I feel very blessed! Thank you so much!

He is wonderful! He's the light of my life. :-) Thanks!

I accidentally dropped this comment when I meant to prop it! I can't figure out how to undo it!

Thanks, Nan!

Me too! Thanks!

Thanks so much! The generosity shown here has been so amazing I feel like I have already won. I want the money from the fund to go to someone else, though.

Thank you!

Thanks!

Thank you!

Thank you! He's quite charming when he wants to be, and a total cutie, I agree!

Thank you! I love educating people about autism. The more people who are familiar with autism the better the world will be for my son as he grows older!

Thank you! Me too! Three kids with special needs must keep you unbelievably busy!!

This is through the school district, and I am not eligible for any of the scholarship programs available. I did check into that, but it is a good idea for anyone reading!

Thanks!

Thank you!

Thank you! Eight kids? I'm impressed. I have a hard enough time keeping up with my one!

He does continue to make progress, so I am hopeful he will develop enough skills to live independently one day.

yep! 8 kids. She is my mom!

Thanks, me too! I'm nervous about it a bit, because he takes a while to warm up to new people telling him what to do. Heh.

Thank you!

Thank you! My state does offer services, but my son does not qualify for the free services. In order to qualify for the EYS services, my son would have to master a goal on his IEP, then regress on the progress and not recoup that progress after a break from school. My son does not show mastery on any behavioral goals and once he learns something to mastery academically, it is there forever. He does not show regression.

His teachers have tried to fudge it every way they can. They want him in summer school, too, because they know his behavior changes drastically. The problem is, he snaps back into shape too quickly, and they can't get the documentation to support sending him to EYS over the summer.

The program I have wished for is the school district's answer for kids like my son, who don't qualify for EYS but desperately need that structured setting during the school day.

Last summer I refused on principal to send him to this particular program, because it ticked me off that the cost was $100 more than any other summer program. Instead I sent him to the enrichment program, and that was an unmitigated disaster. Eight days into summer school they were still trying to get him into a classroom. The district director of special ed and two teachers were all working with my son (and having the district director out is a huge deal in a district of 50,000 students!).

So this year I figured I'd bite the bullet and do what is actually in his best interest, and send him to the most appropriate program.

Thank you!

Thanks! I'm glad I heard about this place, too!

Thank you!

I'm no different than any other mom who just wants to do the best job raising their kid, though.

I suppose that's true but far too many parents don't take that effort. But I do think your son is lucky. You are lucky too - look at that smile!

Thanks! I agree--I am lucky!

That's so good to know! My son is only functionally communicative--he can say if he is hungry or hurt, and he can say what he doesn't want to do, but he can't express more complex thoughts yet. Sometimes it is so hard to know if he likes or benefits from the things I do with him. It's always nice to hear from someone who understands him.

What I have is high functioning Asperger's Syndrome, so I can only relate in a very limited way. Nevertheless, I'm sure this program will be a wonderful experience for him. He is lucky to have someone looking out for him.

Thanks! It's hard to get a picture where he isn't smiling. If he's not really really pissed, then he's happy! He has very little in-between.

OT but I've been enjoying your polls.

Thanks! It's so hard to find the right programs for them, isn't it?

Oh gosh it is and the ones I've found that I would love for my son to go to are so far away. My state doesnt seem to have many special needs summer camps. I'm glad you found one that you can utilize.

The program I am wishing on is actually just a half-day program through the school district.

There is a sleep away camp nearby for special needs, but tuition is upwards of a thousand dollars for the week. Too rich for my blood!

He's very happy! Thanks!

He is. :>

what is "IOW"?

Joanne:

[ link ]

Enjoy. :>

Thanks, I'll check it out!

Go suck a dick. Then get a job, stop drinking and log off the Internet.

Wow. Who peed in your cornflakes Tina?

No Caps locked is the best way to go.

OK, you're a freak. You need to step back and think about what you're posting and stop trashing other people simply because you want your friend to win. Assclown.

"Assclown", LOL I like that one, can I borrow it??

Try reading the section under the How It Works tab (top right corner of the page). Knowledge and learning are fun!

I'm not deleting, but I am redirecting people to vote for other wishes, if you read the comments.

I'm fairly certain it is mathematically impossible to win at this point anyway. Even if it was, I asked the site managers to please put the money to the next person, since my wish has already been funded. They clarified that as a guideline now in the blog area, too.

Wow that was nasty!

my comment "wow that was nasty" was to tina666, just so there's no confusion

Excellent plan!

The comment right above yours was supposed to be a reply to you! :-)

Thanks! We are very excited about the opportunity to attend summer school.

And your friends are excited that they will be able to see you regularly. ;> Hey, just found out I am teaching the first summer session. No one told me! I think it ends July 3rd, or thereabouts. When is camp? Why am I writing this here?

