Monday Meltdown

I wanted to take part in a 3 week class about Autism taught through Joey's school. It would be for 2 hours each day for 3 weeks (always on a Monday). The first Monday worked out well because Joey fell asleep before we reached Grandpa's house so he could watch him. Joey stayed asleep the whole time. On the second Monday, Joey wanted to stay with me and didn't want to be dropped off at Grandpa's so I missed that class. I thought I had the 3rd Monday all figured out. I would drop Joey off at speech therapy (a place where my Dad has picked him up) and my Dad would pick him up. Sound easy enough? Think again.

I called my Dad after dropping Joey off at speech and told him all the things he had with him and what my Dad needed to make sure he had when he left the clinic. I also told my Dad that if there were any problems to call me. I gave him an out.

My Dad was supposed to get Joey at 4:20. By 4:25, my phone was blowing up. My Dad had texted me and before I could finish reading it, he started calling me. I answered and said "I'm on my way" and hung up the phone. He then called back because he couldn't hear me. Unfortunately, I was in a library for the class and couldn't get out fast enough. He called back and I answered the phone as I was walking out the door. He said Joey wouldn't go with him and that I needed to come and get him.

Here's my frustration: It's not like I ask them to watch him so that I can get my nails done. I am taking a class to learn how to take care of my son better! What would he have done if I was in the hospital or far away?

When I got there, my Dad was sitting in his car, unable to see Joey from where he was parked, and Joey was on the deck at the clinic, standing in the rain. I think he got scared that I dropped him off but wasn't there to pick him up. My Dad said that he didn't want to pick him up and put him in the car because he was afraid that people would think he was kidnapping Joey, even though they knew he was coming to get him.

I personally think my Dad couldn't be bothered dealing with Joey's mood. What really pissed me off is that the therapist, Rosie, took Joey's toys because he wasn't cooperating for my Dad. Now I had to track her down with his entire Lego Cargo Collection!

I picked Joey up and once he saw me, he was fine. What my Dad didn't realize was that if the clinic saw Joey out on the deck by himself and couldn't see my Dad sitting in his car, they could have called CPS and had Joey taken away.

My Dad doesn't get Joey's PDD-NOS diagnosis. He doesn't believe in it. He thinks it's all my fault because I didn't discipline Joey enough when he was 2 and he tells me this everytime Joey is in the middle of a meltdown.

And they wonder why there is a disconnect between me and them.