Regression?! Oh Noooooooo!!!

It seems today's parents of children on the autism spectrum have two choices:  stay at home and starve so your child continues learning, or go to work so you can provide a roof over his or her head, their medication and let's not forget to feed them.  At least that seems to be the choice in my household...

I could write a country song this month:  my cell phone died, my car died and I'm broke so I had to go back to work.  Literally people, not kidding.  

Since going back to work last month, I've had little time to spend with Dayton on his home reading and spelling.  Working split shifts because I lost daycare two years ago and am only available while Dayton's in school and after his babysitter gets home from school gives me an hour and a half a day with my baby...  It's killing me, but if I'm going to be able to afford his $300.00/month medication, pay the rent, and now a freaking car loan since my car bit the dust, I have to work.  Which means Dayton gets less attention from me when it comes to school work.  Dayton's tickled pink by this, but I'm not.  

Since Dayton's dad was home for the weekend, I had him help Dayton with his home reading for the last couple of nights.  He called me at work to tell me how disappointed he was in Dayton's reading, that my babe has regressed in his reading skills.  Well, dress me up and call me 'dolly,' that sure made me feel like a million bucks!  Yeah, who's your mamma?!  Made me wanna shove that mother of the year award right up his...  I think you get the point...

I've noticed Dayton's list of spelling words for the week are getting simpler too...  Was going back to work a mistake?  Should I have just stayed at home, survived off Mr. Noodles and Kraft Dinner and not be able to afford his medication?  What's the right thing to do?


Consider yourselves hugged,


Lou

Woe Canada, I Thought You Cared...

Wow, this story really made my toes curl.  I can not believe that a family that contributes to society (the father is an entrepreneur, a son is becoming a dentist), is being forced out of our country because their son has autism.  Apparently, this child's autism costs the government too much money...  What about the money they've wilfully taken from this family in the form of taxes?  As a successful business man, I'm certain this father and his soon to be dentist son will be paying a large amount in taxes, probably more than the government will spend in the care of this family's child with autism.  It's sickening.

http://timestranscript.canadaeast.com/news/article/1412483

Dayton gets a full time aid in school, and in the level three funding application, his school had asked the government for $30,000.00.  I can assure you, Dayton's father and I jointly pay a lot more that $30,000.00 in taxes on our pay cheques, never mind what we pay in GST, PST and now in fuel tax. 

Living as a Pharmacy Technician Instructor in Winnipeg, I've taught many immigrants in a local college.  They've all been hard workers, dedicated students to their studies and wonderful human beings.  However, they did not support themselves.  They got a free education from our government, simply by entering our country and province.  Each low income housing facility in Winnipeg has four empty suites just in case an immigrant needs free shelter.  So it seems to me that this family is being discriminated against due to their child having autism.  Because their financial welfare is certainly NOT in issue. 

So what if his child's care is expensive? We have tons of money put in ridiculous places. Maybe if we had better money management, we wouldn't have this problem.

Reading this story made me ashamed to call myself a Canadian...


Until next time, consider yourselves hugged,


Lou