Tourette's In School--A Nervous Mom's Thoughts

I've received a lot of messages over the past month about my post on Scary Mommy regarding my 8-year-old son's Tourette's diagnosis... Yesterday, I was  responding to someone and it hit me that the school year starts in five days. I mean, I knew that it was coming, but it really hit home that I'd have to have a sit-down chat with his new teacher and explain my son's tics. I've never done that before.

When he had his diagnosis, we were in the middle of the school year, and I was able to explain things piece-by-piece (as the information came to me) to his teacher. Having this discussion for the first time with a new teacher is, quite honestly, very daunting to me. 

I want my son to be accepted and understood. He's developed new tics over the summer, and once school (and the accompanying stress) starts up, I expect there to be some fluctuation and possibly new tics to deal with. My goal is to minimize these stresses for him in this transition to Grade 3, to let him know that he's loved. My worry, however, is his school environment. I trust the teachers' understanding, but patience and peer support is so important.

My husband and I spoke with our son yesterday, asking him if there's anything in particular that he'd like us to say to his teacher. He shrugged, shook his head, cleared his throat, and said "not really." He's so brave and strong, so friendly and outgoing. The logical part of my brain tells me that he'll do just fine, but my sensitive mom side just wants my baby to be safe and happy.

I've had a lot of support and reassurance that it will be fine, and I'm sure that it will. But I'm still worried.