Write Everything Down

My Saturday Suggestion is one that will help in countless situations.  You’ll be more organized, and you’ll have better command of the facts, rather than having to rely on your impressions. Write everything down.  Keep one big binder so everything is together.

Everything?

Everything! I am not kidding.  Each time you get a call from the school, write down who called and what you covered. Take notes at every meeting. Write down the events that happened surrounding each meltdown, aggression or instance of self-injurious behavior. Note sleep disturbances. Keep track of toileting accidents. Take notes at doctor’s appointments, keeping track of height and weight as well as any suggestions the doctor may have. Every time you change a medication or a dose, note that as well. I go so far as to graph the monthly data for behaviors we’re targeting for reduction so that I can tell if the interventions are working.

IEP Prep

I also write down ideas when I think of them.  What’s a skill that might come in handy? Ask the school to include it in the next IEP so you’re not shouldering the entire burden on your own. Suggest any ideas ahead of time – not at the meeting itself.  That gives the staff time to run it through their supervision channels on their own instead of putting them on the spot at the meeting.

Overkill?

I know this sounds nuts, but the more you make it a habit, the more likely you are to have the information you need at your fingertips when things get tricky.  And, let’s be honest, we know things will get tricky. So, the best thing we can do is to be prepared.