How we got here

In light if the tragedy last week it got me thinking...

Autism, and all the other mental illness disorders so to speak... they are plagued with stigma from the time of diagnoses. Either by the parents themselves because often we like to stay in denial that they don't have it or its not that bad.  Out of finical strain many very bright capable children are put into special ed classrooms to be babysat and out of the parents exhausted hands for 7 hrs. Its all some parents have. Its their savior their sanity. The downfall is what happens to this child.

Here is my story.  And it really does take a village.
Dane was diagnosed at 5. VERY late due to his seizure disorder and meds he was on.  He was put in a special education classroom the following week. this was very hard for me but the "professionals" swore this is where he belonged.  Only a few weeks later did i see him isolating himself and walking the perimeter of the school yard. I was shocked! Dane has always LOVED people! loved friends and interacting. to see him off by himself put me in a rage.
We left the SPED classroom that day and never looked back. I fought for full inclusion in our neighborhood school and got it.  Dane spent the next 5 yrs fully included and happy for the most part. He had friends and play dates and although it was a BATTLE between me and the teachers and administration Dane was growing.  This all came to a screeching halt at the end of 5th grade. he was isolating again because his teacher decided he was too much effort to teach. she sat him in a corner and at every turn pointed out he was not like everyone else. SO it began again, at every chance he could get to get away from his peers and everyone he took it.  Once again i took Dane and walked away and never looked back.  He recovered! thank GOD!
You see, No matter the diagnosis there is a PERSON in there! A soul longing to be understood,loved accepted. to be treated like everyone!  Yes some of them are weird but seriously people have you looked around lately WHO THE HELL ISNT weird!  We are living in a society where women are doing some weird ass shit to their faces and we are still having lunch with them and talking to them like we didn't notice they spent 10 grand fucking up their face!!! that was a conscious decision they made, but we don't even flinch.
People with a Diagnosis are not making conscious decisions to be weird! They just are! At the cost of what happened this week ask yourself ...
Am i the kindest person I can be? Am I reaching out to that kid in school or having my children reach out to that kid in school that is "weird"? Loving, Accepting thinking about it!!!!!!