Going Bananas!

Has Anybody heard about the latest warning signs signaling mental health problems in mothers of young children?

Rumor has it that mothers who wear pyjamas at 8.55am In the morning could be suffering from an undiagnosed mental health condition. Sound crazy? Well the author of this blog does happen to be a loony pyjama wearing momma. So what do you expect?

As a child growing up I was told to never judge, Not to make assumptions about another, No matter what the circumstances. With this I become a firm believer of the saying never judge a book by its cover. So it’s sad that once an adult I discovered that those who are considered to be trusted professionals did not follow this rule. I’m not talking about the unwanted stares and rude comments made during our Autistic childs latest meltdown which always leads to the assumption that your child is nothing but a screaming, argumentative, stubborn brat. Even though yes that’s simultaneously just as annoying.

No I’m talking about a professional, one whom you trust is making extreme assumptions based on your appearance at almost 9 am in the morning. Let me explain as I’m guessing this crazy woman isn’t making much sense. As a Mental Mother of three young children, Ok two at the time! One who has Aspergers and displays a lack of interest in both sleep and school. Why in Gods name would I need to worry about the dress code I have chosen to display when opening my front door to The Educational professional who has finally agreed to pick little man and his sister up for school for a few weeks before the end of spring term? Has the country gone barking mad? Yes I answered my front door at 8.55 am in my pyjamas. I’m guilty what can I say.

Does this action give you the right to question my mental state of mind? Did I answer my front door in the nude with a bottle of jacks D in one hand and a Benson&hedges in the other? No I did not. So what the hell is the problem. Can’t you put pen to paper and come up with something constructive, Like how best to keep my son in school. After all it’s took a long time and effect on my part to build up some kind of routine and get him to come in at all. I’m sure some fantastic rewarding ideas may come to light if only more time was spent on him instead of these crazy judgemental assumptions so unsparingly given about his mother. My son started school back in 2005 and since this time I have raised concerns in relation to a number of issues one being little mans reluctance to sleep of a night and another being his refusal to get ready and go to school. Still being assessed at the time and not yet on Melatonin  I was having a pretty crap time of it. Please remember Little man’s awake then it’s pretty likely that mum is too. Lack of sleep if any resulted in my looks having to take a back seat at least for a bit. People I’m not saying I was so tired I stopped washing!

NO I’m just pointing out that having dragged Little mans butt out of his Pitt ( Which isn’t easy given his only been in it a meer few hours) Then chasing him all over the house and then pinning him down to dress him, Only to be successful but once your back is turned his back down to his undies and you do the WHOLE  thing again. Yes chasing, pinning and dressing often occurred three sometimes four times before a true result was made ( Thank God we are passed that Now ) This was more than a little time-consuming and extremely tiring I must add. So given this can you see why I may not find time to get myself sorted? Is it actually wrong or selfish that given the fact my child had kept me wake half if not all the night that I may be considering heading for my bed to recharge my batteries ready for the night ahead once the coast was clear? Next time I will be sure to put my face on and dress up in my super mum costume. Yer Right O. Looking inside my Sons records did I expect to find notes and documents, Some addressed to members of the school and LEA? Maybe I did but I did not expect them to state concerns about my mental wellbeing because I wore Pyjamas.

However was I surprised that such assumptions could be made in relation to my Mental state? Absolutely not! Just as I was not surprised to see that mistakes were made. No it wasn’t the Senco that collected the children! That is just one of over 20 inaccuracies and a few other that are utter untruths. Each and everyone can be so easy to prove through letters, note and documents within the same record or those I have of my own. I also discovered that certain reports that had been written for other professionals within and outside of school refered to my childhood battle with OCD ( Obsessive compulsive disorder ) Which started at the tender age of 7 years. I do not see what bearing this information has in regards to my sons educational needs or diagnosis of Aspergers? It was only spoke of when family medical history was taken on a few of little mans assessments in relation to his diagnosis of Apergers. I had no reason to reframe from sharing such information with the professionals ( Not school ) involved in the care of my son. I’m not ashamed of my OCD just as I’m not ashamed of little mans autism I just don’t understand the reasons behind the schools choice to take the information from an assessment paper relating to little mans condition and then sharing it with others who in my opinion need not know or have no reason to know. I wish my sons diagnosis was so freely shared amongst the same people It May seem I’m somewhat angry, annoyed and upset as a result of the pyjama MADNESS.

I must be otherwise why the long post. I went through three stages… Anger, Upset, Laughter… By the time I wrote this I was pissing my pants. This was because it’s nothing but pure silly nonsense. How can I spend time worrying about this playground name calling. I have bigger worry in my life-like will my child receive the education best suited to his needs? Or how about will my daughter forever suffer as a result of her brothers Aspergers and the effect this has on both their school lives. Am I wrong or are these comments merely they’re to be hurtful or just because who ever wrote them lacked the ability to write something of intelligence. I don’t need to be a Psychologist, Doctor or a Mental Health practitioner to know that pyjamas are not a warrant for a diagnosis of any mental health condition but more suited to whoever wrote such a nasty comment in the first place. Hence the reason I decided to write this before firmly taking it on the chin! So I fault it would be irresponsibly of me to finish this post without having given readers a WARNING. Readers do you think you are safe behind the closed doors and the bricks that form your house when you are looking like something the cat dragged in? Don’t be hyping yourself up in the excitement of the prospect of settling down with a hot cuppa coffee and watching a little Jeremy Kyle! Hell No. Be getting yourself looking respectable as you don’t know who’s gonna come knock, knock, knocking on your door and be offended by them betty boo Jim Jams.