I’m Afraid your Daughter will Endanger Us

I absolutely loved my oldest daughter’s kindergarten teacher – I really felt like we were partners in helping my daughter.  But, not a day went by that I didn’t get a note, an email, or in the worst case scenario, a phone call.   I will never forget the day she told me she was worried my daughter would endanger her class.   When Olivia was in pre-K, her teachers seemed to be setting the stage for an ADD diagnosis.  But she was only three, and then only four, and…

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I Wish We Didn’t Have to Fight

Sometimes I wish we didn’t have to fight; fight for services, for inclusion, for equality. But I know that is not the case. We will always have to fight because my 4 year old, nonverbal son diagnosed with autism will never be fully accepted by everyone, and that makes me so incredibly sad.  I am reminded of this from time to time and every time it stings. This week I was reminded again how the neurotypical world doesn’t quite understand and accept my son. Franklin has been in an Early…

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Why do I have to be ‘That Mom’

Why is it so hard to get services for our kiddos?  Why do I feel that I am the only one who sees him?  The real him. The fun, silly and loving him.  Why do I have to annoy the school constantly….reminding them of who he is and how amazing he is? 4 weeks into school and every week (sometimes daily) it’s been something.  He is not mean or aggressive….he is autistic and preverbal.  He doesn’t understand what THEY want.  He can’t communicate what HE wants.  I’m saying what I…

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Thank You to the People who Love Kids Like Mine

I recently found out I had a challenging kid. Now I say that with a smile on my face and the love of a mother. I mean, I knew. Of course I knew. My son is nonverbal with severe autism. He is also a big kid. We’ve had our challenges. Our ups and downs. But I guess I didn’t know just how challenging he could be, and often is, every day. And I know why. Home is his safe space. We don’t challenge him at home like they do in…

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Is HE Going to be in our Class?

Today we had “Back to School Night” and I was nervous all week thinking about it. Every year when my oldest has a new teacher, I hope and pray that they are kind, understanding, and teach the other students about inclusion and things that make us different…and that its okay. We walked up to the list for 2nd grade, I ran my finger down the list to find his name, and we proceeded down the hall to her room. Max was making loud noises, he held my hand, he has…

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To my Son’s Teacher

Tomorrow my son will start in your classroom. It will be our first real time spent apart since he was born. I worry you won’t like him. I’m afraid he’ll be too much for you to handle. Everyone tells me this will be good for him…good for me. I hope you love him like your own.  Chances are, my little guy will have no idea I’ve even dropped him off because he lives in his own world. He will probably grab your hand and happily go with you because he…

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10 Things Special Ed Teachers and Staff want Parents to Know

As so many of us parents prepare to send our kids back to school, or even to school for the first time, I know emotions are running high. Especially if you have a child with additional needs. The fear is real. I asked the teachers, aides, and paras in my audience to tell me what they wanted parents to know. Here are ten of my favorites. Click HERE to read the rest. As a special education teacher, I say to my students and parents that I love them like my…

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The Other Side of the Table

I am no stranger to the IEP process that’s for sure. I just finished my 12th year as a special education teacher in a small town in the thumb of Michigan and I absolutely love my job. I’ve known I wanted to be a special education teacher since my junior year of high school and I pride myself in always trying my absolute best to put the students first and try to create great relationships with my students’ parents. I can’t tell you how many IEP meetings I have run…

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Teacher Gives Boy with Autism ‘Most Annoying’ Award

As a mom to a child with autism, I have many fears about the world we live in. I worry about children bullying him. I worry about his safety. I worry about him being targeted for emotional, physical or even emotional abuse. I worry about so many things. I’m his mom. That’s my job. But honestly, never have I worried about something like this story. A father is expressing disbelief this week after his fifth-grader, who is autistic, was given a trophy dubbing him the “most annoying male” for the…

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States Require Cameras in Special Education Classrooms

In February I shared a very disturbing story with you about a parent’s worst nightmare. You can read the full story HERE. Amber Pack, a West Virginia mother, sent her 8-year-old severely autistic daughter to class with a recording device after her child didn’t want to go back to school. What Amber heard on the recording was sickening. The tapes uncovered verbal, emotional, and possible physical abuse. Here are a few of the recordings. Instructor #1: “This one I could punch her right in her face.” A different instructor in the…

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