Being Considered a “Liability”

Hello all..

As most will already know (Some more than others!) This week hasn’t been a good one. Yes,It’s been a complete nightmare in fact.

It seems like it’s been a long time since I’ve posted anything positive. What can I say? Life isn’t always kind (More so the people in it!) I feel I’ve been pretty decent when choosing what to and what not to write in a post. There is a great deal of stuff I hold back, for a number of reasons. Yet those who read the blog often comment to express their outrage in the treatment little man has faced, and the hurdles we as a family have had to climb.

Yes, we have faced some trying times (More this year, then ever) but… this week just took the biscuit.

I’ve stated more than once my upset towards my sons exclusions. No mother wants this for their child! I touched upon my child’s battle to attend educational trips and activities, how his self-esteem is becoming crushed every time his considered to be a “liability” by those that don’t truly understand (Or chose not to.) As stated above! I’ve held back on the finer details on all these issues. I’ve done this for many reasons, one being the reaction and treatment I received from my child’s school in relation to past post. Now I’m pretty feed up with people making me feel crap for expressing myself, after all isn’t it my human right to speak? This blog is my place to let some tension out. I wont be made to feel wrong for doing so..

I love my son! He, like his brother and sister are my world. Their isn’t a thing in the world I wouldn’t do for them.. not one! Little man didn’t ask to be born with AS. He didn’t wake up one morning thinking, “I’m gonna act like a complete brat today” Yes he can be naughty, he is a nine-year old boy. But.. there are times that behaviour are results of his AS, you just need to know when! Little bad wasn’t always “challenging” at school, far from it in fact! Little man was more quite, and when he was there (Sometimes he would just refuse to go, no matter what I tried) he would often cope, letting it all out once home. This seems to be a common problem for many parents of children on the spectrum! Their child displays “odd” or “challenging” behaviour in one setting, but not the other. Sometimes I wished that was still the case. This proves that once little man had a good routine in terms of attending school, he became more challenging in the educational setting due to an array of things. Sensory, environmental, anxiety e.g. These are a few challenges little man and other children on the spectrum encounter daily. Little man has trouble dealing with these pressures. Little things become massive, voice tones become confusing and somewhat sarcastic or aggressive. There are triggers EVERYWHERE!

Little man was given Six fixed period exclusions from March to July last (school) year. This school year he has already bagged himself another two. Shocking seeming we are only just in September, the very first month of the current school year. I mentioned before that I consider some of his exclusions to be unjustified. The trips well yes, I feel he has been excluded from these in a way that can only be described as discriminating. No more is my child told he cannot take part in educational trips and activities, he is now just excluded on the days they take place! I feel totally powerless watching my son be rejected from one trip to another. I am outraged at the way the school have dealt with exclusion and how they have no regard for our privacy. The current situation is a total mess! I am appalled at a number of their recent actions. These actions are completely unacceptable! They highlight a great lack of respect for me, Little man and the family. I feel we are disliked! My child for the way he is and me for the way I advocate for him. I feel we are treated this way from those I should trust. There is no longer a part of me that trust them. This totally saddens me. I’ve tried working with everyone. It goes no where. It’s one big disappointment in every way.

Last week Little man was given a fixed period exclusion. He missed swimming due to this exclusion. He had been having a terrible week, to the point I had to keep him home one afternoon, and contact the education welfare officer. This was so I could express my concerns over a current problem he was having involving his sensory processing, and how others were not able to understand his genuine upset. I was advised to return him, but expressed my fear that in doing so may result in him getting into trouble due to his anxiety. I would rather he stayed home through a decision made by me then have yet another exclusion on our hands (One brought on my anxiety and frustration.) The next day Little man returned! Did I have a sick sense? Maybe! Yes, little man was excluded by the head teacher at 6pm via the telephone.

I hate that we are never notified of exclusions earlier, or better still on collection from school. Getting Little man into an evening/night time routine has been difficult and having them excluded him at these unreasonable hours is just not on. I feel that having to always inform him of his exclusion is unfair. It’s not great being the one to inform your child that they have been excluded, will not attend a trip or another educational activity. It’s never been an easy task, but never as hard as his current exclusion, the one he is currently serving.

