Military Special Needs Network
Proudly Supporting all Military Families with a Special Needs Dependent
I’ve Got Your Disability Awareness Right Here
March is Developmental Disability Awareness Month. As if, for one moment, we forget that there is disability in our lives…
Except sometimes, I do forget that my sons are different from other children their age. Our current playdate buddies are very close in chronological (and developmental) age to where my boys are. They play well together. The other kids in their classes are all, while unique in their own beautiful way, developmentally very similar. My friends, my colleagues, my world is composed of families with special needs. It is the very fabric of my life.
And, yet, I get complacent. It becomes commonplace to hear about bolting, meltdowns, and concerns of aging out of the education system. We talk of medications like seasoned pharmacists. Insurance questions? We’ve got answers! All day every day I deal in “special.” So I forget that all kids aren’t like mine.
Today I was reminded.
Let me preface this with the fact that I absolutely adore my son’s school, his teacher, aides and the fabulous support staff. We fought to get him in to this private school. This is his tribe; these are his people. So, today, when he came home with a field trip permission slip, I was very happy and excited to learn about what awesome opportunity he was going to be able to take advantage of. Upon reading the permission slip, I learned that this exciting field trip was to the local grocery store. Grocery store. To learn about possible job options. At the grocery store.
Don’t misunderstand me. This is a really great opportunity. And, yes, likely this is the sort of employment opportunity that my son would be limited to. I’m a realist. I am well aware of his many deficits. And, the stink of it is, as things stand currently, my son’s behaviors may prevent him from even applying for this sort of job. He elopes. He can have aggressive and violent meltdowns. He is mild to moderately cognitively impaired. Actually, a job bagging groceries would, honestly, be quite a victory for my son.
And, yet, for a little bit, I kind of forgot that he was different.
Today I was reminded.
I’m going to go ahead and forget again now, m’kay?
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