In the gymnasium at North Bend Elementary, a smallish school in a mostly agrarian county in northeast Maryland, we parents sat packed together in tight rows. We were prepping for a transition. In the front of the gym, on the floor, were rows of children from kindergarten through fourth grade. They were present as witnesses to this celebration of the fifth graders. Today, the school would laud … [Read more...]
Thankful for the Disability Trenches
Nobody is thankful for the disability trenches. No thank you for wiping rear ends way past the expected age range or getting hair pulled out during a meltdown. I don't see the praises for IEPs that haven't really changed in years because the level of learning is pretty much the same year after year. And no Hallelujah for when high school is finished for the virtually unemployable. We only hear … [Read more...]
Plagues of People, Safety in Numbers
Children on the autism spectrum usually fall in one of two camps when it comes to their feelings about crowds: crowds are either an audience or a plague. For Jesse, crowds are an audience. He loves to mug, and show off, and recite what he knows about things of no interest to the listener. For Noah, crowds are a plague. This makes it a challenge to plan a wedding when both boys are also a part … [Read more...]
Stuck On Repeat (The Special Needs Repetition)
* Some names have been changed. You know why. Almost every day my husband purposely sings a song with the intention of getting the tune stuck on repeat in my head. It's usually something obscure and fairly terrible. (Shhh. Don't tell him I secretly find this endearing.) With the exception of Friday. On Friday I can count on him waking the whole house with Rebecca Black's fabulous and memorable … [Read more...]
I Wasn’t Given a Mom Manual
I remember being in high school and I had to take a health class. You know the one where you had to carry around an egg for a week to see if you can take care of a baby. One class, I remember had to carry a doll baby that cried every time you put it down. That was brutal to watch my friends do that. Well, you just read about all the training I had to be a mother. Yes, that is right, I had … [Read more...]
We Are Never Alone on Our Journeys
We sifted through the pile of resumes looking for something to jump out and tell us who would be the perfect fit to become Ben’s primary caregiver. Oh, if only it were that easy. However, there were a few who had a decent amount of experience and whose skillset seemed a good match. There were even a few who had crafted an eye-catching cover letter that warranted a second look. With each of these … [Read more...]