day off to rid the tummy aches (jitters) is what cures the tummy aches (jitters) then go ahead be the bad, give in, wimpy mom. Because, I will give you the mom of the year award.

My Definition of a Puzzle Child: A child with learning disabilities that has no explanation or medical diagnosis.