Mommy Bear the Teacher

During one of my treasure hunts for blogs that discuss autism, I found Cafe Autism. One particular post (Why is the shopping list a secret?) hit me hard. In a nutshell, she describes her frustration in trying to get a school supply list for her child, who is an ESE [Exceptional Student Education] student. *Because schools nationwide seem to have an acronym competition going on, ESE translates to SDC [Special Day Class] in my 'hood. FYI*

I suggested she go right ahead and purchase items from the regular school list (who not?). I refuse to have anyone else become as reluctant as I once was, and end up doubting their child's capabilities, as I once did. How awful is that, huh? For shame! (Although this parent was definitely not one to back down! Yeah!)

I remember looking at the school list when NBear was younger and thinking to myself: "Scissors? SCISSORS? She can't even hold them the right way! Why would she need them now?" ...and a few months after I thought that atrocious thought, she brought home a bunch of cut-out shapes (I didn't even care at that point if her circle looked more like a chewed-up rag than the shape it was meant to depict) and handed them to me with her chubby fingers.

This part - the school part - is a battle fought on both fronts: YOURS (the parent), and THEIRS (the child). Unlike the other battles we fight for our children, this is perhaps the hardest because we have to leave them on the battlefield for some time, to fend for themselves. OF COURSE it's not the same for "normal" children. {note: the Huz just walked in and added, "I think the correct term for 'normal', is 'typical'} Those kids can actually tell when they're being hurt or insulted or teased...and (even better) can TELL their parents exactly what happened to them at school.

At this point, my NBear can tell us (she's doing so well trying to put her sentences together!) that she'd scraped her knee on the playground, but that's about it...for now. :)

Keep fighting, and know there are many (like me!) fighting alongside you.

*If you think the whole school supply list was bad, try purchasing a yearbook for your child, only to open it up and see that her entire SDC class had no names to go with their pictures. I've even heard stories of some schools not including their SDC classes in the books at all. :( I ranted and raved to my other co-teachers about the whole thing. Ugh.*

This is why homeschooling is not always a bad idea.

....if you have Mother Theresa's patience and aren't susceptible to cabin fever and claustrophobia, that is. (sound familiar, friends?)