Meghan and Round 2 And ABC News On Call Videos

Meghan came home for her second weekend since she’s been at school. This time it was a great success. She’s in a routine and now knows what to expect. There’s nothing like getting into a routine and a comfort level—for all of us. She knows home is a time to relax, unwind and realize the rigid demands of school are not applied to home life.

I want her to know that she is on a mini break for two weekends out of the month. A chance to breathe and, perhaps, reflect on what’s going on in her life; perhaps even appreciate the good opportunities that she has been given: a good school with excellent teachers to push her emotionally, academically, and behaviorally so that she can have a future.

Tough love, perhaps, or military-like school, I don’t know how one sees this sort of thing; but I do know that it was the only way for her (and for us) and I think that tough love is a whole lot better than giving in and raising a disobedient, disrespectful bully of a child/woman.

She was so happy this weekend. Giddy, more like. From the moment that she got off the van and grabbed my hand and led me back to our house, she knew she was home. A place to be among her family in a relaxed environment and comfortable—a vacation. She enjoyed watching television with us, playing around with Nick—they have their own way, and, of course, helping herself to the fridge. And when I said that she couldn’t have something, she backed down and put it away. This was very good—progress, in fact, because in the past (before residential school) she would have had her own way and fought me off full force.

So I am seeing progress: behaviorally, verbally and respectfully (at least this weekend).

And when it was time for her to go back to school, she took her own time to get ready, enjoyed her room and her private time just a little bit longer and when she was ready, she moved on. And when the van arrived and it was time for her to go, she waved goodbye with a sparkle in her eye and a most content smile on her face.

And for the first time, I didn’t feel like crying--until I wrote this post! Geesh!


Also, I loved these ABC News On-call Autism articles and quickie videos describing characteristics of autism and asperger syndrome (AS), especially the benefits of having AS.

http://abcnews.go.com/search?searchtext=autism&type=