Trauma Mama Daily Affirmation Day 3

I don't know of all my son's triggers, but those I do know about from past experience, I will be mindful of. 

 This weekend is Spring Ahead. Ugh.

When my son is struggling next week, I will keep reminding myself that he is reacting to the schedule change. His internal clock will be out of whack with the the clock we have to live by and he needs time to reset his brain.

I've already emailed the teacher to give her a heads up. The past two times there have been changes onto or off of DST, we've had a rough week in school. I forgot to alert her back in the fall. So I'm patting myself on the back for remembering to do so this time.

And then there's St. Patrick's Day. Last year while the kids were at lunch, a "leprechaun" came into their classroom and tossed chairs and desks around the room and scattered school supplies all over. T came unglued with that one. It looks to someone who doesn't know him like he's just wound up and overexcited, but it actually is huge fear roaring out of the base of his brain.

Unknown intruders into his comfortable space take him to new and scary places, further and further away from his family. This means he might not survive, which of course means at least a week long downward spiral until we can finally get the fear monster tucked back in.

I've asked this year's teacher what she plans to do this year. If any "leprechauns" are visiting his classroom, he's taking a mental health day.

I did find it amusing, in a "well, what were you expecting?" sort of way to be talking to the teacher last year while she was in the classroom with the kids after the lunchtime "leprechaun" visit. It was complete mayhem, and she kept having to put me on hold to yell at them to simmer down. I suspect most of them were re-regulated by the end of the day, but my trauma child struggled for a week. And I'm not sure when St. Patrick's Day changed from a day kids just wore something green to school to a holiday on par with Halloween and Christmas. One would think the less we disrupt the classroom with extra celebrations, the better for everyone.

We can drink green milk and wear green shirts here. Every time St. Patrick's Day comes up, he asks if we can drink green milk. That's all he wants out of it. So I will not subject him to surprise leprechauns again -- whether they are naughty or nice. That's like poking the bear with a stick, and we are not going there.

Daylight Saving Time and St. Patrick's Day. Lock those in my brain.


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