I have a son ,who when he was an infant, we realized he was not talking like other kids his age. So we took him to the doctor to ask him what was going on. That was the start of a crazy journey. He was said to have a speech delay by a speech therapist and because his cognitive development was way advanced in some areas and less so in others they started placing the autistic labels on him. He would get frustrated because we had a hard time communicating with him and we were told by a therapist that that was a sign of autism because he acted irrationally. Now I think about it and realize that is a normal reaction we all would have if we could not express ourselves to the people close to us. I unfortunately let the people tell me what my son was and took it. I was told he would be “dumber” in some areas and super smart in others. I took the negativity from these people and now I look back and realize just how wrong they are. He is so extremely awesome and sure he is a little weird but does that make him autistic? Because he is weird and different from other kids he is declared Autistic? Now I take a different approach. I dare someone to tell me my son needs to change. And I have had quite a few people tell me directly and in a round about way. Why do people think we all need to be cookie cutters of the considered “norm”. I worry about my sons self esteem because of people like the ones I was talking about trying to label him and change who he is. They say I am ruining his self esteem by not conforming to the way they want him to be and by not drugging him. How ridiculous! I tell him everyday that he is made the way God wanted him to be and one day he is going to do something great and amazing and I love the grin he gives me and I see this confidence swell up in him. I can’t wait for him to prove those people who think different kids are diseased and need to be cured wrong. The one good thing that has come from his label is the speech therapy he gets for free in the school system .That has helped his speech improve dramatically. I do not call him autistic because he is different. I call him my son who God made perfect just the way he is.
Rebecca Kennedy Green 
This really breaks my heart, and is a reason why I let no “professional” near my child to pass judgement. I also know of a child who still wasn’t talking much by age 4 but then suddenly took off without any interference. All children and different; all adults are different! And who of us is not “dumber” in some areas and better in others?! I bet the person who said that to you isn’t great at everything him/herself. Ive heard of children in schools who were labelled autistic, and when taken out and educated at home they have absolutely thrived and even excelled in the areas where they were supposedly failing in school. We need to stop comparing children to those around or to some idea of “normal” coz really we all have our quirks lol. And we need to stop inventing labels for people who don’t fit into our idea of normal. I am thrilled to hear you are standing up for who your son is. Let no one, no matter what their title tell you he needs to change. He is who he is. Go and celebrate it!! Embrace the person God has made him…..He made him that way for His glory and His purpose.
Thanks Sarah!! It has been hard and I have been debating homeschool. To bad there is not a little school like YIS here. 🙂
After wasting time getting my teaching qualification and have spent a lot of time in many different schools, I could never go back to mainstream school or put a child through it. We are blessed here to have a great HE community which we’re already involved in. I was thinking the other day about YIS and how blessed we were. Small classes, lots of one to one help, teachers who were also friends so cared deeply for us all and the safety to follow our own likes/dislikes and abilities and gifts. I mean in what other environment would we have been able to think so creatively to come up with he Hazlee tank lol!!
I here you. We were blessed with a small school growing up. I can honestly say it was the best school I went too. Of course there was drama but we had such a good group of supporting teachers! The Hazelee tank was awesome! Haha.