Autism. New year at school.

Bright eyes began the new year at school this week. He is in year two and has a new teacher, who is also new to the school. He continues to have six hours of help from his aide, K, who is of course wonderful, and who tells me that the teacher is also going to be great.

I'm not sure how he's coping in the table arrangements – he's sitting next to one boy, but opposite two little girls. Currently he hates girls. With a passion. He is inventing different ways to kill, attack and generally get rid of girls from the world as we know it almost every day.

however, he does like boys and he's really keen to have friends and play with people, which is nice. I even had him tell me that he played soccer with his classmates during lunch this week. Two things are of note here – firstly last year he refused to play on the field, and secondly he could never play soccer with anyone else because he always had to have the ball. Apparently, he played goalie and had a good time. I can't vouch for his prowess…

We are still on stages 5 of his RDI program and are currently working on helping him to be more present in conversation. He will often walk away during a conversation, even though he is listening, because he doesn't understand that it's important to look at someone when you are speaking or when they are speaking.

I have been beeping at him when he walks away or looks past meand it has been very effective in getting his attention again.

The challenge for me this year will be moving him up in a Sunday school class – he has been tolerating the class for small kiddies but now will need to up his game and head out with the big ones. We will see what happens.