Advocacy 101

Where was that chapter in all the parenting books I read when my kids were young?

I think all parents - whether they have a special needs child or not, should take a class on being an effective advocate for your child(ren).

The A word - Advocate - seems to be smacking me in the face alot lately, from a couple different directions. I'm 'sort of' used to it with Aarica and I'm the first to admit I'm not the best advocate when it comes to her as I should be --- but I'm learning and trying to pick up the slack I've created. There have been some issues regarding her lately. This whole highschool thing is just new stuff for me and it's taking awhile to learn the ropes and a whole new way of doing things compared to life in middle school. While I've learned to not expect the world from CSS over the years, I've never had more than a mild complaint or two about how things work through the school system and I've never felt my daughter has needed me to stick my nose in and question what's going on. We've been truely blessed throughout the years with wonderful people to help us. We've had wonderful daycare staff that to this day are a gift, good resource coordinators at the school, amazing teachers and awesome TA support with many of these people going above and beyond to help and support not only our daughter but also me (and my sanity) as well as our family. All of a sudden i'm in uncharted waters. HighSchool is a whole different ball game and I'm struggling........ but that is why I've scheduled a meeting with the resource coordinator at the HighSchool to get a few things off my chest about some issues and I am determined to help my daughter and not drop the ball.

But it's not just Aarica I've got to be an advocate for lately. It seems our youngest is also struggling with some issues both at school and at daycare and now I've stepped up to the plate to help him too. Owen is dealing with a bully of sorts - someone in both his kindergarden class and his daycare group and I'm feeling like I've come full circle. 10 years ago, I'm sure there was a parent just like me, talking to teachers about how their child is having problems with our daughter and now I'm talking to teachers about problems my son is having with another child. I almost feel like a hipocrite, complaining about some of the very same things Aarica has more than likely done to other kids over the years - but I know I would never have questioned any other parent for sticking up for their kid ....it's just odd to be on the other side of the fence for a change. No matter which side of the fence I'm on though - this advocacy thing is tough stuff. Lets just hope things all work out in the end.