A couple weeks ago, we went to a church service we don’t normally attend and so had different teachers in Jonah’s Sunday school classroom.
The teacher hadn’t met Jonah before so I was giving him the rundown so he had an idea of what to expect.
Jonah understands the “church routine” now, but a year ago, it was a different story.
Getting a new routine down can take years sometimes.
Jonah had a screaming meltdown for 45 minutes the first time I tried to take him to his 4-year-old class. He wanted to stay in his 2/3-year-old class as he had done since he had turned 2 years old.
Because our church is so accommodating, He was able to stay back in his 2/3year-old class until last September even though he was nearly five. It took him 10 months to settle in to a new routine in a new classroom with new teachers.
He has good days and bad days in his new class, but it’s been a long journey getting him to where he is now. Since he settled in, I’ve not been called once to get him out of his new class (knock on wood).
I don’t fault the teacher at all for inquiring about Jonah’s autism. In fact, I welcome the chance to raise awareness. He just doesn’t know Jonah and didn’t realize how far he has come.
And I have to realize the general population really doesn’t KNOW what “Autism” actually looks like when they see it.
So, while the questions/statements can get old it can be the perfect opportunity to spread a little insight.