O-mama - Opinionated Moms

Back to school tomorrow! Just finished packing backpacks. Getting ready to make lunches. Anyone experiencing anxiety? How is everyone coping?

Mamas, there is an app called iadvocate. It provides strategies and resources for working with your child's team to ensure an appropriate and inclusive education for your child. Plus, it's free! Check it out!

It is April, which means it is Autism Awareness Month. Peter Bell of Autism Speaks is on The Talk today on CBS with useful and hopeful information.

Where do we get BLUE light bulbs?

A new post - love the analogy - our kids are the future, so they need to shoot for the stars! (-:

We are thankful for Lindsey and her special posts...Thanks MAMA!!!

We fear what we do not know...this is a beautiful example of what our children can do to make a difference - Get to know someone very special!

Make sure they know the teachers are paid by moms and dads that pay property taxes, so make sure they make these people give us our money's worth.

Thanks for your post, Linsey. Bullying was a terrible problem for my daughter, and (finally) the school system agreed that she needed social skills training so she could recognize social cues, and it was added to her IEP. Part of her social skills training was off campus for 2 - 3 hours per week, but it was so worth it. Bullying is no longer an issue for her, and the administration at her new middle school enforce a zero-tolerance policy for any kind of harassment. Because around eighty percent of bullying in schools is directed toward special needs children, we have made it a top priority to address this year in our new organization. We have recently formed the country's very first Community Outreach Special Education Parent Teacher Association in Birmingham, Alabama. Although there are special education PTA's and community outreach PTA's, this is the first time the two types of PTA's have been combined. It is our hope that crossing school district lines will enable us to share ideas as well as community resources. Our charter was granted in May, and our membership drive will be in August. Our website is cosepta.org, and our email is cosepta@gmail.com. Wish us luck :D

I'm very concerned about bullying as my son who is aspbergers is about to go to kindergarten in Sept.

Thank you Linsey for another insightful post!

Happy O-MAMA monday...everyone have a good Mothers' Day? Check out the new post from Linsey about Autism...

Happy Mother's Day MAMAS! Cute post.

Loved your new post Linsey...with or without "special needs," your words are so true! Thanks MAMA.

Glad to hear that more moms are going back to vaccinating. It was such a hot topic when that original study came out about the link. It made me crazy when I heard my siister-in-law wasn't going to vaccinate her son. Guess what? He got whooping cough! Did it change her mind? No. Sad.

since there are so many articles on autism i was wondering when someone was going to make a comment about the connection with vaccinations and autism.....maybe that's an old subject and not one people want to get in to, but has the new information that has come out that says vaccinating your child will NOT cause autism gotten more moms to vaccinate?

New SPECIAL DELIVERY post!

Meet Linsey...the MAMA hosting the SPECIAL DELIVERY blog!

Hello... I have 3 son's. twins that are 11 and a pre-schooler that is almost 4. One of my twins was diagnosed with Autism at age 2... He commenced into 40 hours a week of therapy starting at 2 years old...He has 'dialed' forward and is age appropriate in ceratin aspects of academics at school. (I.E. spelling and reading he is on par with all other 5th graders...ask him a question about what he has read and well that is where the disconnect happens. His processing of information has a slower uptake then how well he reads and is amazing memory for spelling. He still struggles, with transition, smells, textures, loud noises etc. I am writing today because there are 2 important issues when you have a special needs child that often do not get addressed...they are 1. When there are other siblings how do you balance their life so that you have adequate time, support and love? As mom's with a special needs child know...A child with needs absorbs so much of you mentally, emotionally, and your time. If any one has a suggestion for that I would love to know...Lastly~ Any thoughts or suggestions on how to better take care of we mommy's? My 'battery' is so drained sometimes that I feel that I am running on fumes. When my son has had a difficult , day, week etc. I struggle to balance taking care of myself... Looking forward to mchatting with other mom's who are in my shoes ... Thank you~ Kimberly

Check out all the news from this weekend!

My oldest child was born with a very rare brain disorder and she is now 16 a sophomore in high school in the public school system in a MH program which focuses mostly on LIFE SKILLS. Life skills are key…she will never need biology or algebra…she needs to learn how to LIVE and SURVIVE is this world. Mentally she is about 10 and her education level is about at a 3rd grade level. She had been is their special needs program since she was 3 years old. You have to take a major interest in their education. I was shocked to learn through the years with her teachers that most parents don't care. That’s NOT my position. I am very vocal and don’t let them get away anything. Because of that my experience has been good. If you aren't active they will roll over you! The schools don't tell you but contact the Regional Center of Orange County and open a case for your child and they will provide state services for your child and will act as an advocate if need be. My daughters annual IEP is tomorrow and I am using them for the first time and they are happy to do it. Its free (well our tax money pays for it). Their phone # is 714.796.5100. Their services will continue with her forever and it’s a wonderful program and will give her job trainer, a job, transportation, housing if need be, social clubs, the list goes on and on. You should not have to pay for anything if your kid is special needs if you are in the public school system. Good luck to you all.

I know that my friends have had to hire teachers to sit with their kids in class and have spent tons of money being advocates for their children's education within the school systems in general. What to do if you don't have the personal resources to do all of this? Is there somewhere to go to get funding to help?

@O=Mama141525: YES!!! Acknowledging both a child's potential and addressing their limitations is critical for their development, but honing their LIFE SKILLS is the most important thing for their confidence and happiness...for all kids. Thanks!

@momof2: I have a son who has DS and went to public schools. I believe that adding to the public schools curriculum and making sure that as parents we do not make our child's expectations our own. It worked for me and in my opinion, life skills is of the utmost importance as well as knowing what your child is capable of doing. I hope this helps.

How do you get your child educated throught the public school system if they have special needs?