Being a parent is no easy feat, and presents challenges all the reading in the world cannot totally prepare you for. You must simply live it breathe it and get on with it, whether you are a couple or a single parent. This journey is from the moment of your child's birth, the joys, the pain, the stress, lack of sleep and moments of being proud all wrapped up in one.
A SEND child takes this experience to a totally new level. Take all the above and add additional anxiety, becoming a medical expert, turning into an unrecognisable annoying person to get what should be simple things done, thinking about every single thing before you do it and loosing people around you who cannot and do not want to understand your new life.
However it would be unfair to say that there are not some amazing moments when some obstacles are overcome, or your child achieves something even if small to the rest world, to us they just climbed Mt. Everest. Join me as this area is dedicated to exploring more about family life using experiences of others and Luis.
Luis has been lucky to have a SEN school in Scotland and also now that we moved to Cambridge. It was not easy as the waiting times and process to get an EHCP in place is not always as straightforward as it may seem. There was also what seemed to be an easier route of putting Luis in a mainstream school and having additional support. We knew that was not going to be the right environment both for him and the other students so we declined on multiple occasions.
There are so many reasons it would not work, from the him being non verbal to being overwhelmed when he is not able to interact with other children and big crowds, a lack of awareness and danger, still very unstable on his feet, needing constant attention, having naps during the day, wearing nappies, does not play with toys for any prolonged amount of time, throws things and laughs at it, can cry and not stop until he is hugged and consoled.
However with that being said at the right environment in a SEN school and the right support around him, Luis loves going and being able to express himself everyday. We have an app that allows us to see pictures and a report of the daily actives where he has had some success and how the teachers creative abilities allow him to be himself. Luis has an ability to make friends really quickly and most teachers seem to know who he is.
It is quite interesting what we hear everyday when speaking to each other as parents, carers, teachers and friends of those who need us most. I shared a handful above, click on this link and share some inspiring, funny or interesting one with us.