Thank you! I am pretty sure his teacher sent home the application a few days early to be sure we could make it on the list, so my fingers are crossed that he is one of the first 20!

That would be cool! I will have to ask the district summer school office about that.

Kids who qualify for the free or reduced lunch program do get summer school scholarships through the school district, as well as kids who do not pass the state reading and math tests (at certain grades), but everyone else pays.

Thank you! Autism is a funny little disability, isn't it?

Thank you! Who are you at IOW? You can email me through my profile there or here if you don't want to say it in public. :-)

Thank you!

Thanks, Kelly! I haven't seen you around in a while. I hope you've been doing well!

Thank you! I hope he has fun, too!

Thank you so much! I am thrilled my wish was covered! And extremely thankful to the people who donated.

Thank you!

Thank you!

Thanks, me too!

Thanks! It is totally awesome!

I voted for Al, too. I hope he wins!

Thank you! I'm incredibly grateful and humbled.

Thanks! I don't blame you. He's way ahead of me right now, so I am confident he will beat me. I voted for him, too. :-)

Thanks! I hope it works out and we get into the program!

It's amazing! I am just about speechless, which is rare for me!

Thanks!

Thanks! I voted for you! I hope you win!

Thank you!

Thanks! Be sure to vote for Al! I want him to win this one!

Thanks! It is totally cool, isn't it?

The depth of human kindness is a pretty cool thing.

Thank you!

Thanks! This is a really cool site, isn't it?

That's awesome that they request him each year. I hope my son can find something like that as well.

yeah I love that the truly deserving wishes are really being helped out! This is great!

Thank you so much for everything! This is a great website!

Thanks!

Thank you so much, and bless you for working with the disabled!

Thanks so much! I appreciate it!

Thanks!

Thanks so much! We really do appreciate all the kind words and the amazing donations!

I seriously don't think I've ever made it out of the store with him in less than 40 minutes. Including smaller stores, like Walgreens.

Wait, Walgreens doesn't have produce, so we are probably out of there in about 20-30 minutes. Produce is the killer department. He could spend hours staring at the apples.

I'm amazed as well!

Thanks! I hope you get your carrier-thingy, too!

Thank you so much! Living with autism definitely gives one a different impression, doesn't it?

So many people are touched by autism these days--the numbers are astounding.

Thanks! We need to get the boys together again soon!

Thank you!

Thanks! I think it looks really good for him! The money is there, now we just need to hope he gets one of the highly coveted slots!

Thanks so much! I can't believe how quickly my wish was filled by such generous, awesome friends and strangers!

Thanks! I hope you enjoy your vacation!

Thanks! I hope he does have a blast this summer!

Thanks!

Thank you! It is a blessing and a joy, a lot of the time. I wouldn't trade his personality quirks for anything, because that's part of what makes him "him".

They can be infuriating at times, though. :-) Just like with any kid. Heh.

You're too sweet! Thanks, Tab!

Your welcome. My donation went through today. I wonder if it waits until voting starts.

Your welcome!! The world really needs more great mothers like you!!!!!1!!!!1!!!!

I have no idea, but thanks, Tab!

Thank you so much! Your comment made me all teary, but the good kind of teary!

Thank you!

Thanks! Braden *hearts* Christie, too! :-)

Yeah, you definitely know what those grocery trips are like! We never leave the store without three apples--one red, one yellow, and one green. If I'm lucky I can keep him away from the expensive organic ones.

He never ever eats them. He just carries them around and arranges them on plates until they rot. Gross, isn't it?

My son is an interesting combination of things. He has times when he is so high functioning that people do not believe me that he has Asperger syndrome, then there are times like those trips to the grocery store where anyone who knows about autism would recognize it.

I have often wished that I lived closer to some of the people I have met online, and yes, pooling child care resources would be nice.

I hope that someday I am able to go back to work, and eventually back to school.... but right now, my boys need me.

Last time we went to the grocery store, his issue was "I need one thing from each section" I had to say no. The tantrum was spectacular.

I dread trips like that! I was ecstatic the day I realized as long as the item went into the cart, B didn't care if it ended up coming home with us. Now we have 2 piles at checkout--things we are buying and things he threw in the cart that we don't want. Heh.

oh wow.

we need to buy something in a red box.

one time we didn't and I waas at the check out and my son was trying to run for it screaming RED BOX!!!! RED BOX!!!!

luckily there were some red and yellow banana boxes in the pile of boxes people could use to pack their groceries so we walked out with him clutching this huge box and several people tut tutting about my spoiling him.... but I wanted to get home, and without the red box that would have been very difficult

Your son sounds a lot like Braden. It's too bad we don't all live in the same city so that we could pool our child minding resources.

I completely understand. It isn't spoiling them at all. It's simply making their world make sense.

Thanks!

You? Biased? Never! Love you!

Love you back!