From the moment I made the decision to move from the small rural community that couldn't sufficiently support my sons and their education, I poured over places that made sense and what would work best for us as a family. When I saw the little housing complex just within walking distance to the school I knew that this was the city and this was the spot.
We moved during the winter break and we had appointments set up to meet with the SpEd staff just after the first of the year. As soon as I knew for certain what the plan was, just as we do as autism parents, I made the decision to start working with my sons to cross the busy road and make the trek to the school to create that repetition and pattern while there weren't as many cars, students, buses, and noises.
One of the cold winter mornings just as we had crossed the street, Seamus looked at me and in his usual thoughtful efforts and tone said, "I wanna walk."
I smiled and said back, "We are walking silly!"
To which he looked unamused at me and said, "No. I want to walk."
Then it dawned on me, "You want to walk to school by yourself?"
He replied in his pat affirmation, "Yeah-yeah!"
I had a pang, I will admit it, I had a pang on panic about him walking to and from school. It quelled as soon as my mind fell upon that moment so many years ago at one of the first IEP meetings and a staff member looked at me through her glare-filled lenses and proclaimed that I would be lucky if he wasn't institutionalized that I found myself once again determined to help him get what he wanted as well as deserved.
Later explained to him that what he would have to do and that we would have to make a goal if it's what he really wanted. He did not falter on his desire and so I set out to make a PowerPoint social story as I have done hundreds of time before.
A social story is a series of images and step-by-step explanations of the process to whatever it is one is trying to convey. They are tremendous tools for those who struggle to make connections and have aided us in many ways throughout our journey.
In this particular social story I began to map out the rules and basics that one would use to explain the idea of crossing the street and we began working through slowly so as to help insure he was grasping the process. As with most of these social stories I had to add and expand on it as time went on so as not to overwhelm him and keep things as succinct as possible.
After our first meetings and I was able to get to know the fantastic staff, our goal became a little more exciting as we realized teacher was so on board and willing to work with Seamus! The cohesive collaboration between staff and myself helped the progress move quickly and I could see that he was grasping the concepts well. (Don't get me wrong the Mom side of me was totally terrified and likely slowed his progress somewhat). But by the end of the school year he was completely comfortable with meeting everyone half-way and we agreed to start where we left off the following year.
As with many things in the autism world, it isn't the person with autism who is the issue, though, and a change in staffing would prove to be the worry I had feared it would be and even my stalwart son would feel worried that his desire to walk to and from school would not come to be.
(End part one)
