Posts Tagged ‘school’
The Isolation of Autism
There were a lot of things I did not know when my daughter was diagnosed with Autism, but what was most surprising to me was the isolation. I guess the easiest way to explain it is to remember how much you hated isolation during the pandemic. That was our everyday life. Isolation did not happen immediately. It was overtime and yet it seemed to happen overnight. We went from playdates to therapy and that set us apart. We were no longer carefree. We were thrust into a world neither of…
Read MoreMarriage With Autism
Marriage with autism. It’s hard, it’s beautiful, it’s an adventure. When you see another couple of a special needs child you ask them how they are, and most say “we are great.” You see beautiful pictures on Facebook, but that isn’t always the reality. I think it’s a topic that isn’t talked about often. Marriage is a challenge for any couple. You have two people living together who are opposites most of the time, so naturally they are going to argue. Throw a special needs child in the mix and…
Read MoreTo The New Mama at Therapy
To the new Mama, I met you today as I was taking Lexi to therapy. It was your son’s first day. I could tell right away that you were overwhelmed. Nervous about your son. Wondering how it went. Praying he didn’t have anxiety the whole time. Hoping you made the right decision. Your emotions overwhelmed me with compassion. I wanted to hug you…I DID hug you and later I apologized for invading your space. You told me briefly about your story. Your long road to diagnosis. How you waited so…
Read MoreMy Son is Many Things
He loves the wind in his hair and the thrill of the motion. His favourite phrase being, “Push me, I’m ready” as he stands between you and your favourite TV programme requesting your partnership. A task where “no” is not an option. And once the swing has been pushed and his legs continue the momentum, he notices as you slink away, once again announcing his right to your role in the task. Social skills are there, but they are on his agenda. Each night he reluctantly enters the land of…
Read MoreA Letter to My Autistic Son’s School Team
Dear Team, First and foremost thank you for being here. We want you to know that we are truly grateful for you. We are so excited for this school year. It’s going to sound weird but we have been praying for you and hoping for you. We used to want to control the situation of who Whitman had and what his school year was going to look like but we’ve started simply praying that God would put the right people in our life so Whitman could grow into his best…
Read MoreWhat Does Justice Look Like Here?
As an attorney, I often read about lawsuits wondering what the best outcome for both parties will be. What does justice look like here? I sat through what felt like a decade of law classes learning that not everything is what it seems. Learning to condense information to the most necessary facts and looking at both sides of a case. Now in my legal profession, I sit across my clients, digging deeper, finding out facts about who they are as a person. To highlight their personal struggles to formulate a…
Read MoreThe Things I Don’t Say
Our 5 yr old won an award at school. He goes to a public school and is in a special needs room. The school was having a breakfast today to celebrate the children for creativity and my husband and I were so excited to attend. It’s hard to go to the events at school because it’s confusing for him but we do our best and do lots of prep work. He first saw us and panicked….no no no. He was confused as to why we are at school. He thinks it’s…
Read MoreThank You to our “Graycare” Team
Fall is always a rough time of year for me emotionally and mentally. I know it, I prepare for it, gear up for it and let the chips fall where they may. This year fall has been exceptionally challenging because my son started kindergarten in a new school. His autism and anxiety demand routine. To say this transition has been hard is an understatement. Not to mention that only 6 weeks into the school year his new school has asked us to find a different placement for him (that’s a…
Read MoreYou haven’t Failed
It’s almost time for Parent-Teacher conferences. If you’re like me, when the teacher speaks about those areas that need improvement, it can feel as if you’re the one being assessed. I remember meeting with my oldest child’s kindergarten teacher several years ago. When she handed me the progress report, I immediately noticed one thing. Well, one letter – N. For Needs improvement. There it was beside Ties shoelaces independently. “I’m the one who needs improvement,” I thought. “I haven’t taught her how to tie her shoes! I’ve failed her.” It…
Read MoreA Parent’s Worst Nightmare
Lately, there have been an alarming number of stories in the news about special needs children being physically and verbally abused at school. I read them daily. I see them because I have a child with special needs and I follow people and pages that share these stories. Many times, they don’t make the front page paper. They aren’t featured on the news. I don’t know why either. Just another reason why our kids feel like second rate citizens. Everyone needs to be outraged about child abuse. Not just the…
Read More