I’m not referring to the above exclusion but the exclusion we were given on Wednesday evening at 6.20 pm. This was not a simple exclusion but an extremely hurtful one for little man. I knew it was coming due to something little man was told not five minutes before the call. (This is a whole other shocking incident, that I will not yet comment on) Shock and disbelieve hit me when I was told he would face yet another two-day exclusion. He had been back two full bloody days! Teachers training day was this Friday meaning day two of the exclusion would be Monday. This was the day Little man was to attend his trip (The big trip) the trip he had looked forward to. Why? Because he would be going on a coach! A few weeks back Little man had a massive meltdown in the supermarket. He didn’t sleep and was displaying challenging behaviour the entire night. There was no possible way both the children could attend school that next day. However I went to speak to Little mans class teacher. It was discovered that the teacher had left the class that afternoon telling the children to display good behaviour while he was away, or No Trip! They had no idea where they were going as of that time, yet little man was incredible excited. I was told by another Teacher (TA) that little man was becoming very upset as a peer was not doing the right thing! Little man thought this meant the whole class would miss the trip! I spoke to little man that evening and he explained that his class peer was not being very good and the whole class would miss the trip. I had to explain this wasn’t the case. Little man was pleased saying.. “No one will ruin this trip for me” He was double as excited on discovering the type of transport we would take (Yes I did say WE, and we means Mum! I would be their to.) He repetitively  asked each day how many more days were left to go. Now this has happened! I was expected to tell him. I was the one who had to hurt him. Maybe he knew deep down this would happen, maybe this is the reason he acted the way he did when his friend misbehaved.

Angry I was fuming..  1) This was even happening. 2) The way the exclusion was decided and when. 3) The fact I had to tell him. 4) Yet another trip missed. 5) This is a double punishment!

Little man cried till his eyes were sore. He spoke between catching his breath. He was broken. There was nothing I could say nor do to make it better! The whys kept coming, followed by “Please mum go and speak to them and ask them, Please.” Its Saturday early morning and I am being completely honest when I say he’s still hurting.

How can they be so mean! I do not agree with this exclusion, it was done for reasons I don’t need to spell out. It was another knock to his self-esteem. This treatment is nothing other than horrid. Exclusions on trip days are a double blow. Not only will he feel he doesn’t fit in he feels he wasn’t wanted on the trip. Can you blame him? It’s not just the out of school activity he missed Thursday, Mondays trip, or last Fridays swimming! It’s all the other activities his been excluded from last year. It’s far to many. Please correct me but exclusion isn’t working so why use it? I wouldn’t mind but some weeks I find out his done something that to me is considered more serious. Then there are times like these! He is excluded for something far less serious resulting in him missing out on trips and activities. How does this system work? Forgive me I’m lost.

Lastly I want to say that yesterday my blog was given a good going over! Sadly for the wrong reasons. Maybe an update on exclusion number eight was sought after, or print outs were needed, who knows. I want to say that this blog is not written about anything other than my life with a boy with Aspergers. Sadly this is our life right now. This blog is aimed at others like me (Parents, carers or families parenting an AS child) It’s also their for those on the spectrum and anyone else wanting to learn more about how life can be with a child with AS. Some days are good and others not so great! But this is it.. Right now our life is a battle. I can’t stop it, no matter how hard  I’ve tried! Therefore whoever wishes to read this blog, then do so for what ever reasons. But those who do should understand that this is what is happening right now in our life. My son is already low in confidence and the above is not helping fix this. No aggressiveness or treats will be expressed within in this post, just pure tiredness and great upset at this horrible mess. The fact Little man now awaits an appointment with a specialist because he makes himself say sorry to god repetitively in his head or aloud, every time he acts a certain way, to avoid bad things happening is a worry and only highlights how bad things are becoming.

I hope the school have a fantastic trip without the disruptive little aspie, known as my son.  It wasn’t just a “Trip” for little man it was his chance for him to feel valued and build his self-esteem!

Claire Parkinson

A boy with Asperger's

I’m a mother to three gorgeous children, one (my eldest) has a diagnosis of Aspergers