It's been awhile since I've written here. I've been sharing my experiences though but everytime I do, I've been told to write it down. I am not sure where to write, but a public domain like this sounds like a good idea: a permanent, I hope, repository and as mentioned, in my profile, my way of sharing my story to those going through the same adventure.
At five years old, though still not quite verbal, Gordon started afternoon kindergarten. I specifically instructed my nanny to bring Gord to school half an hour prior to the start of class so he would have chance to mingle with the other kids in the kindergarten enclosed playground. The other kids, unaware of his diagnosis, enjoyed having him around. Gord had fun with them, all smiles alternated with laughter, yet barely verbal. My nanny reported to my her observations.
One afternoon, my nanny informed me that the teacher had disallowed Gord to come to the school premises prior to the start of school. What?
To my understanding, the school had accepted Gordon to be included in all the curriculum. The only thing that differentiates Gord with the other kids is that he as an educational assistant (EA) with him at all times.
He's not allowed in the school premises since the EA is not yet available.
But I was not asking a second of extension in the EA's time. Precisely, I hired a nanny to oversee Gord until he was handed over to the EA.
Did they want Gord to just stay in the front parking area?
They knew for a fact, that he was fascinated with cars and vans, and if left alone, he would peek underneath the van or crane his neck to view the vehicle's interior.
With all my effort, I fought hard to have my argument heard.
They conceded. But deep inside me, I knew that this incident would be the start of the many challenges I would face with the school system.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Summer Camps
Summer camps offer a fun yet challenging structured environment for our children. And more so, for our routine-oriented children with autism, summer camp is an essential school extension, an enjoyable learning environment.
But summer camps for children with special needs can be very expensive. Usually, the fees are higher than for regular campers. Plus, the family is responsible for providing, training and paying a worker to be with their child the whole time the child is at camp. In total, a child with special needs is charged twice the fee of a typical child. Sure, there are organizations who can assist in securing a worker, or subsidize the camp fees, but their waiting list could be extremely long. Gord was on a four-year waiting list; by the time his turn came up, he could not qualify anymore as he had reached the age limit. (That sounds like a propaganda; provide a program that doesn’t work.)
Unless the parents can provide a similar challenging, supervised environment for their children, a do-it-yourself summer program is also an option.
Initially, Gord had always attended the summer camp program for children with autism and special needs. It must have been when he was about thirteen years old when he realized that there are different functioning levels of children with autism. He became conscious of his ‘special needs’ which he recognized were not exactly the same ‘special needs’ as those of the other campers. He knew he was different from them but he was not also like the other typical kids. He started to reflect on his individuality, and where and how his abilities and capabilities fit within the umbrella of his ‘special needs’. He wanted something, he didn’t know what. For now, for sure, he did not want to go back to the same camp for special needs for children. And, I don’t blame him.
In preparation for last year’s summer, we faced the challenge of looking for a suitable summer camp for him. He wanted to be with typically developing children who would be his positive role models. But, he could not just attend a camp for typically developing children. It has to be that camp where precautions at the camp are in place in case he burst his unpredictable violent behaviour attributable to his autism.
Our extensive search led us to the camps offered by McMaster University. They offer a sports fitness camp, wherein the camper chooses three sports from the list, and a Mini-University camp, a camp like school but without the exams and note-taking. They take a minimum number of special needs children who would be integrated with the others. Gord’s camp fee is the same as those for the typically developing child. Now, that’s fair! And to top it all, they provide the worker for Gord, at no extra cost for us. And that’s fabulous! Their university students, who have special interests in working with children while pursuing a related academic program, will be working with children like Gord.
Just based on what we read on their site, Gord found this camp ideal. He’d do anything to attend this camp; even if that meant that he would be taking their shuttle bus service from a location in our town to the University, his first time to be in a bus with other children/ strangers without special needs.
After four weeks of summer camp at McMaster U, we saw a more matured Gordon. Though we kept that observation to ourselves but the same was echoed by school staff come Fall. They saw an independent and confident boy yet still has a soft heart for children who are not as high functioning as he is. On his first day of school, he was surprise to see a familiar face; his teacher was one of his workers at camp. Thanks McMaster U’ summer program’s directors, counsellors and other workers. Please continue to your fees for special needs children the same as those of the other children.
He had a wonderful time last year, that he made sure he could make it to Mc’s camp again this year. (and that’ll be the topic in the next blog.)
Check the university and college in your area for children's program. They could offer something for your children with special needs.
But summer camps for children with special needs can be very expensive. Usually, the fees are higher than for regular campers. Plus, the family is responsible for providing, training and paying a worker to be with their child the whole time the child is at camp. In total, a child with special needs is charged twice the fee of a typical child. Sure, there are organizations who can assist in securing a worker, or subsidize the camp fees, but their waiting list could be extremely long. Gord was on a four-year waiting list; by the time his turn came up, he could not qualify anymore as he had reached the age limit. (That sounds like a propaganda; provide a program that doesn’t work.)
Unless the parents can provide a similar challenging, supervised environment for their children, a do-it-yourself summer program is also an option.
Initially, Gord had always attended the summer camp program for children with autism and special needs. It must have been when he was about thirteen years old when he realized that there are different functioning levels of children with autism. He became conscious of his ‘special needs’ which he recognized were not exactly the same ‘special needs’ as those of the other campers. He knew he was different from them but he was not also like the other typical kids. He started to reflect on his individuality, and where and how his abilities and capabilities fit within the umbrella of his ‘special needs’. He wanted something, he didn’t know what. For now, for sure, he did not want to go back to the same camp for special needs for children. And, I don’t blame him.
In preparation for last year’s summer, we faced the challenge of looking for a suitable summer camp for him. He wanted to be with typically developing children who would be his positive role models. But, he could not just attend a camp for typically developing children. It has to be that camp where precautions at the camp are in place in case he burst his unpredictable violent behaviour attributable to his autism.
Our extensive search led us to the camps offered by McMaster University. They offer a sports fitness camp, wherein the camper chooses three sports from the list, and a Mini-University camp, a camp like school but without the exams and note-taking. They take a minimum number of special needs children who would be integrated with the others. Gord’s camp fee is the same as those for the typically developing child. Now, that’s fair! And to top it all, they provide the worker for Gord, at no extra cost for us. And that’s fabulous! Their university students, who have special interests in working with children while pursuing a related academic program, will be working with children like Gord.
Just based on what we read on their site, Gord found this camp ideal. He’d do anything to attend this camp; even if that meant that he would be taking their shuttle bus service from a location in our town to the University, his first time to be in a bus with other children/ strangers without special needs.
After four weeks of summer camp at McMaster U, we saw a more matured Gordon. Though we kept that observation to ourselves but the same was echoed by school staff come Fall. They saw an independent and confident boy yet still has a soft heart for children who are not as high functioning as he is. On his first day of school, he was surprise to see a familiar face; his teacher was one of his workers at camp. Thanks McMaster U’ summer program’s directors, counsellors and other workers. Please continue to your fees for special needs children the same as those of the other children.
He had a wonderful time last year, that he made sure he could make it to Mc’s camp again this year. (and that’ll be the topic in the next blog.)
Check the university and college in your area for children's program. They could offer something for your children with special needs.
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