Hello all hope you are doing well, as far as the book is going we are getting some reviews come through now and the feedback has been great so far whether it has been in person or through online messages or reviews left on sites selling the book.

If you have read the previous posts you will see I already shared the Amazon UK screen shot of the beautiful comment and 5* review, W H Smiths as well has 5* review, fish pond a 5* review from someone from good reads that was something I saw today. There were some beautiful comments on LinkedIn.

One which said, “This is a touching and moving book. It`s very good. The author expresses her inner feelings in the face of family, family love, society and interpersonal relationships. One of the chapters in this book resonates with me deeply. It is a book worth recommending to everyone to read. Thanks for sharing”.

Another said,” I have read the beginning and first free chapters so far and I am enchanted”

I am so very thankful for any feedback. I try as I develop more as an author to be real whether I am tweeting, sharing on Instagram, writing posts or articles on LinkedIn or just sharing with family and friends on Facebook give a mixture of everything, the book is our journey through Christmas 2016 and things from our journey before, what I write and share on all of these sites is pretty much the same my book, because it needs to be out there and read, and shared our journey now in real time good and bad. But also amazing silly, fun times, at work at home, while relaxing. I simply can`t ask for a better life than I have because to me this is perfect I have my husband and kids and my family and amazing new friends.

We did have an issue as far as the days of her college and her attendance at her old specialist college, because at Nik`s yearly Ehcp meeting we had in march we all had to come to a compromise as far as Niki`s education this September. I had grave reservations about Niki moving and it not working out then ending up with no education and as a mum, having been through three school moves it is not something I was willing to completely get rid of something that has brought about given Niki a more stable educational environment. Which also helped with her and learning to deal with other things that caused her issues.

So I backed down and allowed the transfer back to a mainstream college which is what Niki wanted because they do the courses, but I also got to keep her at the old college for 2 days to continue with the work she did with other students as a class helper, for one day and pastoral support and help with her other college work she may need.

As you may already know when you have autism and anxiety it is important to know about changes well in advance this is why I have been getting things in place early but made a bit of a mistake about letting the school sort the technicalities out between the two. So at the end of summer term I was told it was sorted, so was expecting Niki to start back at her specialist college this week, Thursday I had to phone and delay Niki’s return by one day as she had to have medical test done, was a last minute cancellation of an appointment meant they could squeeze us in better to get it sorted than in middle of term time. When I phoned the school they hadn`t even set the two days up. For my kids these mistakes can cause a lot of negative thinking to return that is so hard to keep them focused on the positives.

You know losing placements when she was younger and being out of school trying to sort it out, going from one department to another was soul destroying for us all and so much time left out of education.

Imaging having to do it at 18 which is what Niki is now it will get dragged out till so that she is left out again with no chance of getting back in the system. That is why I fought hard to keep the 2 days at her old college because if things go downhill she has a stable school environment to fall back on.

I am just not prepared to gamble it on an off chance it will work.

My husband thankfully took over and sorted the school out today with confirmation that what was put in place to happen is in fact going to happen. It is really Funny how when a dad phones it gets taken more seriously. Then when a mum phones, Maybe it is because he has a no nonsense deep voice, and my voice is more whiny high pitched especially when things get changed last minute and I have all the anxiety come at me. It`s like they do these things an say hey I don’t have to deal with the consequences it`s OK.

Jake went back at 11 am on Thursday and he has had a great start too, like for most kids the first few weeks they are eased in gently, and it is one day at a time, my concerns are defiantly not over exaggerated increased and pressure can cause flare ups of their anxiety, all the tests and trying to negotiate class rules, understand social situations, read peoples body langue and facial expressions.

While having a lot of sensory input, and dealing with other things, it`s a lot for our kids to go through.

But now it is better for us when the children are in full time learning because the stability and routine helps to keep them making the progress they should be. It may take a little longer than it would without the difficulties but they are doing it and my husband and I are just so hugely proud of them.

all my love and best wishes

Faye xx