I feel very blessed! Thank you so much!

He is wonderful! He's the light of my life. :-) Thanks!

I accidentally dropped this comment when I meant to prop it! I can't figure out how to undo it!

Thanks, Nan!

Me too! Thanks!

Thanks so much! The generosity shown here has been so amazing I feel like I have already won. I want the money from the fund to go to someone else, though.

Thank you!

Thanks!

Thank you!

Thank you! He's quite charming when he wants to be, and a total cutie, I agree!

Thank you! I love educating people about autism. The more people who are familiar with autism the better the world will be for my son as he grows older!

Thank you! Me too! Three kids with special needs must keep you unbelievably busy!!

This is through the school district, and I am not eligible for any of the scholarship programs available. I did check into that, but it is a good idea for anyone reading!

Thanks!

Thank you!

Thank you! Eight kids? I'm impressed. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my one!

He does continue to make progress, so I am hopeful he will develop enough skills to live independently one day.

yep! 8 kids. She is my mom!

Thanks, me too! I'm nervous about it a bit, because he takes a while to warm up to new people telling him what to do. Heh.

Thank you!

Thank you! My state does offer services, but my son does not qualify for the free services. In order to qualify for the EYS services, my son would have to master a goal on his IEP, then regress on the progress and not recoup that progress after a break from school. My son does not show mastery on any behavioral goals and once he learns something to mastery academically, it is there forever. He does not show regression.

His teachers have tried to fudge it every way they can. They want him in summer school, too, because they know his behavior changes drastically. The problem is, he snaps back into shape too quickly, and they can't get the documentation to support sending him to EYS over the summer.

The program I have wished for is the school district's answer for kids like my son, who don't qualify for EYS but desperately need that structured setting during the school day.

Last summer I refused on principal to send him to this particular program, because it ticked me off that the cost was $100 more than any other summer program. Instead I sent him to the enrichment program, and that was an unmitigated disaster. Eight days into summer school they were still trying to get him into a classroom. The district director of special ed and two teachers were all working with my son (and having the district director out is a huge deal in a district of 50,000 students!).

So this year I figured I'd bite the bullet and do what is actually in his best interest, and send him to the most appropriate program.

Thank you!

Thanks! I'm glad I heard about this place, too!

Thank you!

I'm no different than any other mom who just wants to do the best job raising their kid, though.

I suppose that's true but far too many parents don't take that effort. But I do think your son is lucky. You are lucky too - look at that smile!

Thanks! I agree--I am lucky!

That's so good to know! My son is only functionally communicative--he can say if he is hungry or hurt, and he can say what he doesn't want to do, but he can't express more complex thoughts yet. Sometimes it is so hard to know if he likes or benefits from the things I do with him. It's always nice to hear from someone who understands him.

What I have is high functioning Asperger's Syndrome, so I can only relate in a very limited way. Nevertheless, I'm sure this program will be a wonderful experience for him. He is lucky to have someone looking out for him.