MY MEETINGS THIS PAST WEEK

JUST A BRIEF UPDATE OF MY 2 MEETINGS THIS WEEK

I LEARNED A LOT AFTER I STTENDED THE SWITZER CENTER ON SUNDAY-- I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THE PROGRAM THEY ARE DEVELOPING AND THAT THER WILL BE CHILDREN IN A DIFFERENT AGE GROUP BEING SERVED VERY SOON-- I AM PARTICULARLY ENCOURAGED THAT THIS TYPE OF CLASS IS UNFOLDING AND THAT THERE IS HOPE OF MORE CLASSES SERVING OLDER KIDS-- RIGHT NOW THEY WILL ADDRESS 10 TO 14 YEARS OLDS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM WITH PLANS TO EXPAND TO HIGH SCHOOL. WHAT MAKES THIS SO GREAT IS THAT SO MANY ARE GETTING EARLY INTERVENTION  IT IS REFRESHING TO KNOW THAT THIS END OF THE POULATION WILL NOT START GETTING SOME OPTIONS.

RELATING THIS TO MY CENTER IS THE FACTOR OF TRANSITION-- THE APPROACH IS RELATIONSHIP DEVELOPEMENTAND WHETHER IS A SCHOOL OR A CENTER THE THEORY IS THE SAME  FOCUS ON THE INDIVIDUALS STRENGTH AND PARLAY THAT INTO LEARNING EXPERIENCES-- WHAT A GREAT WAY TO ENGAGE OUR KIDS AT ANY AGE

I ONLY HOPE THAT THIS SCHOOL CATCHES ON AND THE INLAND EMPIRE WILL EVENTUALLY SEE SOMETHING LIKE IT-- I AM NOT QUITE SURE WHY THE DISTRICTS DONT BAND TOGETHER AND MAKE THEIR OWN CLASSES IT WOULD SAVE SO MUCH MONEY AND BE SO MUCH MORE PRACTICAL THEN A PRIVATE OR NON PUBLIC SCHOOL.

AS FOR MY CENTER WHICH THE HOPE IS TO DEVELOPE A ONE STOP SHOP INCLUDING A SCHOOL EVENTUALLY -MANY OF THE STARTEGIES WILL APPLY  I DID MEET WITH A  GROUP ON MONDAY TO "PITCH'THE CENTER AGAIN AND I BELIEVE THERE IS SOME INTEREST BUT IT APPEARS THAT THE CONCERN IS THE SAME IT IS TOO AGGRESSIVE AND TO AMBITOUS THE WAY I HAVE DESCRIBED IT-- I WILL CONTINUE TO FORGE ON

I INTEND TO PURSUE WAYS TO RAISE MONEY TO DEVELOPE IT MYSELF  IT TAKES A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF SEED MONEY THAT I DONT HAVE BUT THAT WONT STOP ME-- THE OTHER ISSUE IS HOW TO KEEP IT OPEN ONCE IT OPENS --     MY INTIAL THOUGHT IS PERHAPS LIKE A GYM OR YMCA BY MEMEBERSHIP

FOR NOW THERE ARE NO ANSWERS BUT THE DREAM IS STILL ALIVE AND I PRESS ON!!!!

ANYONE OUT THERE ?

HAPPY WEDDING APRIL 29

G & M YOU KNOW WHO YOU ARE

I WISH YOU MANY HAPPY YEARS TOGETHER AS YOU SAY YOUR VOWS AND EMBARK ON THIS WONDERFUL VOYAGE OF LOVE!!!!!!!

THIS IS A PERSONAL NOTE TO SOME VERY IMPORTANT PEOPLE WHOM I KNOW READ MY JOURNAL QUITE FREQUENTLY -- I HAD HOPED TO TRAVEL TO ATTEND THEIR WEDDING BUT AS CIRCUMSTANCES WOULD PRESENT THEMSELVES  IT JUST BECAME IMPOSSIBLE

AND YES IT COMES AS PART OF THE TERRITORY OF LIVING WITH AUTISM-- IN THIS PARTICULAR CASE IT WAS STRICTLY TIMING-- BECAUSE OF THE "ANNIVERSARY " OF  THE BREAK  IT JUST WAS NOT THE RIGHT TIME  FOR US!!

BUT DEFINITELY THE RIGHT TIME FOR G&M!!!!!

