0 Comments

August 7, 2016

Once a month like clockwork I receive a text from my son’s school that they have performed their monthly lockdown drill.  This text is to inform me that it is just a drill and I have no need to be concerned.

Except that I am.  As this is just another reminder of how much my son’s autism impacts every part of his life.  I am scared shitless as I don’t think he will be protected and safe during a lockdown procedure and it’s by his own doing.

You see, you hear about teachers ushering their students into a closet or restroom.  All sitting silently side by side.  You know what my Kiddo is doing during this?  Talking.  Telling the teachers, staff and students that there is going to be a surprise.  A combination of my son’s autism and innocence makes him think they are playing a game of hide and seek or it’s a surprise party and they have are going to have fun.  He loud whispers to everyone around him to “BE QUIET!” while not picking up on the fact that he himself needs to be quiet in order to save his own life and others.

And I hate it.  I hate that this is part of his educational experience. I hate that autism and his communication and intellectual issues might be yet another safety risk in his life and the lives of those around him.  Kiddo makes a noise, he jeopardizes every person in the classroom closet with him.  He won’t mean to do so but it is the reality of the situation.

My heart broke when his teacher first told me about this.  She didn’t seem too fazed by it and from what I can tell, he’s not the only kid in class that does this.  No concept of the situation and no idea that this is a drill about saving his own skin. I was told it was a skill they would work on.

Part of me is angry that this even has to be in my kiddo’s life.  Like what the ever loving feck is this?  Don’t we have enough on our plates?  Now I have this concern to worry about as well.  That he will potentially give away a hiding spot to those looking to do harm to himself and others. I thought working on life skills meant learning how to live independently.  Now they include trying to stay alive.

I hope like Hell that I will never even have to think this could be a reality but I can’t help thinking about it when that text message announcement comes through my phone once a month.

I don’t have a solution.  I don’t even have a suggestion.  It’s just another complication with autism involved and one that you never even think about it until it’s in front of you.

Reprinted with Permission from the blog “Autism with a Side of Fries.” Original can be found here.

About Mama Fry

mamafryMama Fry is a suburban stay at home mom. She worked as an educator for 9 years with children on the Autism spectrum in a group home and in schools. Now that she has her own kiddo with autism, she has gone “Pro.” You can follow Mama Fry on  Facebook and @FrenchFryInc

You can listen to her interview on the Autism Show with Catherine Pascuas here.

About the author 

Contributor

{"email":"Email address invalid","url":"Website address invalid","required":"Required field missing"}

RELATED POSTS

July 30, 2017

It’s so unfair. I didn’t even sign up

July 28, 2017

It’s nothing new for someone like me —

July 16, 2017

I get it. They aren’t cute. They aren’t

October 23, 2016

A is for Autism I came to the party

August 28, 2016

I saw this quote several months ago, and it

August 21, 2016

I hear it over and over again from

August 7, 2016

Once a month like clockwork I receive a

September 2, 2015

Here I sit in bed. It’s 12:30 a.m.

August 26, 2015

As an autistic mother to wonderful neurodiverse autistic

>