*sigh* this may take a while

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Both the weird one and the smallest have an asd diagnosis. Both present in totally different ways though. Love their oddities and the way their brains work, the weird one is doing so so well in maths, he seems to have finally found his thing. 

Not long until the new job, it will fly by.

And am jealous with you and your holiday planning. I am taking two kids up to Scotland in July, but we aren't going away as a family tbh the oldest two won't want to come anymore which would make it cheaper, but I just can't seem to prioritise any money towards it. 

DAL - Our youngest had an EHCP for his speech and sensory issues from age 4-6 until he met the criteria where he was meeting minimum requirements.  I was fine to let them discharge him, but senco have said he's a tricky case as he's a smart cookie and very sociable and doesn't fit into their typical boxes.  He has neat writing, loves lego (fine motor -tick) and is excellent at climbing and is a fast runner (gross motor - tick).  Who knows?  I think he's just a character and we're working with him Like you say, their little brains are fascinating.
It's fab that both your asd children have their niches  
I put aside a portion of my extra shifts towards holidays, in my head it justifies the effort I could really save some of it, but family holidays are the one time we all reconnect away from the normal busyness.  I will have to watch the spending money though as that can easily mount up with 7!

ohdearhowdidthathappen

CRANKY40 said:

About the non cycling kids......if they're on the spectrum they're probably hypermobile. If they are then the ligaments in their legs don't support the muscles properly so things like pedalling a bike need so much more effort from them. Mine never did learn - I bought him a go cart which he did manage to pedal. He had to give up playing football on a field because uneven ground means that muscles need to work hard to keep upright even before running and tactics are factored in. 

You can have them assessed by a physio and given exercises to help and insoles to correct their gait though without having to have them assessed for anything else. 

I'm not sure my DS is particularly (or not diagnosed), he just seems to find everything harder than the norm and takes longer to reach milestones.  He didn't when he was younger, more age 3+ (speech, doing no 2s in the loo, swimming, cycling, lace tying etc).

But when I was applying for his EHCP, I researched a lot... I was so naive before, my eldest 4 all flew through their stages and I was a bit perplexed with our youngest as I knew he was smart and had a lovely personality, he just wouldn't/couldn't talk much and didn't like loud noises and mess.

There's a lot of help and knowledge out there, but funding is being squeezed and I hadn't really seen that before until I tried to access resources.

savingholmes

My DD took until age 9 to ride a bike

ohdearhowdidthathappen

I've been feeling decidedly rough the last couple of days, I'll be in the bad books with work if I've got covid again as I have already had it 3 times and they are not keen on the absence.  Will do and LFT tomorrow as I'm at work Tuesday.

DD and DS have finished school in preparation for their exams so it'll be a fun month (not).

Feeling a bit tight money wise this month as I didn't do my extra private shift a couple of times due to family commitments, but should muddle through ok until pay day.

DC4 will be 10 this month and is keen to walk home on his own after school as hates the after school club on the days I work.  I always feel a twinge of guilt as I know he'd love it if I could pick him up every day.  But out of 10 weekly school runs, DH and I manage 7 (after school club 3 days) and I don't think that's bad.  DC5 LOVES after school club so hopefully that will continue! As my older 2 are off studying and then extended summer hols, I'm weighing up asking them to maybe pick him up (whoever is free) as it would cover until summer hols and then in September he'd be in year 6.  Or maybe I should be firm and get him to put up with it.

EssexHebridean

A compromise involving one of the older two picking him up one day, the other doing it a second day, and him agreeing to stick with the after school club for the third, perhaps? 

Fingers crossed you've not got Covid again - although realistically you'd likely have caught it at work I assume, so they can hardly complain if you have to be off with it! (Well, you'd think they couldn't anyway - I suspect the reality is different!) 

savingholmes

Does it matter if work complain given you are leaving anyway?

I trialled one day coming home alone with my DS before increasing. It depends on the child and the route.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

I did end up having covid again, ridiculous.  Felt the worst I have out of all the times, but was kind of just like a cold so it was fine.  Work were not happy, but as EH said, I probably got it from there anyway!  Patients are very slack at wearing masks, management do not have a strong stance on it and therefore shouldn't moan.
2 more colleagues have handed their notice in and are going to locum.  It's where the money is and morale is so low, the loyalty to the NHS has gone.

Yes, think we're going to do that, mix of siblings and after school club until summer hols.  In September, as long as we can make sure one of us (or an older sibling) is home when he gets back, it should be ok.

ohdearhowdidthathappen

Payday for DH today, thank goodness, our account was looking a tad poorly.  I get paid tomorrow and money looking good for the month.
My new job will be 3 days a week and I might do 1-2 locum shifts a month.  Firstly to main skills and registration as new role is less clinical, secondly the money is very good.  My aim is to save this money (if I do 2 shifts, will be about £1k a month before deductions), we're rubbish at saving, so hopefully this 'extra' money can be sciphoned off and we'll forget it's there!

savingholmes

Good stuff all round

Kittencat

Just wanted to say Hi. 

I left the NHS a year ago. I was offered a job with a private company and I will never go back to nhs.   They just push and push as much as they can.  I never thought I would go private and always protected the NHS but I now hear and see so many stories of failure. Sadly I don't thinknit will ever be the same. I feel more in control of my life and finances now. Also its very flexible. No more fighting for leave and questioned when I finish 5 min early but its fine when I leave 1 hr late every shift.   

Well done and enjoy!