At the end of this week, we are having our annual ARD (Admissions, Review and Dismissal) meeting for our 10-year-old son Patrick. He is being withdrawn from Special Education
Services that he has been in since he was 3-years old. HE NO LONGER QUALIFIES FOR SERVICES. Does that mean he is cured? I don't think so.
Of course, you won't see this story in Age of Autism. Why? you ask....!!!!
Because, we did not ever put Patrick, or any of our children in a position to be seen in any way that would diminish who they are.
You see, we have never put a number on our children to as how much a percentage they are not "typical". We do not justify their being as a percentage.
You see, Patrick is 100% who he is supposed to be....he is 100% Patrick.
Kiernan, who is severely autistic, will be 9 years old in March. He has not progressed quite as rapidly as Patrick. Yet, is he less of a percentage than Patrick....???
Kiernan is much loved amongst his NT peers. Fully inclusioned and making all A's on his report card. Still non-verbal in a verbal world...but man, he holds his own!!!
He holds court in class and the kids and teacher's love him.
Nope, he is 100% Kiernan. Kiernan is 100% of who he is supposed to be....
Caitlin will graduate with her class this June. She has earned enough credits and with really hard work, has maintained a A-B average. She is well-loved and respected at her very large, PUBLIC high school. She did not have to hide behind a school that only deals with autism. She braved the "neurotypical" world and is winning.
Will this be a feature article in AoA?....Doubtful!!!
Is Caitlin still Autistic...you bet!!!
She is 100% Caitlin and 100% who she is supposed to be.
Deirdre is maintaining her A average in 10th grade. Continuing to prosper amongst her peers. She struggles to understand why the teenagers around her are so uncouth and so immature. Deirdre is loved and accepted by our church. So much so, that when she travels with them, they know she does not like to sleep with other people in her bed, so they accomadate her bedding. They know her food quirks, and plan meal times around foods she will also enjoy.
Will you read about this in AoA....heck no...!!!
Deirdre is 100% Deirdre and 100% of who she is supposed to be!
Erin, who outshines and hovers over her classmates not only in height (13 years old and 5 ft. 10 inches), but in her ability to maintain an A-average since elementary school. Erin, who has very little patience for people who don't know as much as she does (including her dear Mother), but is willing to teach you what you do not know.
Erin, who has come so far since she was a poop-smearing, screaming little toddler...Erin, who the educators thought would be our most challenging child....Erin, who is now fully-inclusioned among her Neurotypical peers and soaring far past their mundaneness.
Erin, who is not worried one little bit about what fashions are out there, how to put on makeup correctly or who is going to ask her out. She has her friends and they adore her.
Where is her feature story on A0A...???
Erin is 100 % who she is supposed to be and she will remind you of that, lest you forget !!!
And Meaghan...who turned 12-years old last week. Who has all of the angst a 12-year old girl should have. It is hard to worry about the latest styles of clothes, the correct way to apply blush and what boy is the cutest !!!
Meaghan, who has more drama in her life than most soap-operas on television.
This we witnessed last weekend, when Meaghan had her 5 closest friends over for a slumber party.....12-year-old drama is quite frightening if you are not accustomed to it.
But, after a successful make-up session and face-art done by the talented Helen Hutka...all the girls united and had a lovely time.
Meaghan is a hard-working, loving child. She has a heart of gold and cares deeply for her siblings. She is adored by them all and it shows when she walks in the room.
Meaghan is 100% Meaghan...she is 100% who she is supposed to be.
Does this mean we do not think our children can accomplish more....HECK NO!!!
Our childrens futures are limitless.
Because we say they are 100% does not mean they will not improve more or shine any less.
This means that we do not look upon these wonderful people as less than they are. They are not a number to us. They are our children.
Patrick and myself do not feel the necessity to gauge their progress, just because they have Autism. We pride ourselves in their accomplishments and bask in their glory. They were meant to be here, and they were meant to be our children.
They are 100% perfection....
