Autism Ignorance ......

I cannot believe that in this day and age, there is still reluctance and ignorance against children with a disability.

As you will all know... my dude... Zak has Autism.

The other night I made a suggestion about including him in an organisational activity group with my of course my support as his helper and was met with..... ignorance!!

I can't say that I am angry by it because I am not..... just upset and disappointed.

The persons ignorance was shown loud and clear. The comment about his 'noises' made me go into mother bear mode and in my usual manner, said it was the acoustics in the building, trying to make light of his hurtful comments. I did not like the feeling that it gave me in the pit of my belly. It was just his opinion and attitude towards my fella that I thought was antiquated and well past due for overhaul. I guess he will never know the joy of knowing this special, funny, unique and of course handsome little bloke.

I felt the need to stand my ground and mention anti-discrimination and equal opportunity for all.... even though the ignorance was limited to the one person.

Oh well... lucky for me... I have been there and done all that before... but, it still stings when I look at his sweet smiling face.

Feel free to leave you words of wisdom and opinions......

Positive Partnerships

Supporting school aged students on the Autism Spectrum.

Just finished a two day workshop in the positive partnerships. It was a good couple of days. There was alot of information and it was of course a good chance to meet up with parents in a similar situation to ours. We all had children on the autism spectrum.... some at the higher end... aspergers and some with low functioning autism (thats our category).

The facilitators (teachers/instructors) were full of great information and quite respectful of our position as parents/carers. It was never a case of them telling us what to do with our kids.... just leading discussions and making us aware of different tools we can use to assist us.

All in all, I think the program has some great points to make..... there is a dual program running.... one for parents/carers and one for teachers/educators. It is great that everyone is trying to get on the same page so to speak.

All of us have a similar goal... to make sure our child/student has the best opportunities in their education..... and alot of our issues were similar.

There was some great sharing of knowledge and systems that parents have used and had great success, which can now be tried with other kids in similar circumstances. You just never know... a new strategy seen through a different perspective can make a big difference. There is never one single answer, fix or strategy... each child with Autism is different.... their needs are different and therefore some of the 'tried and true' parenting techniques that have worked on your 'neuro typical' children for years, just wont work. Its good to get a few more tricks to put into your never ending bag of solutions, adaptations and trials.

But wait...... there is more.....

The positive partnership people have a website that can be accessed by all. Its not just for parents or teachers of children on the autism spectrum.... anyone and everyone can have a look and then do a couple of learning modules if they want to. I think its a great way to get out there and educate people who do not have a great deal of knowledge about autism and want to learn at their own pace. Which ever Government Department, University or Association thought of this idea..... bloody ripper!!! It is just so pro-active. That what I like. Positivity. It is way too easy to get bogged down in the negatives... so good for you guys!! ( have of course posted the link on the page)

PS: The darling dishwasher is still without a name.... but it has been confirmed that she is a girl... 'cause lets face it... a bloke could NEVER get the dishes as clean as she does!!

Relativity

Its all a matter of relativity ....

I have been giving this a great deal of thought, and in consultation with many of my friends and acquaintances I have found that the majority of things that piss you off, drive you nuts or just plain aggravate you are all based on .... relatives!!! Whether they be distant ones or immediate... its all the same... relatives..... hmmmm

Therefore, I would conclude that all matters of agitation tend to be matters of relativity!!!!!!

Of course each persons relativity is individual to themselves and their relations

C.A.M.H.S (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services)

What can I say..... If in need of help..... the WORST people to ask are those who are supposed to be there to help you!!!

I rang CAMHS for some advice on bipolar for Missy. After being put through to the 'intake worker' (now another kind of person not to deal with) and having a long phone conversation about her medication, moods etc etc ranging back from when she was about 3 til now (nearly 13), this woman, whom has never met Missy, never seen any of her medical records and as of now will never meet her!! informs me that in 'her opinion' Missy has been miss diagnosed and there is really nothing that they could do for me because, of course bipolar is really for older people!! FUNGOO

The bloody woman is of course assuming that Missys paediatrician (Dr Harry) who put her on her current medication and made the diagnosis after quite alot of reaserach into our family history and one on one chats with Missy and evaluation from a psychiatrist, who may point out our peadiatrician has a thriving practice and has had extensive dealings with children with mental illness and disabilities and not just 'physically sick' kids.... is of course wrong. Miss-diagnosis and medicating her. Needless to say..... I think this woman is in the WRONG JOB!! Hmmm... wonder is she is a doctor or a bloody social worker? (one of the kinds of people I dont like to deal with)

I did not ring to ask for anything other than some reading material, so as to better understand the highs and lows associated with bipolar. I went off to the 'staying well with bipolar' night in Ballarat last week and although the night was great... it was only really about adults not children or teens.

So bad was my dismay that I rang Pam (team Zak member) to see if I misunderstood the woman. Sometimes I can take things the wrong way. It happens. I had of course had my cranky pills and the 'black dog' has been firmly on its chain, but, I wanted to be sure. I just couldnt believe it. So Pam rang and got the same woman.. and you guessed it, same response but rude and arrogant to Pam. She was not a happy camper either.

Needless to say... off to my trusty computer and amazon.com and $175 later, I have some books being sent to me from America about bipolar in children and strategies to deal with, understand and help keep well. If you want something done... do it your self.... easier and less stressful.

We are off to see Dr Harry next week, will have to mention CAMHS to him and see what he thinks.

To anyone who reads this blog and is interested in the books I am getting, I will write a post about them after reading!! Might be some great information.

PS: dishwasher is still working like a bloody legend!! going to have to give it a name, any ideas?

