Project-NEED HELP.

Recently, a higher up administrator of our school district asked, "We know that Ethan will gain from being included in the typical classroom, but what will the typical kids gain from Ethan?". Really?

So, my new project is this:

I am collecting stories or blips from typically-developing kids about how knowing a child with special needs has affected their life and what they have learned from them. Siblings are awesome, but I would like a stronger focus on non-family members simply because of the point I am trying to make to this ignorant administrator.

Ask around and respond back here or e-mail me. I know that when I wrote the article for Ds News, one of the comments from another student was, "I could be having a bad day and I see Ethan's smile and I don't have a bad day anymore".

I would love to present a huge stack of similar stories.  Can you help?  Please pass along and repost.  Let's make a difference, friends.  We shouldn't have to fight like this anymore. 

Evan's HOME!

Just a quick Evan update...he got to come HOME yesterday! I went up to the hospital on Thursday and he looked fantastic! He has a lot of work ahead of him in the rehab setting since his left side is still fairly paralyzed from the stroke-like episodes, but he is home and doing wonderful! Please continue to pray for him during his recovery process. Thank you!

School's out.

YAY. No more driving 30 minutes each morning and afternoon. We will miss the kids and teachers who embraced Ethan and his classmates very much.

There is so much to say, I just really don't have the energy to. In a nutshell, we highly disliked the school our program was moved to this past year and it will not get any better next year. Some decisions will be made over the summer on what we are going to do for Ethan's placement next year.

This school stuff just gets harder with time and it seems that we are going back to the 50's and having to fight for everything all over again. It shouldn't be like this. I shouldn't have to convince the administration that mainstreaming my child for certain activities is good for both Ethan and for the other students. I shouldn't have to have a top administrator say, "Obviously, it is good for your child, but what can your child do for the typical students?". Really? It is all very discouraging, upsetting, infuriating, and just flat out not right.

For those people who have babies graduating and moving on up, congratulations!