Administrators, IEPs, Lent

My son has Asperger's Syndrom. It's an Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He's mainstreamed in school, gets As and Bs in his academics, no aide but a few accomodations. Every year we go through a process called an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) meeting to discuss his progress this school year and his goals and services for the next. Yesterday was that meeting.

Normally it's a meeting that has 30 minutes of information shoved into two hours of sitting around. This year was no different. Everybody had great words to say about him, praised his work ethic and his great attitude (he loves going to school). He has worked so hard over the last 10 years that I come to tears whenever I really sit and think about it. He has a heart of gold. We are certainly blessed.

This year the program administrators suggested, lightly, that it is getting harder to justify keeping him in the program. We were at once shocked and overjoyed. Shocked that we could be losing services and overjoyed in that he seems to be winning. The words are still sinking in and I'm still smiling.

As if to punctuate the statement he drove it home again. Last night before church he was working in the kitchen for service hours for his God and Country Award. I was not in the kitchen as I had a separate meeting to attend too. Several people came out and told me he was a joy to work with and a hard worker to boot.

During church we were discussing a play put on by the confirmation class. My boy expressed wisdom beyond his years when he contributed to the discussion. Who knew he was listening! Seems like I cry easily lately because I was certainly on the verge there too. I guess I need to stop underestimating the wisdom of children; or at least stop crying about it.