_"This is my back scratcher! Ms Barber got it for me because she has been scratching my back for three years and wanted a break!"

That pretty much sums it up. I have been planning on getting him a back scratcher for awhile now. Every time he is sitting at circle or sitting at his desk he requests that I scratch his back - a sensory feeling he seeks when he needs to be soothed during stressful time. And who doesn't love their back scratched? I could get away with being his personal back scratcher in kindergarten and even in first grade - but now that he is in 2nd grade I thought it was (finally) time to implement an independent and a self-soothing skill that he can take control over during the day.

He has taken to this in a way I knew he would. I painted it red for him, and he was quick to put 7 smiley face stickers on it first thing this morning, representing the 7 people in his life who help him out - his idea. The back scratcher has accompanied him to morning meeting, it has provided a break during a math test, it has walked with him down the hall (scratching the whole way), it sat next to him during lunch and it has provided quite a bit of conversation among his class and friends. The way he describes the feeling of it ('OMG - this feels SO good!") and the way he describes the reason he has it are priceless to hear.

Caron, 1:1 School Support