Hello All, I know it's been months since I posted, thanks for letting me come when I can. Wyatt just started spec ed pre-school on the 10th of Sept. He LOVES it at school! He is doing well in most every area, except for the coming and going part. Then we have meltdowns, but we can deal with that. The bus has another can of worms for me. We've been waiting for a bus for Wyatt, they needed to order a harness for him so he didn't play "hudini boy" and try to drive the bus!
My son also had to have the harness (we used it for 2 1/2 years) and I am grateful this year to be done with it. One of the transitioning things we had to do while we waited for the bus is to get a little binder and in it are laminated sheets with different pictures which were an activity for the day. On each side of the laminated page were two velcro stips with a picture and words in the middle. There was also a yahtzee chip with the other piece of velcro on it. So when the bus came my ds would have to take the yahtzee chip from one side and move it to the other to let him know it was time to transition onto the bus. Another option is trying to get both of your kids on the same bus. We are in Washington two and I know only certain schools have the preschool program and other programs. One thing I would ask is about putting them on the bus together and allowing them to be in the same school. It might help to have his brother with him. (This is something we are doing when my youngest enters the program in Feb.) Another thing is calling transportation and making sure they didn't change your run time for the bus. We have had that happen twice this year already. You have a right to know if they change it and when they are going to pick your child up or drop him off so I would get a definte set time. Good luck it does get better.
Just an update, we've found something that helps! First off, we are not going out as early, now that I know the bus schedule. My MIL got a little tykes desk for the boys that has an opening to keep stuff in it. I keep some of his favorite books in it. Every school morning, I take the desk out to the driveway gate and he reads books happily until his bus arrives. One challenge down, 400 to go!They've worked wonders in helping him be as excited about going to school as he is about being at school, and the teachers report his transitions to the bus for home have become much easier as well.
Once he gets indoors at home, he does need time/space to either meltdown or stim, but that's to be expected...he's been on his best behavior at school and he's finally home safe where he can vent
A social story might help, too. Here's my collection of bus-related social stories. You might find something suitable to personalize.
www.maapservices.org/Maap_Archive_Articles/SocialChallenges. pdf - a different bus (ca. page 56)
http://www.autism-india.org/dec99.html - bus
http://judyanddavid.com/cha/strategies/socstory.html - school bus
http://www.oreilly.com/medical/autism/news/social_skills.htm l - James is a good bus rider.
http://www.focus-ga.org/newsletter_2005.htm - being a good bus rider.
http://www.frsd.k12.nj.us/autistic/Social%20Stories/Pages/i_ take_the_bus_to_school_almost_.htm - bus evacuation drill
Social Story to School and to Home
http://attainmentcompany.com/pdfs/bookSamples/SSS_Sample.pdf - short pre-made self-talk story (social story) and self-monitoring checklist, plus room for personal additions. Subjects covered include waiting for the bus and riding the bus.
http://www.ceo.woll.catholic.edu.au/home/jdavies/autism/soci al/assets/bus.pdf - riding the school bus.