 

 

APRIL 27 2006--A YEAR LATER!

ONE YEAR AGO TODAY; DAKOTA BROKE HIS LEG. ALTHOUGH  IT SEEMS THAT I CAN PERHAPS SEE THE LIGHT AT THE END OF THE TUNNEL --OUR FAMILY IS A LONG WAY FROM THE FINISH---- AT THIS POINT MY HEART HAS SUFFERED ANOTHER BLOW FROM WHICH I DONT THINK IT WILL EVER RECOVER AND I HAVE NO ABILITY TO ERASE OR FIX WHAT HAS HAPPENED. IT IS INCREDIBILY FRUSTRATING WHEN YOU THINK YOU HAVE TAKEN EVERY PRE-CAUTION AND YOU HAVE PLACED YOUR CHILD IN THE HANDS OF COMPETENT PEOPLE  ONLY TO HAVE SOMETHING HAPPEN THAT SEEMS TO BE UNEXPLANABLE OR UN ACCOUNTABLE.

TO ARRIVE AT A PLACE WHERE YOU HAVE MOURNED THE FACT THAT YOUR CHILD IS NOT "TYPICALLY DEVELOPING" BUT YOU ARE OK WITH THE CHALLENGE AND ARE FACING IT HEAD ON;TO ASSESS YOUR CHILDS POSITIVE ABILITIES AND ONE OF THEM BEING AN  ABLE BODY WITH 10 FINGERS AND 10 TOES THAT WORK CORRECTLY   AND THEN TO FACE THE FACT THAT NOW THERE IS ANOTHER DISABLING FACTOR IN YOUR CHILDS LIFE  IS DEVASTING--

THE ONLY THOUGHT I HAVE IS , IF  IT HURTS ME THIS MUCH  WHAT IS IT DOING TO MY CHILD? THE BITCH  IS  ""OH THATS RIGHT HE DOESNT HAVE THE ABILITY TO TRUELY TELL ME JUST HOW MUCH IT HURTS , WHEN IT HURTS, WHAT HIS HEAD IS PROCESSING FROM THE FEAR ,THE ABILITY TO  ACTUALLY FEEL THE FEAR AND KNOW WHAT IT IS AND OH YES ,HOW 'BOUT PROCESSING THE FEELINGS AND LEARNING HOW TO RE-COOP FROM THESE FEELINGS AND FEARS                                     WHAT A HELPLESS DAMN FEELING.

AS THE SAYING GOES THO  "IT IS WATER UNDER THE BRIDGE" "DONT CRY OR SPILLED MILK" "PULL YOURSELF UP BY THE BOOT STRAPS AND GET ON WITH LIFE"    YES ITS ALL FINE AND GOOD FOR THOSE WHO LEAD A RELATIVELY NUERO-TYPICAL  LIFE , TO ALL OF US ,IT IS ANOTHER HOLE IN THE BOAT AND THE WATER CONTINUES TO FLOOD THE LIFE RAFT WE CLING ON TO WITH OUR HOPES . THAT THINGS WILL BE BETTER OR THERE IS ANOTHER "CURE" JUST OVER THE NEXT WAVE AS WE DROWN AT SEA.

SOMETIMES IT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO PUT THESE WORDS OUT THERE FOR OTHERS TO READ --BUT THE ONE DRIVING FORCE IS THEFACT THAT I KNOW I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE OUT ON THIS OCEAN JUST TRYING TO SURVIVE AND ALL MY RANTS AND RAVES ARE TO LET THOSE OTHERS KNOW  WE FLOAT IN SEPARATE LIFEBOATS BUT WE ARE ALL IN THE SAME WATER!  KEEP BAILING- KEEP PADDLING-KEEP PRAYING  

