Tuesday, August 30th, and by far my least favorite day of the ENTIRE school year.

Today was picture day, or as I affectionately like to call it, A Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day!

No matter how you try and spin it, or set your expectations accordingly, it is a rough, exhausting, grumpy day. It starts off with emails from parents about their desires and hopes for this year to capture the perfect school picture. Followed by the parents who didn’t trust I would get their email in time so they’re waiting for me at drop off to give me their personal instructions. Seriously! What my internal (thank goodness my filter isn’t broken) voice is saying is “You’re child does not smile. Known your child for 3 years, never seen him smile!” or “You have never successfully had a good picture taken at Sears, why do you think I an going to be successful?!”

Here’s the ugly truth…most of my students are autistic. Anything out of the ordinary, out of their daily routine, stresses them out! Picture day is the colossal of stressful days. First, mom wants me to change their clothes before the picture is taken, “because she wouldn’t let me put on her new shirt this morning.” Great, thanks!

Next, we go into the auditorium where it is full of strange camera equipment, wires stretched out all over the place and big tall flashes. That’s ordinary and routine!

Lastly, they’re expected to pose and smile on command in front of a stranger, who is flashing lights at them. UGH! I deem it successful if they aren’t screaming, crying, and an actual picture is taken before they are running out of the shot. But the parents never agree with me. Hence, why picture day is my least favorite of all days the entire school year!

Oh, and I am still sick! Double shot of Niquil time for me! Good Night!!