Jerks are People, too

I ran into someone the other day at the mall, who used to bully me RELENTLESSLY in Elementary school. 

He started my childhood nick name "Maddie Fatty" (which to this day makes me cringe and I don't like talking about it...).

One day, in the 3rd grade, he shoved me in a trash can for playing pretend Poke'mon by myself...

So I reported him. And after being evaluated, he wound up being put in special ed.

He never messed with me again...but I always knew him as the guy I sent to special ed.

I never really thought much about it after it happened...but 15 years or so go by and I see him and I literally felt speechless. I put on my polite face and said hi and asked him how things were going, and he reciprocated the same energy I threw at him. It over-all wasn't a bad experience, but it really got me thinking about things...

What would have happened if I hadn't spoken up about this incident and what he had been doing to me? I don't mean in the sense on what would have happened to me, I was getting made fun of by more kids than just him, but I mean with his life. I don't know exactly the kind of problems he had, but I imagine that if they hadn't gotten him in the program when he did, he would be in a totally different place right now and would not have gotten to where he is now. He told me that he is at a technical college going to be an auto-mechanic...which is awesome! What if he had never gotten the services the special ed provided for him? I don't want to blame myself for his success...but one little thing led to another, in a sense. 

What would have happened to ME if I hadn't gotten services?

I don't think I would be at all who I am today. Let's see some examples...

Things I could not do if I were never in special ed or gotten the amount of therapy I had:

-I couldn't speak. I would have no sense of communication, or if there were, it would be 2 or 3 words at a time.

-I couldn't eat anything but PB&J, French Fries, and Mac & Cheese.

-Acting? Forget about it.

-College? Forget about it.

-Boyfriend? ANY kind of friend? Non-existent...

I'd go on, but let's just say this...I owe a LOT to people in the educational system. Not all of them were necessarily people I always enjoyed working with, and a couple of people made me feel pretty crappy, but the ones who were awesome to work with are the ones that stick out in my mind. It took me years later to see the impact that these people really did have on my life and my development, but now as an adult, it means the world to me. 

Parents, if your child is frustrated with their special ed, or they don't seem cooperative, please be patient. Your perseverance and your child's special educators are essential in helping your child find the best sides of Autism. No matter what your child might have, early intervention of it will make all the difference. Intervention can help your child bring the best sides of them out, when the negative seem to want to over-shadow them. Don't give up! Years later, they will thank you for never abandoning them even in the darkest of times. I know I have, and I bet that guy from my elementary school does, too.

By the way...Mondays suck. Just thought I'd throw that in there.

<3 Maddie