How I Knew Residential Is Right

Meghan will be starting her new (residential) school during the week of the 22 of July. We had a meeting this past Monday to sign paperwork, meet with staff and classroom teachers and was given a thick “manual” (binder really) of all about the school and its programs, procedures, list of teachers, list of medical staff, their email, their picture, and all other contact information that you can imagine. I left with a big smile and a huge heart…this is not exactly the "emotion" that I thought I would have walking away.

This is how I knew that--not only--was I doing the right thing for Meghan--let’s face it, she will be entering the best school of her life--with programs galore--and their brand new 5 million dollar Olympic-size indoor swimming pool doesn’t hurt either; but we are doing the right thing, and the right school, for all of us.

The other big deal here is that I will be able to focus a lot more time to my son, Nick, who has a milder form of autism and who is also a pure delight. And how does he feel about his younger sister “moving” into a new school? He too has been well prepared. We have all known that Meghan would enter a residential school since last August, so he has had a chance—as have the rest of us—to digest the up coming change. Together, he and I also see a therapist (who specializing in autism spectrum disorders) once a month to help him with problems and issues (such as this one)—and me too!! She’s great and I’m so glad we have her; she really does help me understand and validate life with autistic children. And Nick fully understands and comprehends why Meghan needs to go away to this special school. I feel like we are living in a sort of "void" of not really knowing how we will react and how life will be when Meghan leaves…I get the feeling that we are all in our own little world of wondering and, at least for me, a silent mourning--it has been a long journey.