Just imagine: one drop off, one pick up, one set of vacations... How wonderful to get to know the teachers better, too. We’d have only one set of volunteer hours to complete, and don’t get me started about how much I’d like to reduce the number of asks for contributions.
But as a parent and an educator, I understand there is no one-size-fits-all school. My children attend elementary school about two miles apart, partially because my daughter won the lottery for a wonderful charter school and my son did not, but also because their needs are miles apart.
Peaches, NT and a diva, needs a social circle. She craves attention, engagement, and drama. At her school, she will have the opportunity to loop with her teacher, and we are glad for that consistency.
Rooster, who has autism, needs specific support systems. He needs a great deal of help navigating the social scene, to the point he sometimes needs protection. At his school, he gets time in a resource room to have individualized attention, and we count our blessings he also receives speech and OT time.
At some point, Peaches might be able to pull her brother into her school as a sibling. We will definitely be torn if that happens and we find ourselves with the luxury of choice. So I’m writing this post to remind myself not to just push the easy button for myself. I am writing to remind myself that fair means giving each child what that child needs. I am writing to remind myself that my kids’ education is not about me, it’s about preparing them for their own lives. If that time comes and Peaches’ school has more to offer the Rooster, then that will tell me it’s the right decision, but otherwise I want this post to keep me honest, crazy commutes or not.
There are a lot of things that would make my life easier, but that doesn’t mean I should do them all. When I chose these little people I chose to try, learn, love, and be happy. It isn’t always easy, but it’s always worth it.
If I need to hear this later, please remind me.
Rooster's Mom is a parent, educator, wife, mom, and writer. She blogs at roostercalls.blogspot.com.
I needed to hear this and be reminded that their education is about them and not me and ease and convenience. My kids go to two different school districts as well. This year is not too bad because my youngest with autism has busing. However, next year she will not have busing and I will be driving 20 minutes from my house to her sister's school and then about 40 minutes from her sister's school to her school because it is the only school in the area that can meet her needs. I dread next year and have had a lot of misgivings and toyed with the idea of trying to get her into her sister's school district. But you are more than right. Their education is about them, not me. I needed that reminder! Thank you.
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