CFA Fireline Leadership Course

The last 2 weekends I have been off to Fiskville Fire Training College. Learning all about leadership stuff. It was a very long 2 weekends, with classes starting at 8am sharp and finishing at about 11pm... if we werent running a little late.

I actually learned a great deal of stuff!!!

From dealing with fellow team members, leading crews, responsibility of leadership, ethics and integrety when leading, focusing on 'what, not who' and a myriad of other skills that will not only help me at a brigade level but also in everyday life.

I had a great time and met a whole bunch of new people from all different brigades in my region. All volunteers like myself who are wanting to add more skills to their brigades and in the long run benefit their community.

Our facilitators were keen, informative and made the mammoth task of absorbing all the information easy and understandable. Never moving on when something was not understood and quite happy to clarify when needed.

All in all.... it was a great 2 weekends. Alot learned and friendships made.

Go 'Team Everest'

The various levels of CRAZY

There has to be different degrees and levels of crazy!

Like, I am crazy about green guts chocolate.... but that is really ... like it cause its yummy and will no doubt take up residence at my arse or thighs shortly after consumption!!

In my household, there are many different types of crazy. The normal rollercoaster crazy kind of day that I am sure all families have. Then there are the days when everyone is off on their own tangent.... always a loud crazy day. Then, if it has all gone to shit and the mother has growled... turns crazy quiet in the house.... don't disturb the beast! There is the crazy silly days when everyone is clowning around and then the crazy visitor days when you cant move for the bodies in the house (which all require coffee or feeding if they are short ones), then there is.....

you offer your opinion or make a comment, observation or voice something you have been thinking about (it is usually a way out there thing, I don't do things by halves)and the world stops and looks at you like you have lost your marbles*.....
*my personal favorite that one lol

Then there is the kind of crazy where your closest friends say to you.... are you ok? do we need to call the fellas in the little white suits? have you been taking your prozac? why are you washing the walls? Think you need to come over for a cuppa!!

I recon I visit all the levels of crazy in any given week... I think that a healthy dose of crazy/nuts/silly is a great thing, even at my ripe old age.. ....

Imagine being the kind of person who never gets out there and just goes with the flow or never does something cause its fun and feels good..... BORING!!!

I think I am very lucky because all of my kids have inherited the crazy gene from me lol

Hope everyone embraces that part of themselves 'cause life would be so dull and boring if you didnt.

So if anyone asks if I am crazy.... I just say 'hell yes' and get on with life

School Bullies

School bullies....

It must be the week for ignorant little children who do not know how to treat other people with respect.

Firstly, I took Zak off to school on Monday morning and two of the grade 6 boys decided that it would be fun to continually sign 'toilet' to him. He said 'no' repeatedly, which is why it caught my attention. They must have seen Ang the aide signing it to Zak. Needless to say, with one of them constantly telling him to go to the toilet and him not needing to go, he got very upset and started yelling and banging his head on the door. I had a look out the window to see what was happening and saw them in action and told the boys that he already said no.... no need to continue signing to him. Needless to say.... he had a quite disruptive day and didn't really settle into the day very well and came home with a headache and quite 'Autistic'.

Of course next day.... same pair.... at it again... well Zak got upset again, but I went out and gave him a cuddle and told the 2 ignorant little bullies that they do not need to sign to Zak and to stop upsetting him. Of course denial is the answer... even when I told them that I saw what one of them was signing. I told the principal that I told the pair of them off and then I was a little naughty .... I signed to Zak .... "its OK they don't think!!!!". It cheered him up a bit and then it was OK for me to leave him at school. Not sure if the teacher or principal have chatted to those two yet.

Then Wednesday night..... I was doing the rounds..'kid check'... and found Missy crying. Went in to ask what was wrong and whammo.... she tells me a bully at her high school punched and kicked her repeatedly in the stomach after school when they were waiting for the bus!!!!

What the hell is wrong with these kids! There is no respect for others, no respect for adults, teachers and obviously parents. I must be really old fashioned, but geezzz.... don't they know right from wrong !?!?!?! What have their parents taught them !?!?!?! Where are their morals and values!?!?! Ignorance is seeming to become the norm !?!?!

So, off to the high school this morning.... HOLY COW.... how very super impressed I was with this fella... sorry deputy vice-principal ... Mr. Stuart I think it was.... he listened to what I had to say and then spoke to Missy and got her side of the story and subsequently spent the rest of the day speaking to students who were either bystanders or involved. He explained the whole process of what would happen.... from talking to all involved, mediation session with the girls involved and finally a recommendation to the principal in regard to one student assaulting another. Escorted Missy back to her class and removed a couple of students from the class and began his questioning.

Then..... he called me back later in the day and let me know how his day ended and that the mediation went well and most left quite happy with issues resolved and Missy ended the day OK with all that had gone on. Then reassured me that it will be followed through with the campus principal and has assured Missy that if there are further problems... she can go to him. Overall I was extremely satisfied with how the school handled the issue and am grateful for that. He was very respectful to each of the girls opinions and listened to them and understood and explained to them that different people react differently in situations, but... everyone has similar feelings. I cannot say how impressed I was with his attitude towards me, Missy and the whole situation.

Hoping this incident will be a one off wonder as far as Missy is concerned. Wonder what will happen to the little turds at the primary school??? I can assure you that I will be keeping my beady little eyes on them every morning!!!

PS: still LOVE the dishwasher!!!
PPS: Naughty Polly still limping after sneaking accross to the boyfriends again! Her comfy bed has now taken up residence in MY loungeroom! She's now officially an inside dog for the next few weeks..