The saying “Two Steps Forward, One Step Back” is a lot more fun on the Forward days.   Sunday and Monday were the forward days.   Unfortunately Tuesday was a Step Back.  School changed semesters last week, and instead of having three days a week at one, known and understood job placement – J. now attends three different jobs, with very different environments and expectations.   Not only the days of the week are rearranged, as to when he attends class versus vocational settings -he’s being asked every day, all day long, to meet novel expectations.

For J., coping with stress means making nonfunctional vocalization, fidgeting in usually unacceptable ways like adjusting his “package” and gently slapping his leg almost as if the rhythm soothes him.   For some reason W. seems unaffected by the semester change, although his Tuesday wasn’t exactly a banner day either.   Stepping out in front of a car in the parking lot of a school trip to purchase items at the grocery store for cooking class doesn’t exactly impress the teachers.

To further complicate matters, tonight J. starts a special needs soccer class – totally Mom’s idea and interest, not his.  As a result the Wednesday after school and evening schedule will further change.  And, for three nights in a row, Tuesday -Wednesday – Thursday -family dinner will be at 7:30 or 8 pm, sometimes later.

And we skipped over Mom’s own minor little traumas, like my perpetual inability to set limits on my work load and work ‘friends,’ or constantly skipping over self care matters like my back strengthening exercises, and my humorous but not really need to top the Personal column of my voluminous daily To Do list by the word Hygiene (my code word for Take a Shower, Stupid) so that I actually get around to it.

The alarm just rang, so it’s time to rouse the sleeping husband and zip off to the usual Action Item litany where I stuff 10 pounds of living  into a 5-pound bag.   But as J. just shut off the alarm and started his routine, I’m chastened by the wisdom of Facebook – did I just type that? 🙂 – that after a day that’s a gigantic #FAIL, the best and ONLY thing to do is get some rest, and get back at it again.

Here’s to being back at it -and making today the first of those Two Steps Forward.