UK Disability Resource of Disabled Needs

A mate of mine has twin boys who have dyspraxia and autism. She goes with them to Tai chi classes. Last week, the woman taking the class said she'd had loads of complaints about them. So my friend said asked what they had done. She said they laughed! So she explained they are disabled so the woman says well they are not doing the moves properly. So my friend says well there are two ladiesi n the class who can't stand up for long, and they don't do the moves. The woman says, they are disabled! My friend said she didn't know if she should cry are smack the woman!
To cap it off teh woman said but you are welcome to stay!

That woman needs to be educated - is all I can say.

While I am not advocating that everyone needs to know about our private lives - this is what my friend did at Reading College.

Her son is Autistic and finds change very hard. He has started Reading College. The college have been very supportive and have acknowledged that this is the first time they have had to do this - i.e. have an Autistic person to attend their classes.

Anyway without boring you all - my friends son can go off on a real scary looking tantrum if things do not go to plan. He is not violent but definitely looks that way. Away from this he is a lovely well mannered polite boy.

His mum and the college did not want people to be scared by him so at the open evening my friend stood up with her hubby and they talked to the other parents and children about their son. They did find it nerve wracking and they did wonder if they were doing the right thing.

Well first day of college comes along and her son goes off. However, the college has made a mistake and unfortunately her son arrives and everything has changed. Her son loses it and is crying and shouting at the college when up pops a lad who says hi mate - come with me. He calms her son down and takes him to the welfare room and stays with him til my frined arrives. Then he leaves. After my mate has calmed her son back down fully and discusses with college her son says - that boy told me to call him at 6. Oh yeah thinks my friend - this is going to be another wind up - but her son is 16 so what can you do.

The upshot is that he did call the boy and he and the boy and the others are great mates..... they now all pay football together and he has a ready made support at college - boys of his own age who tell him to shut up or just leave him quietly if he is worried etc but are there for him.

My friend asked him if he, (the saving grace boy) had been at the meeting and he said yes. Since then my friend has spoken to several parents on the course who are so pleased that my friend did speak out. Their main concern was that the boy would be violent but they have now got to know him and just because she spoke out - on day 1 her son has been helped by a class mate who had knowledge

I guess what I am saying is that while I do not think we should have to explain - sometimes explaining to the class or group etc actually means that everyone hears the message from you and is therefore able to talk to you about it. While we should all be tolerant I am just of guilty sometimes of seeng kids misbehaving and wondering why the parents are not doing anything.

HTH