The Proverbial Snowball
Before Aging Out...Education and Support after Middle School.
Time is going by and
here we are 15 years later, fighting the same battle with a few key differences; time
is not on our side, gone is the idea that Nick might "snap out of it" with
early intervention, his potential is no longer a total mystery and the clock is
ticking, with us getting closer and closer to the day when there's nothing for
him to do. Closer and closer to the day - that if I don't do all I can do -
there's nothing but regret left for me, and loss of opportunity for him. I am the only one who's
journey to get the best services for her kiddo, looks more like Mom on a
treadmill than Mom on a journey!!! I am the only one out there who
thought after all the work we've done to make things better for our kids, we
would be done battling day in and day out to get appropriate services by the
time they were 17??? Was I the only one who thought maybe, just maybe in
the past 15 years since the ASD epidemic began, the education system would have
adapted, improved and prepared itself to accommodate the children that would
become adults?
I am sad to be working as hard now to find options for Nick, as I did when he was first
diagnosed! I wasn't truly prepared for that. I held out hope that when he got to be this age,
things would be better. Intellectually I knew it was possible the system would not be ready. I even talked
about it, but emotionally I was in denial, I just wasn't prepared to be
here again. I thought I’d matured, gotten calmer. Nope I’m still the same claw
carrying mom I was when this journey began. I'm angry, and I'm sad this is
where we are. I wasn't truly prepared for the degree of limited resources; I wasn't
prepared for the small amount of qualified behaviorist/therapist/programs available to work with young adults vs kiddos.
Right now I don't
know the answer, but I do know we have to find one.
I could use some
inspiration right now? Any ideas?