THE DREAM IS STILL ALIVE

THIS WEEKEND BEGINS MORE HOPEFUL THINKING FOR THE CENTER. I HAVE A MEETING TO ATTEND TOMMORROW WHERE THE CENTER FOCUSES ON "RDI "  WHICH  IS A RELATIONSHIP BASED LEARNING FOR OUR KIDS. A FEW PIECES OF TEXT THAT WAS SENTTO ME IT SEEMS VERY SIMILAR TO WHAT I HAVE BEEN FORMULATING  N MY HEAD FOR YEARS--ALSO THE TARGET AGE IS MIDDLE SCHOOL WHICH IS AMAZING BECAUSE SO MANY OF THE RECENT PROJECTS ARE HOHNED IN ON YOUNGER CHILDREN  ITS GREAT TO SEE THAT FINALLY A FEW PEOPLE ARE REALIZING THAT THE OLDER KIDS ARE NOT LOST CAUSES--AS A MATTER OF FACT I ACTUALLY BELIEVE THAT SOME OF OUR KIDS  ARE JUST GETTING TO THE POINT OF BEING ABLE TO ABSORB AND ACCEPT SOME ACADEMIC CHALLENGES WHEN THEY GET THRU THEIR PUBERTY--IF YOU THINKABOUT IT WE ARE ALL SO ANXIOUS TO GET OUR KIDS OUT THERE AND IN THE MIX WITH REGULAR KIDS AT A YOUNGER AGE  THAT I THINK WE MISS ALL THE QUES THEY GIVE US WITH BEHAVIORS TANTRUMS AND REFUSAL TO CO-OPERATE --TRYING TO TELL US THAT THEY ARE HAVING A HARD ENUF TIME TRYING TO DIGEST JUST BEING ABLE TO COPE WITH ALL THE OTHER STUFF SCHOOL THROWS AT THEM. THE MORE I THINK ABOUT THIS AND THE MORE I  WRTIE ABOUT IT AND REFLECT ON MY EXPERIENCE WITH MY SON IT MAKES SENSE . OUR KIDS HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE DYNAMICS OF BEING IN A STRANGE PLACE WITH STRANGE PEOPLE WITH STRANGE SIGHTS,SOUNDSAND SMELLS --THEY ARE PULLED AWAY FROM EVERYTHING THAT FEELS SAFE AND FAMILIAR TO THEM AND THEN WE TRY TO THROW AL THIS ACADEMIA AT THEM --HOW CAN THEY COPE??? THEY THROW A FIT AND THEN WE ARE UPSET BECAUSE THEY DONT FIT IN AND THE "REGULAR" CLASSROOM  IS TOO CHALLENGING AND ALL ALONG WE KNEW THEY WERE AUTISTIC  HOW DARE WE EXPECT SO MUCH OF THEM,??? MY THEORY IS THAT IT TAKES OUR KIDS POTENTIALLY YEARS TO ACCLAMATE  TO NEW SITUATIONS AND UNTIL THEY FEEL SAFE THEY CANT POSSIBLY ASBORB ACADEMICS MUCH LESS LEARN THINGS LIKE HOW TO SIT APPROPRIATELY IN A CLASSROOM , HOW TO MAKE IT THRU LUNCH WITH OUT LOOSING THEIR HEAD  AND OH MY GOD WHAT ABOUT THAT STRANGE BATHROOM ???   HOW CAN THEY POSSIBLY FIGURE OUT 2+2 WHEN THEIR HEADS ARE BURSTING WITH ALL THE SOCIAL QUES AND RULES SCHOOL REQUIRES??

SO THINK ABOUT THIS DO WHAT YOU CAN AND CERTAINLY CHALLENGE YOUR CHILD BUT LIKE WITH MY SON  I AM JUST NOW SEEING HIS ABILITY TO GRASP AND EMBRACE  ACADEMICS  BETTER THAN I HAVE IN ALL THE YEARS HE HAS SPENT IN SCHOOL --  PERHAPS WE ALL NEED TO STEP BACK A BIT AND GIVE OUR CHILD THE ABILITY TO SHOW US WHAT THEY NEED ----  SURE IT WILL BE IN CODE    BUT MOST OF US SPEAK IN COIDE TOO!!!!!

THANKS POLLY!!!

WELL THANKS TO ONE OF MY MOMS WHO READS THE JOURNAL SHE SENT ME THE ACTUAL STORY ABOUT "HOLLAND" SO IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IT IS BELOW:

Welcome to Holland By Emily Perl Kingsley; Illustration by Shiju George  

<PAGE 1> I am often asked to describe the experience of raising a child with a disability - to help people who have not shared this unique experience, to understand it, to imagine how it would feel.

It's like this.

When you're going to have a baby, it's like planning a fabulous vacation - to Italy. You buy a bunch of guidebooks and make wonderful plans. The Coliseum. Michelangelo David. The Gondolas in Venice. You may learn some handy phrases in Italian. It's all very exciting.

