Wait!!! He’s only starting 5th grade, right? Yeah, that’s what I thought when I learned at the end of last year that 5th grade at Aleck’s school is actually the beginning of middle school. This means he has a homeroom teacher and he will be switching rooms to go from subject to subject. I’m sooooo not ready for this. When I think of middle school I think of the all the hormones raging, the beginning of crushes and hiding Playboy magazines under a bed, I think of changing bodies and new smells, friend cliques and finding your place in the lunchroom. And that all may be coming, but thankfully I’m not the one who has to be ready for middle school, that’s all on Aleck.
Last year he spent the end of his year practicing how to maneuver through crowded hallways. His occupational therapist at school secured a small cart on wheels, like the one you would use for art supplies or to store tea and coffee in your kitchen. It has three levels and he spray painted it red, his signature color, which was also an OT exercise in itself. During passing periods he would go to the middle school hallways and test out pushing his cart in a crowd, loading his books in and out of his cart. Considering those weren’t his actual classmates he was passing, he did really well. His OT also worked with him to find a combination lock that would work with his limited movements. Due to the lack of dexterity, strength, and mobility in his fingers, hands, wrists, and arms, he can’t put the lock on or take it off by himself, but at least he can lock and unlock it, not having to depend on someone else to remember his code.
As I write this I’m now panicking that he doesn’t remember his code from last year, the end of 4th grade seems like a lifetime ago and it also feels like yesterday, this summer flew by way too quickly. At first we were in a panic, trying to get coverage for Aleck while Craig’s been working as a leasing agent and I was getting through the busiest month I’ve ever had since I started building my photography business. Typically, Chicago Park District camps start right as school ends, but this year there were almost three weeks before camp started which seemed out of control and ridiculous to me at the time. Then I learned about the lifeguard shortages for the pools and when we heard that Aleck’s camp was able to secure enough lifeguards for the start of camp, July 5th, it all clicked into place and I understood why the delay in camp this year. Luckily, a CPD facility not far from us was providing day camp services, basically babysitting with some activities sprinkled in, and between that and my parents, we were able to keep Aleck relatively occupied until the start of camp.
I also took some time to plan a day with Aleck each week for us to play and enjoy the summer together. As CPD camp ended Aleck went back to Camp Simcha, the special needs camp sponsored by Chai Lifeline, and flew home on the first day of school. Before camp even began, I couldn’t shake the feeling that time was flying and with this uprising middle schooler in my midst, who knows how many more times he’d want to spend a summer day just hanging with his mom, going to the dog beach, eating croissants, and playing miniature golf. There is definitely strong energy that threw panic into my guts when I found out that I no longer have an elementary school child sitting in the back seat of my car.
Aleck got home from Camp Simcha Monday evening, his plane was delayed by almost 6 hours, most of which the boys spent sitting on an airplane in the middle of a thunderstorm. He had another excellent summer, and as I unpacked his suitcase he took stock of everything he had brought home that reminded him of all the fun; the candle he made with his counselor, the mezuzah that needs a scroll, the Israeli Defense Force style camp t-shirt they wore on the day he got to fire a gun and participate in other basic training style exercises. And despite my total shock at seeing my 10-year-old holding a rifle, I was thrilled by the confidence he had when proclaiming that it was the best activity they did at camp. His aim was pretty good. Other highlights included a trip to a waterpark, competing in an Iron Chef-style cooking competition, working with Lego’s and robotics, and took another ride in a helicopter.
Chicago Park District was also another huge success this summer. He was back at River Park, walking distance from our apartment even with a dog and a wheelchair to maneuver every morning. Luckily, despite all the exhausting waitlists for camp this summer, a bunch of his friends were at River Park with him so we all had familiar faces to greet every morning and afternoon. It’s so fun to watch all the families in our neighborhood walking the kids to camp together, it makes a big city like Chicago feel like small-town America. Thankfully, they were able to secure an aide and he was an excellent addition to the summer. Aleck’s aide worked as a Special Education Classroom Assistant, SECA, at Chicago Public Schools so he had tons of experience on how to best integrate Aleck into the program. Which, it turns out, was teaching Aleck and a group of friends how to play a do-it-yourself version of Dungeons & Dragons. Definitely going to have to schedule some D&D group playdates for the fall.
However, Aleck didn’t just bring candles, mezuzahs, and memories home from camp, he also brought home a summer cold. And after two days of YouTubing his eyeballs out on the couch, chugging chicken soup from JB Deli, today he finally joined his class in their back-to-school commotion. This year is going to be a big change for all of us in Aleck’s education. Exhausted from remote learning, I told Aleck at the beginning of 4th grade that school work and staying on top of his studies was up to him, and I’d only get involved if I heard from a teacher, which meant he was in serious trouble. Turned out I barely had to move a finger to keep Aleck at the top of his class for 4th grade and he brought home very little homework. This year might not be as easy of a ride for the parents, but as always, we are ready for whatever challenges lie ahead. Good luck little buddy, you got this as always.