Switching Hats

Once the kids were diagnosed, I had to take some additional training, so I would know how to deal with their special needs.  At home, I feel I play several roles.  I switch hats!  Sometimes, I am a their teacher and sometimes I am their therapist, but I am ALWAYS their mom.  It was hard to bounce back n forth between the roles in the beginning, but I have now finally found my rhythm.  If all else fails, then I will separate the roles so they know clearly that I am Mom.  For example, I try to teach them at home, but if they are not willing to cooperate with my teaching method, then I will find a private tutor for that subject for a time.  Each of my children, they are different in their learning.  I can say that one child, he will sit down with me and is willing to be taught.  He is my work book kind of kid.  He would be very easy to home school, but since I feel he needs socialization I send him to school.  I am very selective about school placement.  I wish I could say all my kids are willing to be taught at home, but that is not the case.  I have one kid particular that will not work for me no matter what I try.  He is best taught at the school.  In his mind, I am not the teacher.  I stopped fighting that years ago and accepted it.  In the long run, I would rather be Mom anyway to him.....being Mom is much more fun!  Teachers can't hug these days.  I can.  Teachers are stuck with conventional methods and I am not.  I can teach even when they don't realize I am doing so.  We can take field trips whenever we want or go outside the "box".  I am finding my role as mother much more fulfilling.