Moving On

We have decided to leave J-man's current program and start up at a new center.  This new place has a lot to offer in terms of being more in line with my kind of thinking when it comes to interventions for J-man.  They will still do some ABA, but they use a mixed model approach and so will taylor the programming for him.  It is awesome.  But... it is new.

Brand New.  As in J-man will be one of the first clients.  Yikes, talk about taking a leap into the unknown!

The program is very close to our home, which is a huge bonus.  Hopefully less 1 hour home commutes to/from therapy, and more time to be with J-man and Big Daddy.  They also want a lot of parent involvement, which is right up my alley.  Mommy likey!

It was bittersweet to give our notice to his current program today.  He has made such huge gains over this last year that I will admit to a certain amount of fear about this change.  I know they don't feel like he is ready for kindergarten...  that much is clear... and I don't know.  Maybe they are right.  But here is the thing...

J-man always rises to the occasion.  So can we deny him a chance to show us what he can do?  Because of our fear?

No.

Instead, we are moving forward.  He will attend his new program in the mornings and attend J&J preschool in the afternoon (his old preschool... they are amazing!!).  We will see how he does there, with the chaos of a room full of preschoolers.  And if he does okay, then onward to kindergarten.  If he struggles, Plan B.

But I am hopeful....

.... because today he rode a bike for the first time....

...  and danced with me to Elmo's World, twirling me around and telling me to 'dip' him.  And made faces with me in the mirror, first a mad face, then a happy face, then a surprised face.  And told me a story about a TV show he watches.  All I could make out of it was "the rust bucket is a motor home" .... which it is (Ben 10, people)... but he went on and although I couldn't understand him, I knew he was telling me a story.

I think he deserves a chance.