Re: driving/scanner help, etc.

[Guest guest]

Hi,

Yikes! I guess another challenge on our never-ending rollercoaster

ride. Thats right Joan is on this boat with her son driving. I

know Kathy also have gone this route with her son . I missed out

with my oldest son, but now that he has returned home. I still worry

when he is out and about.

Well, I guess I better be prepared down the road and try not to make

Rick worry by having along for a drive. I can just picture

Rick nervous with rocking away. Maybe I should not

underestimate him as he has been great with his brother. Here is to

all of us with our future drivers. Ah, then luck with the

preparations of the college world as many are starting to send

letters.

Speaking about learning about the dx's. I'm lining up my schedule for

next year " 2003 " of several workshops that I would like to attend.

Along with the many parent-training classes, conferences, support

groups which sound very interesting as it all also involves learning

about behavior mgmt., addressing challenging behaviors in students

with ASD. Here are best wishes to all of us on " 2003 " as we continue

to address the challenge of preparing our children for their future.

I know thanks to y'all I was able to focus in the areas needed, which

have been a great tool of support and effective in the medical &

school world that my son confronts. Despite the ever-present winds of

change, together we shall respond to the challenges of the known and

unknown in ways that are grounded in the best interests of our

children.

Joan, if you should read this, thanks for the information sent on the

behavior issues. All printed out, attending to my homework in a wee

bit. Also a heart-felt thanks as our grand-moderator in guiding the

development of this tremendous list as an influential member of the

DS/ASD enterprise. For your leadership, guidance, and the strength of

serving us the needs to enable us to realize increasingly high

expectations for our children's world. I know I would of been a total

looney person by now without y'all.

Eh, my job as once again, still in this rollercoaster ride to see

what happens with " should I quit or not " ? I enjoy it alot as it has

been therapeutic helping others and not involving 's world. I

also know where my heart is at, with the continuous opportunity of

learning for 's sake. I've been offered another job as a

director for another rehab facility, its tempting but its nerve

wrecking on deciding what I would like to do. The awful thing about

is that the boss and possible future boss are supportive with my

dilemma of raising a child with special-needs and he is my main

prioity. At work my co-workers tell me thats what I get for having

street smarts, yea right? Another note, I'm not getting younger. Deep

inside I know what I should do, but just can't bring myself to hit

reality. Just needed to share my thoughts in this as its eating me up

some. So thanks for listening.

Oh, Margaret, that was too cute of Gareth understanding Christmas. I

can't tell if understands, but I know that he just stares at

the tree alot, like whats going on? Or maybe he wants all the lights

off. He did not remove the strand of beads from the tree. He did not

cooperate with opening the gifts together. Other than that he did not

stress me out so for us it was a nice Christmas. He too, just wanted

his old toys. Hope you received some responses to your scanner issue.

No help from me, mine is still sitting here, unless I bother one of

my sons if I need something scanned. Once you learn how to use your

scanner, looking forward to seeing Gareth's photo.

I better get to reading what Joan has sent, looks interesting. Take

care everyone. HUGS!

Irma, 14, DS/ASD.

[Guest guest]

Irma....

I read *every* post. Perhaps not very carefully, but I skim them all. I

hope the articles are helpful.

I've missed the actual concern about Driving, but I can tell you that my

oldest has been driving since August. In Oregon, he can't have passengers

except family for six months, so I have until March. The only real

*problem* we ran into was when he was out with some friends--one kid has

been driving long enough to have passengers so I assumed they were in his

car. decided to stay the night and came home for some stuff very late.

I met him in the hall and asked a few of those " parent-type " of questions.

In the process, I learned his two buddies were outside in HIS car. As I

asked the question he told me he wasn't driving.....so WHO WAS?! The kid

who legally can, but not with our insurance! Somehow we neglected the

instruction that NO ONE drives your car. If you're drunk, you wait it out

or call home. but NO ONE drives your car but you.

::sigh::

Well-intended law, but it causes trouble.

Other than that, having drive has been very helpful. Mornings are

easier, and I don't have to worry about him waling the 2 miles from the

trimet bus stop in the pouring rain when I'mpicking up andy.

TEACHING him was a little tough. He preferred me over his Dad and I was the

one to take him to his test, but....he flunked the first time. That was a

little rough for both of us.

My Dad actually took him driving the most. They have a good relationship

and this only made it stronger. It was nice to watch.

Irma....regarding your job thign....I completely understand and wrestle

with this all the time. Especially when folks call months in advance for

speaking engagements. I take one, and then one I *really* want comes in for

the weekend immediately following. Ugh. Do I go away two weekends in a row?

Will that be a problem for the family? Sometimes it's fine, other times

it's really hard..... what to do.

Rex returns to " the line " toward the end of February. I'm not veyr happy.

It means he'll be working swing shift. He'll have weekends off, which is

good. But he won't be available for doctor appointments after 2pm and so

on. It's been nice to be able to work as a team the last few years instead

of feeling the butt end of the hard stuff all the time. At least it's not

graveyard again.

Happy New Year to all.

Joan