After months of eager anticipation, the day finally arrives. You pack your bags and off you go. Several hours later, the plane lands. The stewardess comes in and says, "Welcome to Holland." "Holland?!?" you say. "What do you mean, Holland?? I signed up for Italy! I'm supposed to be in Italy. All my life I've dreamed of going to Italy."

But there's been a change in the flight plan. They've landed in Holland and there you must stay. The important thing is they haven't taken you to a horrible, disgusting, filthy place, full of pestilence, famine and disease. It's just a different place.

So you must go out and buy new guide books. And you must learn a whole new language. And you will meet a whole new group of people you would never have met. It's just a different place. It's slower paced than Italy, less flashy than Italy. But after you've been there for a while and you catch your breath, you look around. And you begin to notice that Holland has windmills. And Holland has tulips. Holland even has Rembrandts.

But everyone you know is busy coming and going from Italy. And they're all bragging about what a wonderful time they had there.

And for the rest of your life, you will say, "Yes, that's where I was supposed to go. That's what I had planned."

And the pain will never, ever go away. Because the loss of that dream is a very, very significant loss. But if you spend your life mourning the fact that you didn't get to go to Italy, you may never be free to enjoy the very special, the very lovely things. About Holland.

BOUGHT A TICKET TO ITALY-----

ONCE  AGAIN I FIND MYSELF WRITING TO ANOTHER MOM AND REALIZING THAT I NEED TO POST THIS ON MY LOURNAL SO  INSTEAD OF RECOMPOSING THE LETTER I WILL JUST POST IT

THIS MOM HAS I BELIEVE 3 CHILDREN ALL OF WHICH HAVE CHALLENGES AND IS FAR MORE OVERWHELMED THAN I AM BUT I KNOW SHE IS DOING THE BEST SHE CAN'

AS I HAVE TOLD A FEW OTHER MOMS I TRUELY BELIEVE THAT ONLY THOSE OF US WHO HAVE WALKED THIS PATH REALLY UNDERSTAND

I DONT MEAN TO EXCLUDE THOSE WHO TRY TO BE COMPASSIONATE OR HELPFUL BUT IT SHEER TORTURE OF WHAT GOES INSIDE YOUR HEAD SOMETIMES IT TOO MUCH TO SAY BECAUSE PEOPLE WILL THINK YOU ARE NOT RIGHT--

I CANT HELP IT : I KRINGE WHEN SOMEONE SAYS " GOD DOESNT GIVE YOU MORE THAN YOU CAN HANDLE! " I KNOW THEY ARE TRYING TO BE NICE BUT DAMMIT -- HE DOES GIVE A LOT OF US MORE THAN WE CAN HANDLE WHY DO YOU THINK THAT SOME OF US JUMP OUT OF BUILDINGS OR RUN AWAY OR DO A HOST OF OTHER STUPID THINGS BECAUSE WE CANT COPE-- LUCKILY MOST OF US HANG IN BUT WE DONT GET MUCH RECOGNITION FOR IT EXCEPT THE FRIENDS THAT SAY "ITS A GOOD THING ITS YOU CUZ I WOULDNT BE ABLE TO HANDLE IT"--DUH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I AM SURE YOU HAVE PROBABLY HEARD THIS ANAOLGY BEFORE BUT THERES A SAYING AND SHORT STORY ABOUT THIS WOMAN WHO WROTE THIS STORY ABOUT HAVING A SPECIAL NEEDS CHILD --IT GOES SOMETHING LIKE THIS

A WOMAN WHO WANTED TO GO TO ITALY ALL HER LIFE GRADUATED COLLEGE : SAVED AND SAVED HER MONEY, STUDIED THE LANGUAGE PLANNED AND PLOTTED WHAT SHE WANTED TO SEE  HOW LONG SHE WOULD BE THERE AND JUST COULD NOT WAIT TO EXPERIENCE SOMETHING SHE HAD BEEN THINKING OF ALL HER LIFE-- SO SHE BUYS THE TICKET BOARDS THE AIRPLANE GETS ON BOARD AND WHEN SHE LANDS SHE DISCOVERS SHE IS IN HOLLAND! HER DISSAPPOINTMENT WAS OVERWHELMING SHE COULDNT BELIEVE THAT SHE SPENT SO MUCH TIME PICTURING HER EXPERIENCE IN ITALY THAT SHE COULDNT ACCEPT ANYTHING ELSEWHAT HAPPENED IS AS THE MINUTES AND THE HOURS GO BY WHILE SHE CONTEMPLATES WHERE SHE WENT WRONG AND HOW SHE ENDED UP SOMEPLACE SHE NEVER PLANNED ON GOING SHE STARTS TO LOOK AROUND AND NOTICES HOW BEAUTIFUL THE LAND IS ALL THE TUPLIS AND THE WINDMILLS AND HOW LOVELY THE PEOPLE ARE AND THE BEAUTIFUL LANGUAGE  -- -

