August 11, 2004
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So…did anyone watch Miracle Run on Monday night?
If you missed it, it plays again tomorrow night at 9pm est/pst (7pm mst).
I watched it…and felt almost every emotion possible while doing so. It was definitely a kleenex movie for me. While watching the end, I had Caleb sitting with me on my bed cuddling up for bedtime. I just held him and thanked God that he is who he is and that I have him.
While watching one part of the movie where the public school is telling Corrine (the mom) that they won’t be able to teach her sons and that she should have them attend outpatient treatment through a mental health institute, Jason turned to me and said, “they can’t do that legally ya know”. Well no, legally the school doesn’t have the right to deny those children an education. However, it happens all of the time…especially with autistic children.
Most people hear the word autism and think mental retardation. So they over estimate the needs for the child’s developments. Their ignorance, unfortunately, then contributes to thousands of autistic children not receiving the vital support that they so desperately need at a young age.
Anyway, it sparked quite the conversation with us considering Jason is going into education.
I’m lucky that I was able to find the correct people to work with Caleb at an early age and have continued to work with him throughout the years. I know that some states have done away with programs that are necessary for autistic children to get that kind of help. Although, I hope that with the new funding that has been granted…these programs (or better ones) will be reinstated throughout the U.S.
Well…I suppose that I’ve gotten on my little soapbox again. What I really wanted to say was that if you missed seeing the movie on Monday, please…make an effort to see it tomorrow night. Thanks!
On another note…
I met with Jonah’s teacher yesterday and let Jonah get familiar with the school and his new classroom. She evaluated him a bit while I filled out yet more paperwork. Ugghh…I’m so sick of school paperwork and unfortunately I’m not done yet because I meet with Caleb’s teacher tomorrow morning along with his therapists.
That will be good though, because it will give Caleb a chance to become a bit familiar with some of the people that will be working with him this year. He has a new group of therapists this year, so it will take a bit of time for him to warm up to all of them.
I’m looking forward to seeing how he progresses this year. I hope that he does as well as he’s been doing the past couple of years. I’m sure there will be a bit of slow time though due to the new people in his life there, but I hope it doesn’t slow things down too much.
Anyway, Jason and I went “school supply shopping” yesterday afternoon!
OMG…Target was a madhouse!!! The store was out of a LOT of items…so we just substituted for what we could. The schools are just going to have to deal with it. 
We spent well over $100 on the supplies…but it was better than what I’d thought it would be originally. I thought that we’d wind up spending that much on each child with the items that they had listed.
Let me give you an example…they all had the basic items of crayons, markers, pencils, water paints, erasers etc…but then they also had items like this:
Elmer’s glue 8oz & Elmer’s glue sticks (4 ea)
box of plastic spoons
package of paper plates
rubber cement
bottle w/ dispenser of liquid hand soap
box of ziploc sandwich bags
box of ziploc quart size bags
large bath towel or beach towel
box of Dixie cups
a ream of Xerox brand copy paper
large box of Kleenex tissues
baby wipes
That’s just to name a few. Ever feel as if you’re supplying the teacher’s lounge? I do.
I mean c’mon, why in the world are my 5 year olds using rubber cement? They have glue and glue sticks…why do they need rubber cement? That stuff is friggin’ toxic to little lungs.
Anyway, that’s a whole other issue for me so I’m going to hush on it for now. I honestly don’t have time to go off on it right now…I’ve got too much work to do.
So yeah…have a Happy Hump Day!! I’ll visit you when I get a break!
Comments (11)
It’s getting worse and worse! I was talking with my Finnboy about the state of this nation at the moment. If we as a nation really cared about education, all the things in your blog that are mentioned would not be issues… plain and simple.
I didn’t see that movie, but I don’t do anything at night so maybe I should watch it. Well good luck to Caleb, and all your kids for a matter of fact
Thats just crazy those school supplies I remember when we had to bring kleenexes but paper plates, spoons, towels, what the heck do they need all that for
When do your kids start school>? I haven’t been school shopping yet, I don’t know how busy the stores are most of the people around here don’t start till the beginning of September
A towel??? Lol, glad my brothers don’t need such crazy supplies. Reading that list actually made me chuckle, and I watched that movie. Wow. That’s all I have to say. A good wow, of course.
I think awareness must be getting better because I’m hearing more and more each day about autism. There’s hope!
And dat’s a mad crazy school supply list, man. Pencil and paper, that’s all they need! geez! and a laptop. definitely a laptop.
her school supply list isn’t that long and nothing odd on it..
I applied for a job to help take care of children with autism at a day camp sort of thing..still on the waiting list for a call..fingers crossed
It hurts me that the guardians of the special needs education system care more about preserving the status quo than developing teaching methods which bring special children and their non disablled peers together as equals. Were that to happen, life would not be such an isolating experience for people who happen to have disabilities.
I know, however, that you are doing the best thing for Caleb. If anything I have said in this comment offends you, I am truly sorry.
I am glad that people are getting more aware of Autism/
WOW you do have to buy alot of stuff over in the USA for school , here all you buy is pens and pencil case the school has the rest
Maybe we should move to the UK?
That was a good movie, and now that you said what time it will play again I’ll let my mom know to watch it.
Actually, the priciest items we got yesterday were diapers and wipes, so the school supplies did come in just under $100, but that’s only thanks to my discount. It is crazy– but I’m crazy in love with you
Happy Hump day to you….Im over the hump
Wow! What a list of supplies. In our school dist everything is supplied for pre-k and K, for 1 -3 we supply crayons, colored pencils, markers and pencils. For 4th and up it’s just notebook, dividers, pencil case, pencils and some teachers ask that you send your child with baby wipes or wet ones for wiping their hands with. My kids carry hand sanitizer in their lunch boxes but then again I’m a total germaphobe! LOL!
I loved the movie! I will be taping it tomorrow so my daughter can watch it, they don’t have cable in their apartment yet.
I did watch the movie and found it very inspiring. What kids can accomplish has so much to do with our expectations of and for them. I had a student with Asperger’s a couple of years ago. He was both a challenge and a joy. It felt so good when at the end of the year he finally hugged me … something that I knew was difficult and uncomfortable for him.
His mom brought him back to visit me at the end of this year … out of all of his teachers, I was the only one he remembered. She says that every time they had passed the school the past two years he asked to come see me. That felt really good because it made me feel that even though I wasn’t able to do everything for him that I wished I could have, I did make a lasting impression as someone who honestly cared for him.
It was funny because as soon as he came into the room he did exactly the same things he used to do … headed straight for his favorite magazines or books in the library. I talked to his mom for almost two hours during which he virtually ignored us, and then as they were leaving he came up to me and said he just wanted to tell me he missed me. It was a really special moment for me. Sometimes it’s hard being a teacher, and I feel like the lone voice in the wilderness advocating for my students. Moments like that are what make it worth the stress and heartache.
As for school supplies, we aren’t allowed to ask the parents to supply anything … not paper, not a pencil, nothing. What gets me though is that we have to fundraise to pay for fieldtrips. So we can sell their kids all kinds of junk at superinflated prices, but we can’t ask everyone to just pitch in a dollar to cover the cost of a bus.
Your supply lists sound a little outrageous. I’m sure the kids are excited about new supplies though. I remember that as being the best part of going back to school … still is!