The Story of the Big Girl Bathroom

I'm not quite sure how it started, but last year my girl with Down's decided that she would no longer use the restroom in our classroom.  Maybe because it's because she knew one student hit the seat more than he hit the water or maybe because of the funky smell that never quite goes away, but for whatever reason she decided that she was only going to use the restroom at the other side of the school.  While in the classroom, I would ask her if she needed to use the bathroom, and she would always say no.  The minute we would leave the room for any reason, and sometimes this would be hours into the school day, she would frantically sign restroom and point into the direction of what has now been dubbed "The Big Girl Bathroom."  A staff member would accompany her to prevent any mischief and make sure she always washed her hands.

When my school is fully staffed, there is one teacher and two teacher's aides in every classroom.  This year the whole school is understaffed (does anyone need a job?), and my classroom only has one aide.  Over the summer, this student did not forget her love of the Big Girl Bathroom, and when she came back from break, she still refused to go in the classroom. Being short handed, one of us could not take her every time she needed, and because she did so well last year, I decided to allow her to go independently.  

The first day we tried out this independence, the poor girl never made it to the bathroom.  She left four times and each time a staff member would bring her back to my class (before she made it) because they thought she was wandering the hall without permission.  My aide made this sign, and the girl wore it proudly.

After awhile, the sign got torn up, and we decided that a hall pass would be a little more appropriate (there's that word again). She is still using it, and everyone in the school knows where she's supposed to be going and keeps an eye out for her.  So, when she signs restroom right in my face, I know to say, "Get your hall pass and go."

This probably doesn't seem like a big deal to most people, but in her world, this is huge. This particular student has always been placed with students who were higher functioning than herself, and I think this made her lose confidence in her abilities.  Last fall she was placed in Room 5 and became top dog.  It's so great to see her confidently walk down the hall showing her hall pass to her former classmates like it's a trophy, as if to say, "See, I CAN do something well."  

I know that she doesn't always have to go to the bathroom every time she asks. She also uses the restroom as a way to take a break from the frequent insanity of our room, when she's trying to avoid something, or when she wants to show something off to the whole school, like the Royal's baseball cap she swiped from the kid with autism or her new shoes with the pink hearts on them.  And to me, that's ok.  I can tolerate a little lollygagging for a "Big Girl" any day.

(I feel like I provide a lot of background information in my stories.  Please tell me if it's too much and I'm just rambling)