We've Moved

I knew that moving my family and having David commute to Michelin was a big jump.  

What I was unaware of is how difficult it would be to find suitable housing for our family on such short notice.  

Why was I messing around with something of relative importance?  

Well, X was accepted to Bridgeway Academy early spring.  Unfortunately it took over three months to finalize a Social Skills IPP.

I had sent my application off to the Tuition Support Program without an IPP (part of the criteria) and explained that my son was attending a school that didn't know they 'didn't know'.  

Much of our meetings were spent arguing whether or not social skills affected academic studies. 

How could staff even write this for a student who was meeting the curriculum outcomes and did not 'fit' into the behaviour spot on an IPP.  

Not to sound all 1968 on you, but times are changing.  

When criteria was decided upon, and students with Autism were mainstreamed into public schools, many of them were, in fact, either flight risks, self injurious, or developmentally delayed, which meant they had a full time EA present.  

Now, with early intervention great parents, as no amount of intervention will help if you are not willing to go the extra mile, loads of children not many in Nova Scotia are entering the school system with a diagnosis, but no real signs of classical Autism.  

This does not mean there are no challenges.  

It means many of the kinks have been worked out before entering school. 

Not rocket science here folks. 

Given the fact that social skills are pretty high up on the Autism 'to do' list, you would think it wouldn't be excruciating to have a sit down with administration and convey its importance. 

In addition, I challenged everything teachers/staff ever thought they knew about Autism and high functioning students.  X has always been an exception to the rules, and I love that he makes everyone around him think outside the box.

Where were we.....oh right, the move, and why we ended up in Hilden.  

Our application was initially denied until I could present an IPP or at least get to the point in which we were seriously discussing/implementing one.  

During these lovely times, every affordable house to rent (remember we cannot buy as mounting medical costs forced us to declare bankruptcy last year) was being snatched up by the students attending the Agricultural and Community Colleges.  

After our appeal, the decision was overturned, but there were no longer any houses to rent.  

I drove the boys to Truro every day for the month of September until I found a tiny $700/month gem.  

I knew this small space would bring us closer, or dramatically drive us apart.  

The boys share a room with Nadia (really sucks), and our living room/ kitchen is one shared space.  

I had to give away/throw away most of our belongings as there is no storage space.  

On a positive note, it forces me to be ultra neat, and clean. 

Everything has a spot and our closets are obsessively organized.  

Less attractive things include the rotten egg smell water (too much sulfur),and my neighbor upstairs who smokes outside, forcing me to Marion Jones' it to the windows if they are open, as my apartment will quickly smell like a bar.  

Oh...and the rent increase for 1/3 of the living space we were used to. 

I try really hard to think how we are so much better for having each other close, and getting rid of lots of junk, but these are simple every day lies I repeat over and over as I stare at these prison walls walls.  

I know this is not a home...not sure if we'll ever get to that point....not sure if I want to imagine it anymore either.