[tri-med] US Alex update

Well........time for a bit of an update on Us Alex.
We have the GOOD, the BAD and the UGLY. 

The good:
For my birthday Alex went out and bought me one dozen red Roses.  :0)  Talk 
about surprised!
Jim was too. Alex had asked him about what to buy me as he wanted to do it all 
on his own this year. The two of them went to the grocery store floral area and 
apparently discussed and looked at options. They decided on a 3 Rose package. 
But when Alex went back 2 days later to make the purchase (you can't buy THAT 
gift too far ahead!) they were out of those so he had to figure out what to do 
on his own. He was stuck on the red Roses idea and went for more money instead 
of finding another alternative that was more cost effective.
They were lovely (still are but prob only for another day or so) but I feel 
badly that he spent that kind of money.

The bad:
Molly had a friend over for the night on her birthday, someone who'd never 
spent the night before. While we were eating dinner Alex was just off the 
wall!!!!!!!! Jim finally leaned over and said something to him in his ear. 
Later Jim explained that teenaged boys act stupid around cute girls that they 
are trying to impress. However, Alex's social skills in this area are def 
lacking. 
It was another example of an area that has a wide gap between Alex and his 
peers. He just doesn't get what is appropriate and what isn't. 
It was a striking example of another deficit area in the total picture of Alex. 

The ugly:
Alex is currently taking Economics (which you MUST pass to graduate along with 
next semesters Government class). At the IEP in May I'd expressed concern about 
the general ed class and Alex's abilities. This is exactly the type of subject 
that Alex has difficulty understanding and relating to. His skills in areas 
outside his general knowledge area are mediocre at best, he just can't grasp 
the higher plane concepts and make any sense out of them or how they relate to 
each other. However, the staff had reasons why they thought the gen ed class 
would be ok and Jim/I finally went along with the plan.

Well, first marking period he was doing ok and had a low B. Until he totally 
dropped the ball with a group assigned a group project. He finally had to do it 
on his own, here at home with me helping ALOT. Because it was turned in late he 
lost 1/3 of the point off the top. He passed with a C- in the class. 

This marking period he's had an E pretty much all along. There haven't been any 
assignments and a lot of quizzes and tests (Alex never has, nor will he ever 
test well even if we study for 2 hrs per night and drill, do flash cards, make 
mock tests etc--he doesn't do much better than a D or MAYBE  C). Then, during 
the last test, which he had to finish in the library with another student, he 
asked the other student how to do a math problem. He was turned in for 
cheating. 
The teacher talked to his case load teacher. Who sent Alex to talk with the 
Econ teacher. 

He told Alex that he could have him failed for the entire course for cheating 
on the 1 question but wasn't going to do that. That if Alex worked his butt off 
the rest of the marking period he MAY give him a passing grade. That he was 
going to talk with the basketball coach about Alex not helping the team out 
right now as he needs to concentrate on his school work more. 
This I learned last night from Alex. 

So today I need to call teachers.  

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. 
I'm worried as well. Not graduating in June will be a nightmare in different 
areas, the biggest of which would be embarrassment, esp with his peers, by 
Alex. 

It could be a pain if all my work as a member of the steering committee for 
Project Graduation will be done and my child isn't participating....which would 
break my heart for him, as I'm sure his would break as well.

We'll see what happens.

Michelle mom to Alex (18, partial trisomy 14 mosaic) and Molly (14)
MichiganUSA
                  Building ___ooOOoo__ Rainbows
                       www.trisomyonline.org
                  Families Helping Families On-line

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