Judging a Book By Its Cover

Whew! I have reclaimed my Mom Cave! Happy Monday to all!

The house is once again quiet after the weekend of chaos that comes with the three men in my life being home. Every Monday, I heave a huge sigh and wonder: at what age and stage of development do sons and husbands learn to live like civilized people?  Often, I feel as though I live in a fraternity house. I need a posse! Maybe I'll get a female dog...

As of today, I can add "homeschooler" to the list of things that I never thought I would do in life.It has been a fast and furious month for this family, and in a rare exception, our younger son was at the root of the activity.  He was our so-called "normal" child, what those in the autism community call "neuro-typical" (NT).  A very bright and inquisitive child, he has always had untamed energy. That energy often brought about a lack of focus. And, as he has aged, so, too, have these symptoms of what we now understand is high functioning autism.  He looks very normal. He speaks, well, A LOT. His vocabulary is vast. He's...quirky...but that seems to be how my family operates? I didn't pick up on the full picture until he was six. Now, nearly eight years old, he found himself in a private Montessori school where his quirky ways became a problem. His learning style was not something that the teachers understood, and his inability to make friends in a conventional way was misunderstood by his peers. I've learned that this is often the pattern for children with high functioning autism. While we were prepared to ride out the rest of the school year, we learned that not only was he not being educated properly but that he had fallen victim to bullying. He became a bundle of anxiety, and I could see him buckling under the pressure.

I will maintain that a diagnosis is NOT an end-point for children. Rather, I see it as a starting point, the answers that tell us how best that child can learn and reach his full potential. I was not ready to give up on him. So, we pulled him from his school so that he can be taught in a nurturing environment for the remainder of the year while we explore options in our local school system with supports for next year.


I'll say it: when I pictured a homeschooler, I wrongfully pictured a woman with long braids and hand-made clothing, perhaps wearing some natural deodorant and carrying liberal views about the proper direction of our country. I was closed-minded and fell prey to a stereotype. And, now I know that others will type cast me in a similar light. How laughable! And, how enlightening.

Many children with autism are wrongfully stereotyped as the next "Rain Man" or someone with a definite profile. Perhaps my older son would resemble the stereotype, but not all children with autism do. My younger son, just by being  has opened me to a new world.

Today, I begin homeschooling, yet I believe my son and I will be sitting side-by-side, both as teachers.


Have a great day!
Spedmom