I was asked a couple of days ago to attend a meeting about Autism.
Harold Doherty < Iron Horse > was going to be the host of the event.
I never listen to the Iron Horse giving a speech to a crowd of people so I decided to give it a try.
I always tell Harold that his blog site is borinnggg because it only deal with the issue of Autism!!!
You can check his site by clicking below -
target="_blank">Charles
Blog
For years, I was been hearing about Autism but didn’t truly understood what it was all about?
In the old days, we used to call these kids mentally retarded.
These days a person have to be politically correct.
Therefore are they using the word- Autistic?
What is it? Many questions?
Myself? I always said - It’s very difficult for kids with ADHD to learn in today’s classroom because of all the noise.
You have kids with MS, Autism and other mental disorders in the same classrooms.
There’s lots of noise in that little room.
Kids with ADHD are easily distracted with all the noise but what can you do?
There always were a battle brewing between the parents with Autistic children.
Some of them would say - Under the Charter of rights? My kid will be in the same classroom as the so-call normal kids.
If you find out the definition of the word normal? Please let me know???
These kids go through the system and at the end? They have their diplomas but they cannot read or write but they have that piece of paper.
After they graduate? What’s next with these young adults?
This is the reason this meeting was so important for the Parents with Autistic children.
The main point is this? What will happen to these kids once they reach Adulthood?
That’s the very emotional question?
Of course the days to put them into a mental intuition are over.
The only people who goes in there is the poor people of New Brunswick.
The poor often get frustrated with the system so they cross that line therefore ending up in these places.
Ok..never mind that!!!!
The meeting was attended by 75 people and it went well.
There were parents who believe their way was the proper direction and were ready to share their views with the audience.
You could feel the tension in the air.
How do you handle such an emotional issue like this when you truly know that New Brunswick with only a small population of 700,000 don’t have the money????
What do you do with these Autistic kids?
One moment that I’ll never forget is this one.
I went outside for a smoke and noticed a young couple in a room.
The Mother was crying. I didn’t stick around because I know it’s hard to believe but I am a emotional person.
Tears over a child? Tears of the way the Education system treats their child?
Or was it just tears of frustration of having an Autistic child in their home?
I guess the child was a 14 years boy.
I know exactly the feeling.
I’ll be personal for a few minutes.
I was born in Memramcook.
Lets not forget one thing in this story. I was living in a house which nobody in those days knew about ADHD!
Was it a happy Family Atmosphere?
Of course not!!!
My Father owned a Grocery store and I would eat lots of chocolate.
You can just imagine my attitude once I got home?
I might add the Autism meeting had no sweets!!! Pretty smart of them!!!..lol
You are what you eat I guess but I was still hyper in that room.
Going back to Memramcook? I remember there were lots of tears in our home and around 25 years ago my parents kicked me out of the house.
Now? This kind of action happens a lot with kids with ADHD.
At the end, they turned to drugs and alcohol. Soon afterwards, they become a Social Outcast of Society!!!
I didn’t take that road. I remember one guy told me that he was surprise that I didn’t commit suicide?
Well? I taught about it but it never happen!!!!
I remember during the frigate program? I had a car and money!!!!
I approached my Father and tried to patch our little battle.
My parents were getting old so therefore why wait till they’re dead right???
My Father plainly told me - We will never forget the pain you have given us when you were a child!!!
Well? A person knows they cannot change the pass but must think about the future.
This really hurt my feelings.
But all this change once my Uncle Al approached me about having a mental disorder called - ADHD!
We knew there was something wrong with me but nobody knew about ADD or ADHD?
I read a book called - You mean I’m not crazy, Stupid or Lazy?
All this change my life and I was very very very upset with my parents that I was born this way and they treated me like this?
I haven’t had no contact with those people in years!
They send me a few bucks at Christmas time never have I’ve been invited inside my former home.
This really played hard on my mind. It bother me every single day. I had many flashbacks.
You know? What could have been and is not? How my life would have change if I would have supportive parents?
It got so bad that I notice that I was thinking out loud!!! IT DROVED ME NUTS!!! < Very short drive for me anyway! > :P
My mind became a little at ease when I landed in Fredericton. I didn’t know Father Emery Brien was in the Capital and this close to be Saint have known me to close to 45 years. He really really really helped me with my personal problems.
I always said - There’s a reason for everything!!!!
Living with a child with ADHD can cause such a huge scar that it’s almost an impossible task to heal.
Ok...never mind me..me..me..
Going back to the issue of Autism.
As I said in the past? If you believe a child with ADHD is hard to handle in the classroom?
Try living with them?
Same goes with the children with Autism!!!
I would have love to know the reason the young mother was crying?
Many parents would suggest they put them in a group home?
But what kind of Group home?
Many would say Institutions?
But what kind of institutions are we talking about?
Once the hormones start clicking in and these kids reach their late teens?
What to do????
These parents love their children very dearly but the child is totally out of control and cannot be handle.
If they had the attitude of my parents? Just throw them on the streets and let the system handle them.
I blogged the Autism issue in the past but never received too many comments.
Maybe no one cares?
Who knows? I know one certain fact!
The parents with Autistic children in New Brunswick are a very determine bunch and I hope they can settle their difference within the group, they must unite to fight the bureaucrats on this very emotional issue.
The only politician who showed up was Andy Scott.
There were nobody from the Provincial level.
NO ONE AT ALL!!!
I wish the Parents with Autistic kids the very best of luck!!!
Here’s the photos I took of the event on Saturday! I decided to take the time and post all the pictures. This is the least I can do for these poor parents.
I might add that Harold is a pretty good speaker. He's as straight forward with his words as a guest speaker as he is in court!!!!
