25/07/2024
In 2 weeks this handsome young man will enter 8th grade, and apparently my annual special needs mom school grief process has started showing up a bit early this year and also looks a bit different.
Yes, I still have, and will always have sadness around this time of year due to the fact my son with ASD does not get to experience school like other boys his age.
Yes, I still have, and will always have fears that uneducated parents will send their uneducated children to school and those children will be mean to my son.
Yes, I still have, and will always have feelings of envy for my friend’s that can just put their kids on the bus in the morning and not worry that their kid will have a complete meltdown because of sensory overload.
Yes, I still have, and will always have anger and frustration towards those that changed the DSM diagnosis criteria of ASD because more “high functioning” children receive services before my “lower functioning” child because they are more “teachable”.
The difference this year is I experienced one of most powerful and devastating losses of my life when my dear friend Wendy died in Feb.
Her death changed me. It brought me to places in my heart and mind I have never been.
Very dark places and very beautiful places.
Because of these changes I am able to face this upcoming school year with Corwin in a more understanding and open heart posture.
I will embrace all the feelings of this special grief and lean into my foundation of faith and the love of my husband and partner in this crazy life, Marc.
I will honor the new friendships God has placed in my path this year, especially my go to WTH friend Lisa.
I hope that if you are fellow parent that experiences this special grief every year around this time of year, you will reach out for comfort. If not to me then to another parent that “get’s it”.
Love y’all.
