Waiting: Raising A Son With Special Needs

There are certain WAITING milestones associated with our children.

Waiting for the pregnancy test to turn positive.

Waiting for the Pediatrician's bill of good health.

Waiting to see if they make it through their first day of Kindergarten.

Waiting for their first report card.

Waiting for their first play-date.

Waiting to see if they got a part in the play.

Waiting to find out if they pass their driver's test.

Waiting to see if they got that job.

Waiting to discover if they get into the college of their dreams.

BUT THE WAITING MILESTONES ARE DIFFERENT FOR OUR SPECIAL NEEDS KIDS!

I am waiting right now. It is driving me crazy. I am out of control. It is all I can think about. I am perseverating on this waiting.  I am a broken record....when will Friday be here....For that is the day I find out...

Willie is 21 now and in July he will age out of the Public School system. Up till now, it has been his "RIGHT" to be educated under this system. We have carved out a perfect niche for him over the past 5 years at the Camphill Special School.

But now it is coming to an end.

And I am WAITING.

Will the next program admit Willie? This feels bigger than when my typical child was admitted to college last year at this time. It feels bigger than any other transition in Willie's life. I am sure these feelings are not completely true BUT it sure does appear this way. For now Willie has no rights. He either is accepted into the new program or not. I cannot turn to or rely upon the least restrictive environment, the Individual's With Disabilities Education Act, or other such laws to help him. He is on his own. We are on our own.

It is the worst kind of WAITING!