First Day

My baby started his first day of first grade at his new school today. I was an anxious mama as I sent him off this morning on the school bus. His teacher seems really good, very experienced, organized, knowledgeable, and caring. She called me last week to ask what Benji's favorite foods and activities are, so that she would have everything ready for him on the first day of school. I'm hoping this will be a good year for him. And I am praying to the spirits and the goddess that this may be a breakthrough year for him, so he can take the next big leap forward.

Buddhism and Autism

I was reading about this really interesting connection between Buddhism and autism. I reflect on how mindful B is, how deliberate, how he really focusses on one thing at a time. How he is able to disconnect from the mundane in this world, and concentrate his attention, on a leaf, on a string, on the shadows, on the telephone wires... Perhaps he is not stimming, maybe he is deep in meditation. Maybe he is an enlightened one. Blessing us with his presence here on earth, teaching us deep and profound lessons, to live in the moment. Appreciate what is there. Clear our minds of extraneous thoughts.

These are a few of the very sad things

• seeing my children totally alienated from their peers at recess time.
• seeing the 1:1 behaviorial therapist hired and trained to help my children achieve their IEP objectives of improving social skills and appropriate peer interaction, as she facilitates the other children playing red rover on the playground, while A and B continue to be completely alienated and nonparticipative.
• that I don't have the courage, knowledge, no-how, skills, will to change this.
• that no matter how hard i try, i can't get it right for them.