EVENTUALLY SHE REALIZES THAT ALTHOUGH HER HEART WAS SET ON ITALY SHE ENDED UP IN HOLLAND  ITS DIFFERENT BUT HAS ITS GOOD POINTS

ANYWAY LIKE I SAID I AM SURE YOU PROBABLY HAVE HEARD IT BEFORE BUT I THINKIT KEEPS ME ON TRACK SOMETIMES WHEN I AM FEELING SORRY FOR MYSELF

 

I LOOK AROUND AND TRY TO SEE THE POSTIVE THINGS DAKOTA -MY SON - HAS DONE FOR ME AND ACTUALLY SOME OF THE "TYPICAL " TEENAGERS ARE SUCH A MESS I AM GRATEFUL I HAVE ONE THAT STILL WANTS TO BE AROUND HIS MOM AND IS SO LOVING

I AM VERY PROUD

SO " I BOUGHT A TICKET FOR ITALY AND I LANDED IN HOLLAND"

 

 I KNOW THAT DOESNT SOOTHE THE DEMONS IN YOUR HEAD WHEN YOU ARE DEALING WITH DEAFNESS AND LEARNING DISABILITIES AND ASTHEMA BUT I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT SOMETIMES ITS JUST KNOWING THAT THERE IS SOMEONE OUT THERE EVEN IF IT IS IN CYBERSPACE THAT  UNDERSTAND YOURPLIGHT AND HAS TOTAL COMPASSION FOR YOU--

I KNOW JUST AS YOUR KIDS KNOW THAT YOU ARE THEIR ANGEL AND UNTIL THEY PUT US AWAY WE WILL BE THERE NURTURING THEIR PROGRESS !!!

 

LAW BOOKS

IT JUST OCCURRED TO ME THAT I HAVE NEVER MENTIONED THE 2 BOOKS EVERYONE NEEDS WHEN THEY TRAVEL THIS JOURNEY--

THE FIRST IS

  CALIFORNIA  SPECIAL EDUCATION  LAWS AND CODES              YOU CAN WRITE EMAIL OR FAX TO SACRAMENTO DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THEY WILL SEND IT TO YOU FREE OF CHARGE

THE SECOND IS

SPECIAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES     THIS ONE YOU CAN GET THRU " PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY " THERE  IS AN  800 NUMBER LISTED FOR THEM AND THERE ARE ALSO LOCAL OFFICES YOU CAN CALL TO GET INFO HOW TO OBTAIN THIS BOOK---THE BEST THING ABOUT THIS BOOK IS IT IS WRITTEN IN  UNDERSTANBLE  LANGUAGE VERSES THE LAW BOOK IS STRICTLY CODES AND YOU HAVE TO INTERPRET IT

ALSO  IF YOU ARE IN CALIFORNIA  THERE IS A SMALL ADDENDUM  CALLED  "THE LANTERMAN ACT" WHICH SPECIFICALLY DEALS WITH THE IPP, THINGS THAT GOVERN  IRC AND SPECIAL TREATMENT OF OUR KIDS-- MY INFORMATION IS THIS BOOK CAME ABOUT DUE TO THE TREATMENT OF A BOY WHO WAS INSTIUTIONALIZED AND ACTUALLY DIED BECAUSE  HE WAS BEING RESTRICTED BY AN EMPLOYEE/TEACHER WHO WAS TREATING HIM IN THIS FACILITY

I REALLY NEED TO RESEARCH MY RESOURCE THIS WAS TOLD TO ME MANY YEARS AGO AND MY MEMORY MAY NOT BE PERFECT BUT I KNOW IT IS SOMETHING LIKE THAT

ANYWAY THE BOOKS  HAVE BEEN  FREE  IN THE PAST  I BELIEVE THAT PROTECTION AND ADVOCACY IS ASKING FOR A DONATION  FOR "THE SPECIAL RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES "-- ANOTHER THING I NEED TO CHECK   NEVER-THE-LESS THESE BOOKS ARE VALUABLE.

