And it all comes tumbling down....

I knew things were going too well, that I was finally finding my feet and things were flowing smoothly. I finally got paid last month (after working for 3 months with no pay....) and James has been well throughout the term so far, so I am getting used to having more of the day to do things with Bea. We have regular respite coming in (funded until this month by our friends' donations, but now finally we've got our first payment through Direct Payments we can buy in more help) and we have a fantastic holiday coming up at The Thomas Centre. I'm actually starting to enjoy my job, and am really enjoying teaching the Imperial College medical students. James has settled well at school, the childminders and after school club, and Bea has settled at nursery well.

And then the bombshell............

At the moment, the children go to a childminder one day a week. There are actually two childminders working together, so there is always an extra pair of hands and extra support. This is essential when working with James if there are lots of other children around, as he does get a wee bit wild. So when we were chosing childcare this was really high on my list of priorities. Luckily the pair we found also had a lot of experience with children with disabilities. It felt like a huge weight off my shoulders when I rang and heard about their experience and set up. Unfortunately, they are not working together after Easter, and this is going to mean James can't be dropped off there - the bus drops him at 330 and there is another school pick up happening then. As he goes to and from school on council organised transport there is no other way of getting him to the childminder a bit later. So I'm back to the drawing board.

It's rather ironic, as I am on the steering group for Harrow's "Aiming High for Disabled Children" initiative. This is a government driven programme, facilitating the provision of short breaks for children with disabilities and their parents. It includes provision of things like after school clubs and chilcare facilities. So I'm sitting on the group, trying to take things forward and improve facilities for other families whilst my own childcare arrangements are in tatters. How ironic.....

Breaking news!

It's been a difficult week here - James is at home every day as his school had been unable to recruit a new teacher for his classroom. I've gone from him being at playscheme 3 days a week or more, to him at home full time and was already feeling the burnout hitting me. To add to my woes, over the weekend I developed labyrinthitis/vestibular neuritis and have been confined to my bed - I can just about sit up to read things on the computer and was able to do a bit of knitting this afternoon, but I have mainly been sleeping. Luckily, my husband was able to work from home today and the children had their first settling in day with the childminder (in the hope that I'll be going to work soon - but that's a completely different thread).

Just after 5 o'clock I got a phone call from the Local Education Authority to inform me that the school have been able to recruit a teacher! Very last minute (there can't be that many teachers who are out of work in September!) but excellent news for everyone. There will be a three week induction period during which time the children won't be there, but at least he'll be at school before half term! I can't believe it - we were prepared for him to be off school until November or even all term so this is amazing.

I'm over the moon, although my emotions are a bit labile at the moment, and I'm suddenly thinking is my wee boy ready for big school already? How the last 5 years have flown by - to think that 5 years ago I was heavily pregnant, anticipating the arrival of our first born and planning my shopping! I had fallen hook, line and sinker for all the media pressure to have the best pram, the perfect cot, the cosiest floor rug and was buying into the "lifestyle" of being a parent. Had I known what I know now, I would have saved most of my pennies. If I were to do it all again, from scratch, I would buy about 3 things - a good quality sling, an Amby hammock and a supply of Tots Bots nappies and Weenotions wraps. Oh and a supply of yarn from Cafe Knit so I could knit up lots of lovely hand knitted garments. As we often say in medicine, the retrospectoscope is a wonderful invention....

Here I am five years on, two children under my belt and James is about to start school. OK, not the school we would have expected him to go to (my husband bought a copy of "The Good School's Guide" almost as soon as he was born) but then how many of us truly walk the path we'd planned throughout our lives? The most important thing is that it is right school for him, where he can make progress and thrive. I can only hope that this happens for him and for us.