The Other Side of The Double Edge Sword

Tomorrow is the preschool picnic for THE DIVA. It will be a big difference from Boy Wonder's preschool picnic last year. She will participate, sing and laugh. Knowing her love of an audience she will put on quite the show during the sing-a-long. Her self-confidence and her misguided belief that she can sing are a joyful and hilarious sight to behold. But Boy Wonder will be in there in the back of my mind as I watch the kids from his old class participate. The ease with which things come to THE DIVA are a gift to watch. But my eyes will drift to the kids from Boy Wonder's old class because while I know their parents are thrilled to see their kids in a school program, it is hard to see your kids alongside their typical peers. And I know what will be going on behind those too bright smiles.

But tomorrow is THE DIVA'S day. She has worked hard for it and she deserves my undivided attention.  So I will try for just a little while to shrug off my Autism Mama sash for my little girl who needs me to that for her every once in a while.

Never Feel Guilty

Editor's Note: This post was inspired by a conversation with my friend Sassy. She's like New England's version of Posh Spice crossed with  a Kennedy only more gorgeous and waaaaaay funnier.

Never feel guilty for doing what's right for your child.

I will knowingly lie and deceive and feel no guilt.

The Special Ed Director is not my friend.

 Nor is the case manager,

social worker,

school psychologist,

behavior analyst,

occupational therapist,

physical therapist

or speech therapist.

They do not know my child the way I do.

 They are bound by

politics,

rhetoric,

 budgets

and their own short sightedness.

Some of these people are even grossly incompetent.

My child is entitled to an appropriate education.

If I have to lie to get him what he deserves,

I will feel no guilt.

Because he is MY child. 

A Hot Date With My Guy

Boy Wonder needed new sneakers. So I took him off to the mall this morning alone. Just him and I for a nice and rare change of pace. No crazy girls in the stroller demanding things and carrying on.  Boy Wonder has very few things he insists upon but when we go to the mall we must park in a certain lot, go in a certain door and then go directly to the bulk candy stand for swedish fish. Don't even think about skipping it or going in a different door. There are no quick stealth trips to the mall with him.  We went and got his sneakers and practiced walking without holding hands but staying close. We rode the escalator for close to half an hour and just wandered. As we passed the food court, Boy Wonder stopped and looked around and walked into the food court. He looked to make sure I was behind him and then continued to walk quickly (ok vocal stimmed and galloped. same difference at this point for me.) to the back of the food court. He stopped and stood with an expectant look on his face. I asked him, "What do you want, Bobo?" He said, "Mommy, I want pizza, please." So he got his pizza AND being the liberated evolved kind of guy he is, Boy Wonder let me pay for him, too.