Williams offer is also at St.Philips, but he won't be going there. He will be at New Greenhall, a Special School that he is already attending on an observation place and is more suited to his needs. I admit I find that a bit gut-wrenching that he won't be going to mainstream, although we feel it is the right decision (and not one taken lightly). Alex doesn't seem to mind, but I bet somewhere there will be disappointment that his brother won't be there with him. I find it annoying that we had to apply for a mainstream school in the first place, feels like a kick in the teeth to be honest. But I guess not every child who needs an SEN place will get it.
I am really happy for those friends whose children have been offered a place at the St.Philips, but there is pang of sadness, maybe jealousy, that it our family whose path has been altered. I guess we all have our difficulties no matter who we are though, and ours just happens to be autism. And there could be worse things in life.
We went to the park this morning, bright and early before people start to arrive. This is best because freedom and space is important to William. It also means we are more relaxed as parents, as we're not concerned about William bashing someone's face in with a swing. We met up with 2 more lovely families, whose boys are in Williams class. The children didn't play "together", but it was lovely to watch them running, squealing and even bickering at times. It's hard to describe, but when you're with families that "get it", its an amazing feeling. Alex also got to play with a friend his own age, and that's so important, as William doesn't really know how to play with his brother yet. Or maybe he chooses not too. Alex talks gibberish a lot of the time 😀
Later in the day I read through William's most recent Educational Psychology report sipping my 15th coffee of the day, and I see how far he has come in the last 6 months, coinciding with starting Special Needs Nursery. Usually these kind of reports are upsetting as they bring home just how difficult things are for them, but this time I didn't feel upset, but positive. This time it wasn't "oh poor William look how delayed he is". I was looking at how much he had achieved, and how he had changed. I see he is strong willed, defiant to adults (ace!) and in the psychologists words "happy and independent". I saw how carefree he was in the park, running wild, squealing and shouting, making noise and bashing his face into the gate like any other child. I did tell him to stop messing with the gate but he chose that moment to have one of his defiant moods ;)
At this point it twigged. It really didn't matter that William wasn't going to his brothers school. Its a brill school, but it's not about being the best, its about potential. The best mainstream school in the world may not be able to unlock Williams potential. But New Greenhall School may just do that. I'm excited about the coming year, just as excited as I was about Alex starting school.
As a parent of a child with additional needs it's easy to get bogged down with the negatives, but it doesn't have to be like that. William has as much right as any other child in this world. Just because he doesn't speak with words doesn't mean he has nothing to say. Just because he doesn't look right at something doesn't mean he is not taking it in.
This is WILLIAM. A boy who hates vegetables and will close his eyes to see if they disappear. A boy who wants ice lollies for breakfast. A boy who will hide in the shed when he doesn't want to come in. A boy who loves fart noises and burping. His autism may affect him in some ways, but it makes him different, not less.
Bring on Reception!
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