Your thoughts and opinions, please

[Guest guest]

Just curious?

Has anyone had to deal with the a special needs teacher that does not

understand when your other child is not in school. My daughter, Emma

(8yo), is in a special needs classroom part of the day for help with

reading. She is ADD and dyslexic. Her teacher gets upset and gives

her a hard time when she is not in school. Sometimes she is ill or

her high needs brother who is 5 (FG syndrome, PDD-NOS, Spina Bifida,

etc., etc) has appointments far away from home and we would not make

it back in time to pick her up so she misses school and comes with us.

Emma has missed 11 days of school this year. Is it really that much

for our situations? We have NO help and I am battling my own life

long health issue. Some days I am ssooooo exhausted I don't have the

energy to get up and do this all over again. I know that makes me

sound like a bad mom but I really am not. I give my kids 100% of

me.The all day therapy's, almost an hour each time I try and get my

son to eat food, at least baby food even. Teaching him basic living

habits takes forever. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and wouldn't

trade them for anything. I want them to get a good education. The

school district we live in basically told us the special needs teacher

at the kindergarten building would not keep my son in her class

because she has never had a high need child before and is not trained

enough. So I am trying my best to teach him at home along the giving

him therapy when he is not at a therapy clinic two days a week. Maybe

all of this is why my marriage is failing and my husband has become an

alcoholic. How do you all get the strength to keep going and fighting?

I know it is a life long battle and the kids are worth it. I am not

complaining, just frustrated. What are your best solutions to the

constant changing world of education, laws and life?

Sorry for the long note.

[Guest guest]

It's typical for teachers (I was one for 9yrs) to stress attendance-

administration also. For the most part, if they are not there, they

can't be sure the kids have been exposed to the material, or they

might miss their special ed/tutoring time.

I know from this year only it has been difficult for us. I have two

kids, one in preschool. Preschool is 4 mornings a week, OT the other

morning. Both boys both still nap. I don't have babysitting except

for my mom and aunt in the mornings. So any appts I make for the boys

and me have to be in the morning- meaning my oldest either misses

preschool or OT. I just had to reschedule my annual exam yesterday

for the second time. I can't leave the boys with any old babysitter-

they wouldn't know how to deal with my oldest and I wouldn't feel

that he would be safe. It does get to be frustrating!

Do you have any autism support groups near you- in person I mean? It

would probably really help to meet others near you who are going

through similar things. Nearest one to us is a good hour away. I'm in

my local MOMS CLub and that is very helpful. www.momsclub.org If you

are planning on homeschooling after your state's required age, there

might be special needs homeschooling groups around also for support.

>

> Just curious?

>

> Has anyone had to deal with the a special needs teacher that does

not

> understand when your other child is not in school. My daughter,

Emma

> (8yo), is in a special needs classroom part of the day for help with

> reading. She is ADD and dyslexic. Her teacher gets upset and gives

> her a hard time when she is not in school. Sometimes she is ill or

> her high needs brother who is 5 (FG syndrome, PDD-NOS, Spina Bifida,

> etc., etc) has appointments far away from home and we would not make

> it back in time to pick her up so she misses school and comes with

us.

> Emma has missed 11 days of school this year. Is it really that

much

> for our situations? We have NO help and I am battling my own life

> long health issue. Some days I am ssooooo exhausted I don't have

the

> energy to get up and do this all over again. I know that makes me

> sound like a bad mom but I really am not. I give my kids 100% of

> me.The all day therapy's, almost an hour each time I try and get my

> son to eat food, at least baby food even. Teaching him basic living

> habits takes forever. Don't get me wrong, I love my kids and

wouldn't

> trade them for anything. I want them to get a good education. The

> school district we live in basically told us the special needs

teacher

> at the kindergarten building would not keep my son in her class

> because she has never had a high need child before and is not

trained

> enough. So I am trying my best to teach him at home along the giving

> him therapy when he is not at a therapy clinic two days a week.

Maybe

> all of this is why my marriage is failing and my husband has become

an

> alcoholic. How do you all get the strength to keep going and

fighting?

> I know it is a life long battle and the kids are worth it. I am

not

> complaining, just frustrated. What are your best solutions to the

> constant changing world of education, laws and life?

>

> Sorry for the long note.

>

>

[Guest guest]

> Has anyone had to deal with the a special needs teacher that does not

> understand when your other child is not in school. My daughter, Emma

> (8yo), is in a special needs classroom part of the day for help with

> reading. She is ADD and dyslexic. Her teacher gets upset and gives

> her a hard time when she is not in school.

In my opinion, it is NEVER appropriate for a teacher to give a CHILD a

hard time when she is not in school, unless the child is deliberately

skipping school.

>>Sometimes she is ill or

> her high needs brother who is 5 (FG syndrome, PDD-NOS, Spina Bifida,

> etc., etc) has appointments far away from home and we would not make

> it back in time to pick her up so she misses school and comes with us.

Is there an after-care program where she can stay until you can pick

her up?

> school district we live in basically told us the special needs teacher

> at the kindergarten building would not keep my son in her class

> because she has never had a high need child before and is not trained

> enough.

If he is above compulsory age, and you want him enrolled in the public

school, he is entitled to FAPE. So you would enroll him, obtain

assessments, and they would be required to appropriately educate him.

If he is not yet compulsory age, he may qualify for early intervention.

Dana