S.O.S.

Yesterday I received an email from reader Rosetta, gently prodding me towards Karianna's blog and her latest entry. Which keeping in with these week's Theme of Sad, is really, really sad.

Rosetta's Very Nice & Appreciated Email: I thought I would give you a heads up, seeing as how you have the power via your Daily Dose, to send some good thoughts and love from blogland her way.....

Amy's Brain Last Night: Reading blogs is your JOB! That's all you have to do! And yet Karianna, who you MET and HUGGED and POSSIBLY SCARED A LITTLE, posts crushing, devastating news on MONDAY and you don't notice until TUESDAY. BAD BLOG FRIEND! BAAAAAD!

Amy's Brain Right Now: And what, you are trying to be FUNNY about it? What is wrong with you? Get to the point.

Karianna's son, the Cat, has been expelled from kindergarten. Cat has PDD-NOS, a form of autism. Kindergarten, in Karianna's words, "had always been the big test. Everything was leading up to success in Kindergarten."

Oh. Dear. What can we do to help? What can we even say?

Please go read her entry and if you have any words of love and support or guidance -- particularly those of you with experience with autistic children -- please leave her a comment. Thanks.

Comments

[janny226]

Thanks for spreading the word! I am a big fan of Karianna's blog, seeing as how I am just about a year behind her in the same situation. If my son can learn [or fill in another word here-- be trained?] to behave "normally" in a school setting in the next 12 months, he can go into kindergarten with no "special ed" label, as it does not automatically carry over from preschool, at least where we live. So being in regular kindergarten is a big deal!! I am hoping that Kathy from Use Your Words (shameless plug for the other autism ClubMom blogger!!) will come to the rescue, from her comment it sounds like she is ready and willing to share her experience as mom of an older child! PS, Amy, what's the real deal with you and Karianna anyway, I saw those BlogHer pics and I think you look like sisters.

[Kari]

Oh, Kathy has absolutely risen to the occasion, as have the other folks 'round these parts. I have Kathy’s contact information tattooed to my foot along with the others who have chimed in with ideas, advice, resources, and support.

Thank you, Amy, for this post. And thank you to the other ClubMom bloggers and readers who have showered fairy dust upon me with all their good wishes and smooshed me with their heartfelt hugs.

And yeah, I’ll be your sister if you want me to. BlogHer was the best. ROCK ON!

[KTP]

Wow, thank you for bringing attention to blogs I might not otherwise find!

http://www.surfershealing.org/

[janny226]

Hey, the surfers healing post includes info about a Long Beach, NY benefit this Sunday! Cool, I'm always on Long Beach on Sundays! Any chance the music at the benefit will be not-too-loud so a child with autism can tolerate it??

janny,

i don't know anything about the benefit on Sunday. in fact, i know almost nothing about surfer's healing, except for a remarkable article about it in the current (september 2006) issue of men's journal magazine. all ClubMom readers subscribe to men's journal, right?

i can't find the article online, but it's called "A Father's Hope". it is listed in the table of contents here:

http://mensjournal.com/toc/index.html

find a copy and read it. just amazing. it will make you cry or your money back.

[camelOne]

Very nice this blog =)