 

MOMS AND IEPS

WELL ANOTHER EXERPT FROM A SET OF LETTERS BETWEEN  MYSELF AND ANOTHER MOM WHO IS JUST STARTING HER JOURNEY THAT I HAVE ALREADY BEEN DOWN--

SHE AND I HAVE ONLY MET ONCE BUT HAVE BECOME EMAIL FRIENDS AND SOMEHOW WE HAVE FORMED A BOND THAT WORKS   SO HERE  SHE IS GOING TO HER FIRST IEP AND EVERYTHING IS GOING WRONG AND SHE HASNT EVEN GONE YET  SHE IS ASKING FOR MORAL SUPPORT    AND I FOLLOW IR BY MY RESPONSE  HOPE THIS HELPS OTHER SOMEWAY!!!! 

Hi Cindy, I hope you and Dakota are well. I haven't emailed in awhile and right now I am in the thick of IEP issues. David will be starting kindergarten in August and I am in the process of requesting an aide for David... I am up for a fight and need all the good thoughts right now!! SO please send them my way... It seems as if so many things are going wrong. The IRC case worker can't make the IEP after all. My husband has to work a double shift tonight and can't make it tomorrow. Lastly, my sis was supposed to go with me and she has been to the emergency room today for dehydration. ACK! I am crazed and all alone in this and I thought of you. I thought you have handled a lot on your own and I can and will have the strength of Cindy! I know we have only met once at the initial picnic you had for the center but you have made a big impression on me and I read your journal. ANYWAY! I am a mess if you can't tell so send me some prayers and strength please and any words of wisdom would be appreciated!!
Thanks, Karen

 

HELLO KAREN

I AM NOT SURE I CAN DO MUCH BUT GIVE YOU LOTS OF ENCOURAGEMENT AND A FEW THOUGHTS THAT YOU SHOULD ALREADY HAVE IN YOUR ARSENAL----

FIRST-- WHEN YOU ARE TRYING FOR AN AIDE THE NUMBER ONE ARGUMENT IS SAFETY

EITHER FOR YOUR SON OR FOR OTHERS-- DOES HE RUN OR JET

DOES HE BECOME AGRESSIVE ESPECIALLY DURING TRANSITION??

THERE ARE OTHER EXAMPLES YOU HAVE TO TAILOR TO YOUR CHILD BUT SAFETY IS THE CLENCHER TO GET AN AIDE --USUALLY

THE OTHER NEED OR USE FOR AN AIDE IS IF HE WILL START IN A SPECIAL DAY CLASS AND YOU ARE ASKING FOR OPPORTUNITIES TO MAINSTREAM  TO TRADITIONAL CLASSES OR FOR SPECIAL ACTIVITIES WITH TYPICAL CHILDREN LIKE ASSEMBLIES OR LUNCH OR EVEN A RECESS

YOU NEED THAT AIDE TO MONITOR AND SHADOW YOUR CHILD TO HELP HIM BECOME A PART OF THE GENERAL POPULATION AS WELL AS EDUCATE THE AIDE TO HELP THE OTHER KIDS UNDERSTAND AND ACCEPT YOUR CHILD

ANOTHER ARGUMENT THAT "THEY" LOVE TO HEAR  IS THAT THE AIDE IS THERE TO HELP YOUR CHILD BUT ALSO BE AN ADDITION TO THE CLASS TO HELP OTHER CHILDREN AS WELL AS THE OTHER ADULTS HANDLE THE SPECIAL NEEDS OF YOUR CHILD

IE. ANOTHER SET OF EYES ,EARS AND HANDS!!!

 

BE  STEADFAST IN YOU BELIEFS AND DONT LET THEM OUT NUMBER YOU OR BULLDOZE YOU-- YOU ARE A PART OF THE TEAM AND ACTUALLY UNLESS TYOU APPROVE IT IT WONT HAPPEN SO YOUR PART IS EVEN BIGGER THAN THE OTHERS THERE--YOU HOLD THE KEYS!

