Ri Da BUS!

School starts in less than a month. While we aren’t sure how much Little Bug understands about this concept, we do know that it makes him incredibly anxious. His flapping has increased one percent; if his arms were actually wings, we would never see him again. He whirls like a dervish- a tiny, sharky, vocalizing dervish. He has also begun to get aggressive again- verbally and physically.

His anxiety feeds mine. I can see him struggle and yet can’t cross the gap to understand and help process the anxiety. I have begun to make a list of things I need to do in my mind- write a letter to the teacher, get chewie rope, get fidgets for the bus, stock up on diapers for school, get a hold of the transportation department, make school pictures for his picture schedule, start How is your engine running, make a weighted vest, make a lycra tube, etc.

Even though the school is only 6 blocks from our house, Little Bug will be riding the bus. Because of his mad Houdini skills- he can unbuckle his five point harness and get wedged between the seats while the car is going 60 mph on the freeway, he has been sentenced to wear a reverse safety harness. I want it now so that we can get him used to it. Unfortunately, we haven’t had any luck in getting a hold of someone.

It is amazing how the stars line up sometimes and suddenly- kismet. This morning, as I was reading a book about video modeling for children with ASD (more on that later), a woman sat down on the bus and introduced herself. It turns out that she is the director of special education transportation for the Seattle School District.

We started talking about Little Bug, IEPs, and transportation and she offered to help me. She gave me a different phone number from what was listed for the SPEC ED director in Tacoma. Additionally, she is bringing Little Bug a squishy bus as a fidget- apparently on the first day of school in Seattle, all the little guys get one to make the bus ride better.

Its times like these that remind me that my family isn’t alone. That we aren’t the first people to do this and won’t be the last. That by being open, we can make connections and get the help we need. It reminds me to repay the kindness and be that resource for someone else.