Caleb’s last day of Behaven was today. He started attending this behavioral school in February. He went to his public school in the mornings. It put us in a bit of a financial strain for these past few months (our insurance doesn’t cover all of this and we make too much money to receive other assistance) but in the end, it was SO WORTH IT!

Caleb got intense training in social skills, following directions, and so many other important skills. He went from being a kid that did not respond to discipline to one that complies now. He used to act more impulsively (not stopping to think before attacking someone) and now he is able to use his words and coping skills instead of aggression.

Still, things aren’t perfect. We will always have to work on all of these things but now I’m more hopeful for the future and I have some good skills to use moving forward.

The small class sizes really encouraged me to look into homeschooling Caleb. He really thrives with more one-on-one attention and really isn’t getting the kind of help he needs in public school. There are major budget cuts (probably because I didn’t fill out some form) and there aren’t enough para-educator hours to meet his needs. When he doesn’t have a para at school, he is more likely to get into trouble and he also is more likely to be removed from the classroom because he’s disruptive. We’re doing a trial run this summer and I’m going to work with him on reading comprehension (along with Eva) on the weeks that they don’t have Academy of Rock. If he tolerates having me as a teacher, I think we will stick with it for the school year.

We’re glad it’s summer and that Caleb was able to do such a great job at Behaven! The staff there is top-notch and they always did everything they could to be a accommodating and friendly. If you have a young child that could benefit from their services, I’d totally recommend them!