Just watched an interview with the Secretary of Education. He suggested that all 4 year olds should be included in pre-K within the public school system. I yelled WHOOHOOO at the TV! I will say that I do have a unique perspective on this situation as Holden has been in the “education system” since he was 20 months old. At 18 months old, his pediatrician was concerned about his lack of language usage. So he sent us to a specialist at UCLA. After 30 minutes with Holden, he diagnosed him as PPD-NOS. That would be pervasive developmental disorder, not otherwise specified. And that is in the Autism spectrum. The basis of the diagnosis always sat wrong with me (well I am a mother, so either being particularly astute or 100% in denial are close cousins in this situation). They said he wasn’t hitting the language milestones and presented repeated behavioral actions…spinning. As a mom I tried to explain that spinning everything in sight was a game he and his Dad had going on. They didn’t buy it and then I thought, it’s a symptom of this disorder which is likely why he enjoys it. So, because we had UCLA at our fingertips, we were accepted to the Early Intervention Program there. Where Holden was included with children from every end of the spectrum…from Down’s Syndrome to the most physically and mentally challenged angels. It was heartbreaking initially to see my son in that setting because I kept thinking…he’s only 2, he’ll talk when he is ready. But after I got past that initial reticence to have my child in with the “children who really needed it” he began to flourish…immediately! And suddenly my world was opened up to the struggles of every parent that has a baby with special needs. And that was a very, very, very eye opening, enlightening process for me. Still in denial, but thinking if Holden has some issues, they can be addressed and he will lead a productive life. And seeing the other children in his class, and their loving parents, I thought, I am a jerk for being so consumed with this because he doesn’t have nearly the road ahead of him that most of these amazing kids and their equally amazing parents do. So I learned a little about gratitude there. Flip to move to MA. Because my child was “in the spectrum” with his diagnosis, he qualified for ABA (Applied Behavioral Analysis) and Early Intervention schooling….at 2 years 2 months. Then when he hit 3, he was accepted into the pre-K program at our public school…the one with a 2 year waiting list. But because it was an integrated system, he got in because of his “special needs”. He is now 5 (as of Monday), but the cut-off date for entering Kindergarten was 2 weeks before his birthday. He is not only academically at the top of his class, he is the most socially acclimated child you will ever meet at 5! All of his teachers, as well as his daycare director, have repeatedly told me (OK, with school, they can’t tell you outright because seeing him on a daily basis doesn’t qualify them as “experts”. Only a doctor who sees him for 15 minutes once a year can do that!) that his only issue is that he’s the most empathetic, social, humorous, and intelligent child in their groups! And he may have attention issues…yeah well so does his Daddy! Point being in all this…whether this is coming from a mother in denial, or a mother who was lucky enough to get that diagnosis early enough to address it…the fact that my child has essentially had tutoring privately and schooling publically since he was less than 2…well his academic and social successes lead me to believe that ALL children would benefit from more schooling from an earlier age. And to be able to offer it as a part of our public education system would be phenomenal!
Posted on: Thu, 19 Sep 2013 00:44:15 +0000
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