Happiness?

I stumbled across a link to a website called the happiness project. So now it is a project to get happy? It reminds me of the old Partridge Family song "come on get happy". How I loved David Cassidy, well, anyway I'm showing my age and my daughters would say that is creepy. Back to happiness - I want to be happy, most days I am happy, I know I deserve happiness but I thnk it is tough in these times to be truly happy. Struggles, conflicts, worries. Apparently this woman tries to have a better outlook on things. I might give it a shot. I think I started last night when Tor got home from school and told me she accidentially threw away her monthly railroad pass valued at $235. I didn't freak out, no, not one tiny bit. I was a little surprised at myself. I even looked for the receipt, which prompted me to start to declutter my "desk". That made me happy. I went for a bike ride this morning, that made me happy. I've been able to stick to my diet or healthy eating plan but that doesn't make me all that happy. I miss the wine, I miss the chips, I miss the leftover Easter candy so no I can't lie I'm not really that happy. Although my son this morning tried to convince me of how lucky I was that I didn't have get up and go to school. I am happy to be able to sleep in. Actually the happiest moment may very well have been seeing his little shaved head right up in my face kissing me good bye.

Broadway

I had the privilege of seeing a Broadway show yesterday with my Toria. I say privilege because no where else in the country do they have such a place as Broadway in Manhattan. For those non New Yorkers who may never get to experience Broadway first hand, I offer you my sincere condolences. I literally could have made an American Express commercial yesgtereday it was that "Priceless". $100. for 2 third row orchestra seat tickets, dinner and starbucks while people watching in times Square, spending a Sunday in the City with your 18 year old daughter - priceless. These are the times I will remember forever. While we saw a rather "dark" show, it perhaps made me more aware of how lucky I am. Blessed in fact to have these beautiful young women to call my daughters. Blessed with my two boys and most of blessed to be here in New York and taking advantage of all that it has to offer me.

Autism awareness

Last night, just by chance while flicking the remote around, I found a documentary on autism. It involved a young boy, maybe 11 or 12, with a severe case of autism. The documentary travels with the family as they try to find out more about autism and what they can do to unlock their son, Keli, from his world of non communication. My heart broke for this family, to watch the struggles and see the parent's faces. The boy is adorable and I believe rather intelligent. I realized two sad facts from this presentation: 1-there are programs, really good programs out there for children with autism just not readily available to everyone and 2-there is not enough funding for research in autism. The family travelled to California where it seems there are plenty of programs. I found some very interesting points from the show and the work they are doing in CA. One on one work with these children is the only effective way to break through to them. You must start early. You should sit on the right side of the child when working with him. It was amazing to see these children able to communicate. They are transformed from non verbal misdiagnosed children to communicators. One young man was so brilliant he won 4th place in a google contest with stocks. His rate of return was something like 24% on the stocks that he managed. Amazing. And the doctors tell these parents to put them in institutions when they are born because they will never succeed. These children with aspergers are the genuises of the future. There was also a family in CA with three boys with autism and twin girls typical development. I found it disturbing to see the mother feeding the boys junk food with chemicals and processed food, and soda with sugar and caffeine. Maybe its me but I believe there is a connection between healthy, organic food and the way a child learns. Another interesting topic which was covered was the children who are born verbal and then for some reason at around 3 years of age suddenly regress. Why? Environmental? Vaccinations? No one knows. And unfortunately we might not know for a long time because of the fact that research is not funded the way research for breast cancer and alzheimers is funded. Adults have these diseases and working adults can support the research. However, because autism affects children whose parents are simply trying to cope with the hand they have been dealt and can't really donate to find a cure. That is why autism awareness is so important. A cure needs to be found - immediately. Im not saying stop researching cancer but these children are our future. Let's get them healthy so they can find a cure for cancer. Some of the brightest minds are locked up right now by autism. Let's open them up. If you get the chance, try and watch this documentary. It tops American Idol - anytime.

Some hear No and say OK, I hear No and ask why not?

All I wanted to do was sit in on a reading lesson in my son's classroom - is that too much to ask? Apparently the answer is yes. So I ask why not? What are they hiding? What don't you want me to see? It is my right as a parent and a member of my son's CSE team to observe a classroom. IDEA tells me that and yet the principal tries to tell me something different. If it is ok to come into the class during a party, why is it not ok to visit a class during a lesson? Other school personnel can sit in on a class and observe my son, however, I cannot. Am I to believe that the whole theory of parent participation is a crock of crap? Administration wants to talk a good game but in reality they want to keep the doors shut.

I must now push on and carry it to the next level. Civil rights are being violated and someone will pay.

March is National Disability Awareness month

Awareness and understanding - that is what they want. Sure we are aware of a disability when we see a child in a wheelchair or the lovable face of a child with Down syndrome, but what about the silent disability? All of our beautiful children on the autism spectrum and those with learning disabilities who struggle every day. These children are struggling to accomplish everyday tasks that you and I take for granted. The attempt to rid society of the use of the "R" word? I know that label doesn't belong on my son but society is using it on a daily basis, both adults and children in schools, work and on the playground. In order for us all to understand a person's disability, one must start by changing the language we use to describe another human being with feelings.

Awareness is a message that needs to be spread to every corner of this planet.

Teaching is Rocket Science

The NICHD (Natl Inst for Childhood Health & Dev) considers reading failure to be a national public health concern. Not state but national. A health concern that in this day and age we as Americans in the greatest country in the world can't fix. How can that be possible? Our children have enough health concerns with swine flu and vaccines and the possibility that they are in fact causing our children's problems. Drugs and alcohol abuse are staring them right in the face and now they are faced with not being able to read, one of the most basic needs. Each and every child is entitled to a free and appropriate education. So why aren't they getting it? Better yet why aren't more people fighting to get their children the education they deserve? We need teachers to learn how to teach. Education schools aren't teaching elementary teachers about reading. And then parents are spending money on tutors to teach what the teachers aren't teaching!

On a side note, I spend a lot of time reading and researching learning disabilities. When I find something a little bit lighter to read, I like to pass it along. So once again my book review on the flip side of this madness is for another Emily Griffin book. You know her - she wrote Something Borrowed, Something Blue and Baby Proof. I just finished Love the One You're With. A story of Ellen and her having to choose between her college love and her husband. Great read. I like to escape to someone else's life and see the struggles they are encountering. Marriage is tough, kids are tough but I think I see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. I like to envision myself sitting comfortably overlooking my wine vineyard on a beautiful sunny day with my horse and dog next to me. My kids are grown, happy and successful and I am actually in love. We can all dream, can't we?

Too much information

Well I just got home from the first day of my training for lay advocate for special education - WOW - so much information to take in. I feel as though I have finally found my "spot". There was so much frustration in the room with these parents desperately trying to get their beloved children the help they need and DESERVE. I wanted to stay there for days. The president of the Long Island Chapter of the International Dyslexia Association was by far my favorite speaker. While I felt empowered with my new found knowledge, I also felt scared for my son's future. The sad reality is he will never be able to catch up to his grade level unless he gets the right education from this day forward. That breaks my heart.