My favorite day of the year

Tomorrow is the one day of the year that I dread above all others. It's the day when Tom and I have to beg and plead for our son to receive the education that is appropriate for him. Seems pretty simple, right? What most parents take for granted, the "free" public school education that children get every day with barely a thought from anyone, is not so free for us, in terms of time and energy spent. Each year I worry myself into a frenzy over something that by definition should be a pleasant, or at least, tolerable and business-like, experience. A committee is set up to determine how best to educate a special needs child. This committee should, theoretically, have the best interest of the child at its heart. (remember that "no child left behind" thing?) Due to my inherent distrust of people in general, I find it hard to believe at times that anyone on the committee save for Tom and I has much interest in what's best for Sam. Of course this varies from year to year, from school to school, and from team to team. This year I feel like we are in pretty good shape- there's Tom and I , and then the team currently working with Sam, whom we are in agreement with about next year's placement, the team that spends 6 hours a day, 5 days a week with him, and have for the past 2 years.

Then there are the ones holding the purse strings. The ones who have only seen Sam on fewer occasions than there are fingers on one hand. The ones who administer tests that will claim to tell someone anything they would ever want to know about a child. The ones who know what children with Asperger's and Autism are "supposed" to be like, and what is "supposed" to work for them. These are the people who have been instructed by the people whose job it is to spend taxpayer money to save as much as they can. So I don't believe that my son's success is their first priority.

I think back to my first CPSE meetings, realize how woefully ignorant I was, and thank God that someone up above was looking out for me. I feel like it's pretty miraculous that we've been as successful as we have given our lack of experience. One good aspect of all this is that with each year that goes by, and with each experience I have, I learn something new. I've always kind of gone with my gut feelings, but now I feel like I'm gaining knowledge to back up what I've always felt was right.

So while I still dread having to go through all this to get something that should just be a no-brainer, I realize that anything worth having is worth working hard for. I will walk into the meeting with my game face on, and with confidence that no matter what, I can let my gut and my true interest in Sam's well-being guide me. It hasn't steered me wrong in 4 years, so I'm gonna stick with it!