My 1st Parent-Teacher Conference

I attended my first ever parent-teacher conference last Friday at the Center for Developmental Intervention Foundation, Inc. I am so giddy about it as this certified me some more as a parent and my daughter’s introduction to the world. This is her first formal school. For those who are new readers my daughter was diagnosed of autism and epilepsy and so compared to those with no diagnosis of the likes (global delay, asperger, down syndrome etc.) introducing her to the “normal” world and have her adopt is a big deal.

There are five major skills/competencies her teacher rated her:

For those with normal development all these skill can be easily learned and mastered at four years old. I am not surprised if she was rated master at feeding since I believe everyone has that instinct to feed oneself as a means of survival and especially when their body is telling them they are hungry.

Some children with autism either have physical difficulties as well, brought about by either cerebral palsy or epilepsy but Thank God my daughter is very perfect physically and her gross motors skills are all normal so I not surprised she was rated normal.

Although sometimes I wonder when we are around “normal” people; either in a public transport, mall, grocery, restaurant or department store; I wonder why people stare at her as if they see something different with her, she doesn’t have any physical deformities and anything like that, but it seems people are stunned and can’t help look at her.
Sometimes I am tempted to asks those people, like this morning when we were on our way to her school : “Excuse me? Why are you staring at my daughter? Something wrong?” “Can you tell me what do you see in her that you have to stare?” “Did you know that staring is rude?”

Academics is still to be introduced as her school session is still focused on the basic skills although some are already introduced in the fine motor skills. I am so happy about what her teacher told me, that she have mastered shapes and colors are 1 out of 5 times she miss. To me and to them that is something.

* Excuse me if I always put the word “normal” in a close and open quotation. If I am offending anyone excuse me. I just feel queasy about the term as what is normal anyway really? I mean maybe there is a minority and majority. To someone on the spectrum (ASD) whatever she is manifesting is “normal” those who are not on the spectrum things it’s “abnormal?” ugh I don’t want to coin her with that term but she is different.