I picked Julia up from school today and the first thing she told me was that she worked all day.  “Except for lunch.”  Yesterday, one of her aids told me that Julia was spending too much time folding paper which was distracting her.  She also voluntarily put away her iPad as soon as we turned into the IDS clinic parking lot.  This was a first for her.  I’ve asked her many times to be ready to get out of the car when it stops, and then usually I have to remind her a few more time.  Yesterday, I asked once, she didn’t move to put it away, and she lost it for the rest of the day.

Julia is still sleeping in my bed because I continue to try to help her heal the sores on her arm and to stop her from peeling the skin on her right foot.  She wears special fuzzy socks that are soft and that she likes a lot and gloves to help her remember not to scratch or peel.  But she forgets.  I lay down with her when she goes to bed to help her remember but so many nights she sneaks off her gloves and is scratching before I notice.  I warn her and sometimes threaten . . . the question is always what to threaten.  Three nights ago, I told her that if I caught her with her gloves off again, she would sleep in her own bed.  And so, two nights ago, when the gloves came off, I told her to go to her room.  She didn’t want to at first, but she recognizes my calm but determined tone now (very Love & Logic based).  She gathered up her dinosaurs -- Lizzy, Sally, two more, and Denby, the pillow pet dino -- and went into her room.  She put on her night lights and settled into bed.  I felt badly sending her out of my room, but ya’ know, I sent her to a bed with soft flannels sheets and a new flannel duvet cover on her down quilt.  Not so bad a punishment!  I worried about her scratching or peeling but she went right to sleep.

When the first alarm went off this morning, I went into her room and snuggled with her until the second alarm.  Then we got up and the day started well.

Last night, I asked Julia where she wanted to sleep and she chose my bed.  She had to bring all the dinos back into my bed.  I warned her about taking off her gloves and she turned over and went right to sleep.

For the moment, lesson learned.