MOST IMPORTANTLY           DO NOT ;

I REPEAT DO NOT SIGN THAT IEP AT THE MEETING

TELL THEM YOU WANT TO TAKE IT HOME AND REVIEW IT AND  YOU WILL RETURN IT SIGNED IN APPROXIMATELY A WEEK. MAKE SURE THEY KNOW THAT THRE COULD BE THE POSSIBILITY OF RE-NEGOCIATION AFTER YOU READ IT AND YOU WANT IT DECIDED UPON NOW THAT EITHER YOU CAN RECONVIENE AN IEP OR THE BETTER THOUGHT IS FOR YOU TO MEET WITH THE PERSON WHO HAS THE ABILITY TO MAKE DECISIONS AND/OR CHANGES TO "TWEAK " THE IEP.

I USED TO MEET WITH THE DIRECTOR OF SPECIAL ED AFTER THE FACT IN HER OFFICE AND WE WOULD CHANGE OR ALTER WHAT I TOOK EXCEPTION TOO-- THAT WAY THEY DONT HAVE TO GET EVERYONE TOGETHER ABD IT IS LESS INDTIMIDATING FOR YOU.

 

ALSO THERE IS A NARATIVE PART IN THE IEP PAPERS YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO WRITE ANYTHING YOU WANT FOR YOUR SON OR ANYTHING YOU WANT TO SAY

DO NOT LET THEM TELL YOU YOU CANNOT PUT WHAT YOU WANT --ESPECIALLYU IF YOU DO NOT AGREE WITH WHAT THEY WANT YOU TO AGREE WITH

ALSO THERE IS A PART CALLED DIS DESIGNATED INSTRUCTUIONAL SERVICES AND THIS CAN BE ANYTHING LIKE SPECIAL NEEDS FOR THE BUS RIDE OR ASSISTYIVE TECHNOLOGY OR REQUESTING YOUR AIDE BE TIME CARDED FOR A TRAINING SESSION

 

THIS IS PERFECT TO GET YOUR FEET WET

ITS ONLY KINDERGARTEN BUT MAKE THEM KNOW YOU KNOW YOUR STUFF

YOU NEED TO PUT YOURSELF IN YOUR SONS SHOES AND IN HIS CLASSROOM AND DO WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE HIM SUCCESSFUL

REMEMBER DO NOT SIGN THAT IEP

TAKE IT HOME AND LATE AT NIGHT WHEN THE KIDS ARE FINALLY DOWN FOR THE NIGHT AND THE HOUSE IS QUIET GO OVER IT WORD BY WORD AND MAKE SURE IT IS EXACTLY WHAT YOU WANT IT TO BE

THEN IF YOU ARE HAPPY READ IT ONE MORE TIME JUST TO MAKE SURE AND WHEN YOU FEEL GOOD ABOUT THE VERBAGE AND THE INTENT

THEN SIGN IT

AND A;WAYS REMEMBER NO MATTER HOW PERFECT IT SEEMS TO BE THERE WILL ALWAYS BE A GLICH

THERE WILL ALWAYS BE HOLES IN THE PERFECT PLAN

YOU JUST HAVE TO KEEP PLUGGING AND NEVER GIVE UP

ON A RARE OCCASION IT WILL WORK BUT DONT GIVE UP

THATS WHY I  CALL MYSELF  RLNTLYS--RELENTLESS

YOU CANT LET IT GET THE BEST OF YOU

 

OK FOR NOW GO GET EM

ITS FOR YOUR SON YOU DONT NEED ANYTHING BUT YOUR DRIVE TO DO RIGHT BYY DAVID!

Cindy from DAKS OPEN DOOR

PS  PRINT THIS AND TAKE IT WITH YOU-- FOLD IT UP AND PUT IT IN YOUR BRA SO IT WILL BUG YOU JUST ENUF TO REMEMBER WHAT I WROTE AND IF YOU NEED IT REALLY BAD REACH IN AND FETCH IT AND READ IT OR USE IT IN THE MEETING --THEN YOU WILL KNOW YOU ARE NOT ALONE!!!!  YOU ARE ONLY WALKING THE SAME PATH MANY OTHERS HAVE AND FOR EXACTLY THE SAME REASON--YOUR CHILD!!!

NOW GO GET EM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!