The Po Show

Add to the list of what I'd do if we had more money...

Get some great social skills training for Matthew.

Yeowch! I found a great social skills class at the JCC in Scarsdale, two hours every Sunday, in which they do all kinds of cool activities like sports and computer stuff and music and art. Two hours a week, 10 weeks. All for $1,200.

Okay, no fricking way we could swing that.

I've been completely lame in finding some kind of group class for Matthew, who desperately needs it. My heart keeps breaking, watching him try to play with other kids, hearing his (incredibly infrequent) stories of attempting to play with other kids. He was sad today, I could tell, that Tessa was going to her second birthday party in two days (third for the school year). He's been invited to one classmate's birthday party, at the beginning of the school year, and if this year is like the others, it may be the last for the year. We were at Madison Square Park a few weeks ago, and Tessa immediately hooked up with a little girl. Matthew cheerfully observed "Tessa made a friend!" then his face fell and he asked "Why is it so hard for me to make friends?" It was the verbalization of what's he's been feeling for so long.

I've been horribly deficient in setting up playdates and all those things I'm supposed to do to help him foster social skills. Being socially phobic MYSELF these days, it's just too hard to approach moms, to make calls. He does have a new social skills pull out at school, but it's just him and one other boy, whom he doesn't particularly like.

So he needs outside help. I need to find outside help. I need to find him a therapist too. I need to consult someone about his anxiety and tantruming in the classroom, explore the possibility of meds.

I think it's going to have to wait till after the holidays, though that's probably just a delaying tactic on my part. My poor boy :(.