Settling In

Life Skills Communication Log from School:

18 Aug, Thursday
James had a good day. He worked well on academics and helped make a cinnamon toast.

19 Aug, Friday
James is becoming more affectionate with staff. He gives his "hi S's" and partial hugs! He had 5 instances of threatening, 4 instances of attempting to hit and two instances of throwing rocks in class. While we are trying to figure out James' behaviors, we do appreciate James for who he is.

22 Aug, Monday (Today)
James had a good day! He did not have any instances of aggression! James had 4 property destruction and 3 verbal threats. James did a lot of work today--he completed Math and English tasks, also cooking (Jello) and social play.

James's "threats" are typically negative phrases he perseverates on, usually when he is bored, frustrated, tired, or just wants to test. (Examples: "hit," "hit friends," "hit friends at school," "break it," and "squeeze kids.") These utterances can usually be redirected.

Overall, James is settling in at school, doing better. He is an affectionate kid once you get to know him. He talks to me about kids from school that the likes, albeit in in fragments without context or introduction. It gives me an opportunity to ask questions and draw out the answers. He makes detailed observations and knows a lot more than he can express--I'm encouraged every time I hear him try to reword a phrase or splice a new one together.

He's still doing fine at day care. No major incidences, even better behaved there than at school. Some of the older kids do get annoyed with him because he'll step over their blocks or knock down their setups, but it isn't deliberate. James just ignores them when they complain. They say he does play with some of the kids there. When I pick him up in the evenings he seems happy and relaxed.

As Ice Cube once said, "Today I didn't even have to use my A.K. I got to say it was a good day."