Hate, hate HATE first day of school

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Managed to get DS off safely and without meltdown, and then had to deal with DH and what felt like 1,000 other parents and administrators at the "first day coffee."

I do pretty well with social skills on a good day, but these noisy, chatty, outdoor gatherings on the playground leave me feeling panicky. I've spent the whole day trying not to wring my hands.

(An aside - I recently realized I have consciously been suppressing hand-flapping for most of my life. After this discovery, I decided to go to it and flap away and all that happened was my wrists hurt and I didn't feel any better. Interesting.)

My first day of school was canceled because of some imaginary hurricane. I know I'm taking the world by storm and all, but I never said to cancel school.

Thanks - DS did OK; apparently he had a tough recess, but it's only the first day and it's not a new issue (tough in that he spent it alone, not that anybody bothered him.) I think I was more freaked-out than he was. Plus he has a brand-new lego set waiting for him to assemble after homework. Teacher assignments seem like they're going to work out.

Mindslave, my brother who's on the coast, apparently spent the night sleeping in his closet, and the garden in front of his building was destroyed. I guess everything's going to be upside-down (in some cases literally) for a while. I'm guessing they'll get the schools up and running quickly, though!

LOL - Thanks, DW - I could, if DH weren't the PTA president and I weren't heavily involved otherwise...we in part organized the stupid coffee. I love how friends react when I explain that my son probably got AS from me: "YOU? - Nooo! There's nothing wrong with you!" They don't know I'm in bed with the pillows over my head for a good chunk of the remainder of the day.

Ordinarily, I love being involved and finding jobs to do at the school but I do always hate party kinds of things. I've learned that my intense discomfort with social situations is in itself a handicap; I can either let the pain control what I do, or I can get through it, just like someone with a physical handicap. I try to weigh the consequences and split the difference: sometimes there's a payoff for being in extreme social discomfort. Sometimes, even if there's a payoff, it's overwhelming. (I do avoid situations where there's no payoff - I almost never do the exclusively social group stuff, like the women's fashion/tupperware/whatever parties. )

It helps to have somewhere to grouse about it.

Lol I don't think I knew your DH was pres. Hey, good for him! Does he like it? The last guy I knew in the job couldn't WAIT to get out of it, and go back to the drink-a-beer-while-planning-a-fundraiser father's club.

You've learned to be a good actress, eh? That is how I started to see the times I had to be outgoing: put on the character and make a good act!

I was super duper involved in the PTA for seven years, raising probably half of the budget (and ours is big), but this year I'm taking a break. Maybe help out on an event day or two, but that is going to be about it. Just really really really need the break. And, well, my kids are in different spaces right now, so I can't help them by just being there and being known like I used to.

Thanks, I definitely scored in the husband department...but the poor guy is probably just as much on the spectrum as I, possibly more so - so he's dying to have done with the job, but fortunately it's year two of a two-year sentence. Having us both heavily involved at the school seems to be helpful to my son right now, plus we both have this crazy put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is thing about involvement. Neither of us has your particular skill, but we seem to be able to do the other stuff.

And this will give you a giggle: both of us have degrees in theater - DH has two, and we both had reasonable semi-pro stage careers waaay back in ancient history. It is definitely a skill that is helpful for someone on the spectrum, and I highly recommend taking acting classes for anyone who struggles socially. Nowadays, I realize that many, many actors are quite clearly on the spectrum and many of those "celebrity outbursts" that the tabloids are so fond of are probably meltdowns.

Hi Mom-

I consider myself a pretty sociable person, but ever since my son was born and I have to attend different things with other parents, the thought of some of these things just makes me cringe. I don't know what it is. I know I don't have AS cause I am very comfortable in most social situations and pretty outgoing. It is just these parent type gatherings that I would just rather not be a part of. I can't put my finger on what it is that bothers me, but they do. So I can feel your pain. Maybe when your committment with the school ends, you can just skip these things........