Knitting and working and advocating, oh my

Well, today I signed up for an invitation to join Ravelry. I'm still not sure I really "get" what it is, but it seems like every other knitter I encounter on the web is on there. There is a collection of screenshots there, but not enough to really let me get a feel for the site. The good thing is, it appears there are tracking tools on there for stash, needles, and WIPs. Since right now I am using an Excel spreadsheet to track these items, anything would be an improvement. And it says it's not a replacement for your blog, yet you can link to blog posts, so we'll see. I feel like I just signed up for a Scientology session..."We can't tell you what you'll experience until you get here, but you'll like it! Really, we promise!"

So Beaker's first few days at school have gone fairly smoothly. I had a chance to meet his aide (who prefers to be called Miss Paula), and the Hub got to meet his teacher. He's only had a few minor hissyfits (Beaker, not DH), and they were able to get him back on track quickly. I think he freaked out the aide by demonstrating his multiplication talents the other day. He's an avid watcher of Schoolhouse Rock, and even though he's seven, he seems to understand the concept, as well as memorizing the tables.

Pigpen starts tomorrow. I can only hope, for his teachers' sake, that he is in a better mood than he was on Friday at the Open House. First, he refused to get out of the van. I had to carry him in, screeching his lungs out ("I NOT going to school!") Then he tried to escape out the front door while I was filling out forms. We stopped by to say hi to his teachers, and he became incensed when he saw his name printed on an artist's palette, that the teachers had strung up on the ceiling. "I hate my name! Take it down!" he declared loudly, glaring at all of us. I know four-year-olds have an independent streak, but I really don't remember Beaker being this horrible for this long.

I thought I would have a few days of down time between Wednesday and now, but no. My part-time job keeps expanding faster than I can keep up with it. I am now the Accounting and HR Manager (but no raise--I didn't have the balls to ask after viewing our cash flow situation--maybe the end of the year will be a better time.) I also volunteered to do some work from home, writing procedures and editing the ones other employees have written. At least that will mean more money without having to pay for more child care.

Then I put on my Advocate Mom costume for a while. It's getting harder to be a superhero when there are no phone booths in which to change [and slightly OT, but why the hell did Superman always change in a phone booth when it's made of glass? Wouldn't it make more sense to say, go into the men's room?] I have a friend who is in the process of having her son diagnosed, probably with an autism spectrum disorder. He just turned seven and has never been to school, as our state only requires kids be registered in a school from ages seven to sixteen. The local school system is supposed to be testing him and is just draaaaaging their feet. They refuse to make any accommodation for him until the testing/diagnosis is complete, so if she registered him there, they would throw him in a regular first grade class with no aide and no help. So she registered with a cover school to home school him until this can get sorted out, so as to be all legal and everything. Now the school system is acting like she has Done Something Wrong and is being even harder to work with, if that's possible. I looked up a ton of references for her and prepared sort of a "speech" for her to give the head doofus in charge. I'm not sure if they don't know, or if they just think SHE doesn't know so are trying to pull one over, that they still have 60 days from the referral to complete the testing. I wish I could get her to take me to just one meeting with these folks.

I'm also on an e-mail list for a local autism support group. I never go to the meetings--I'm just sort of antisocial and not a joiner like that (heh-and I wonder where Beaker gets some of those Aspie tendencies) but I do communicate with some of the members through e-mail. This one poor lady sent out a cry for help. After the first day of kindergarten, her son's teacher (and the principal) cornered her and told her that her son was disruptive and that they'd have to transfer him to a special autism unit/classroom. She asked about an aide, and was told, no, "we" don't do that. So I was more than happy to share my experiences, the name and number of my paid advocate, and more links to articles on Wrightlaw than she probably ever wanted. Stuff like that just makes my blood boil. And for every parent that has been told something totally illegal like this, and has questioned it, imagine how many others were steamrollered by the system and just said "OK" because they didn't know any better, or assumed the school actually has their child's best interests at heart.

When I was a little girl, I always said I wanted to be a lawyer when I grew up. Not just any kind of lawyer, mind you, but a trial lawyer. I like to argue. I am good at arguing. I was a high school debate champ. I'm good at finding obscure little pieces of information to make my points. And I'm mean and tenacious (ask my husband.) But I'm not sure I ever would have made it through law school--hell, I probably never could have made it IN--I have test anxiety and tend to score very poorly on standardized tests. But this advocacy stuff is an awful lot like what I dreamed of doing when I was a kid. Someday when my kids are grown up, I would love to be a special education advocate. I would charge on a sliding scale. The people who need the help the most are the ones who don't have any money for it, and they should still have a chance. So I guess I finally figured out what I want to be when I grow up...it's only taken 41 years.