Adulting

Oooooh....the wheels in my brain are turning! Our special needs parent group had a meeting last week, with a respresentative from the Snohomish county human rights commission. The meeting was great, to give us as a parent group, a starting point. First task will be to determine exactly what we need and want available to our special needs kids when they turn 21.  Off the top of my head, these things....

*An extension of high school for special needs adults. College for special needs, if you will.

*A full day program, 5 days a week. Kids like Braeden, even at age 21, are not safely able to stay home alone all day. I'm a single mom. I need to work to provide for us. As it stands now, kids like him turn 21, and they are given up on. I'm fortunate to be able to take Braeden to work with me now, but several years down the road, what if I have to take a different nanny position? Will that family be willing to let me bring an adult man to work with me? 

*No restrictions like having to be toilet trained, or a one-on-one aide present. If I could afford a one-on-one aide, I wouldn't need to worry about all of this, would I?! 

*Government/city/corporate sponsor funded. In Canada, this program is an extension of the school system, and fully funded. 

*Actual teachers/professionally staffed. I love volunteers. But the fact is this; volunteers are unreliable. I want people to be paid handsomely for their hard work with Braeden, that have the ability to be there every day. 

*Curriculum. Not daycare. LEARNING. These are human beings, and not lost, unteachable causes. Much like health insurance companies had to stop limiting occupational therapy coverage to children under age 7. Braeden is teachable, and he will not magically stop being teachable at age 21. Also? He frigging HATES crafts. Sitting a kid at a craft table and calling that something to do....nope. He deserves more options as an adult. 

Please put yourselves in my position for a few minutes, and help me think of things you would ask for on Braeden's behalf? What would you do if you were a single parent of a special needs child, who needed to work? What would your dream for your child be?