Have the people around me changed or am I just becoming more jaded over time? Back in the days before Connors diagnosis I ran a play group at my church. Our children played, moms smiled and chatted, grateful to be be out of the house and talking to other adults. Now, my oldest is in first grade and my son will be entering Kindergarten at her school this fall. She is excited that her little brother will be going to the same school. My husband is working his hind end off to send them both there. I am working my rear off as well just trying to get him enrolled and set up with an aide for next year. Mainstream school! We actually are going to be able to mainstream him! I was able to find a potential aide who, get this, is actually excited at the prospect of working with my son, believe me when I say its not the prospect of what she is getting paid that is exciting to her. My cup runneth over with joy.......that is until I had coffee one morning last week with one of the afore mentioned mothers from play group. Her son will be in my sons class and I actually thought that would be a plus prior to the coffee incident last week. She asked me how it was going with enrolling my son in school.
"Great!" I said, "He will be able to use his Ipad to communicate in class."
"Really, what if other parents call and complain that it is a distraction or demand that their child should use one too?"
"Well, they are welcome to call me with questions. Besides that, it will be written into his IEP so there shouldn't be any question about him being able to use it."
"Well, I know that Mr. S. (principal) doesn't like distractions in the classroom."
"Well he really won't have much of a choice. There are laws in place protecting my sons right to use his Ipad and the school is not exempt from those laws".
Lets just say the conversation wasn't very pleasant from there on out. I tried to do the right thing. I apologized for raising my voice, I explained that I was under a lot of stress right now trying to get him enrolled and that it is a particularly sensitive subject. She had caught me off guard. I can handle one day at time, more than that and I do believe I would step right off the nearest cliff. I had to practically sell my soul just to get him into Kindergarten at this school that I truly believed was the best place for him and she brings stuff up like this? In the week following I found out that If I had just sprouted horns I wouldn't have been treated any differently than I am now. She was quick to spread the news of my negativity to other moms at the school, no doubt I am now labled as the angry mom with the disabled child. On that note, I am reminded of an Irish toast from the movie "The Quiet Man".
"To those of you who like me, God Bless you.
Those that do not like me, may God give them
a little twist of the ankle so that I might know them
by their limp".
Bravo!!! :)
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