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RE: [xmca] Fwd: Notebooks of LSV
Peter,
I am in awe - your essay is fantastic. Once it is published I will be passing the published version around to a number of people.
The parallels in our family lives was erie :) - relief in that feeling of not being alone.
I was diagnosed with Post-natal depression after my eldest son was born, though I now believe that I was sub-clinically depressed from my early teens (my self-esteem was always low). The major breakthrough for me came after my second son was born, as I started on anti-depressants. For me, the medication brought me out of the mental fog that I had been in. I am still taking the medication today, and at this stage, see my depression like diabetes or asthma - life-long, requiring medication for life.
My children, now 7 and 9 also have identified mental health issues. DS7 (dear son 7yrs) has Asperger's. DS9 has depression and an auditory processing disorder (which I have been told is genetically linked to the spectrum). I honestly believe that I am able to be a better parent to my children because I have a lived understanding of some of what they are dealing with.
The more I understand the characteristics that place people along the spectrum, the more I can pick little quirks up in others who are within the normative range.
When DS7 was 5 and started school (he had attended childcare before that), I felt that I was on a steep learning curve with trying to understand the education system. DS7 had 5.5 weeks at a 'normative' school (1 teacher, 27-30 students type environment). It was an unmitigated disaster - thankfully, my son did not understand a lot of what was happening, so failed to pick up on the hostility. He was put into 'time-out' multiple times a day, was sent to the principals office at least once a week, and managed to be sent home 3 times in the 5.5 weeks. What I kept trying to get across to the staff, was that time out (within the class or at the principle's office, was a reward for my son as he was experiencing severe information overload trying to understand anything going on around him in the class).
The staff seemed to treat me as if I had no idea that my son had difficulties and that I had sat around for the first 5 years of his life ignoring his challenges - I felt the need when called in for a family discussion to defend myself.
The final straw at this school came when the deputy principle contacted me and informed me that my son was 'on his last misdemeanour for the day' and that 'if he misbehaved again he would be sent home'. When I explained that he had a communication/language delay (Asperger's diagnosis only happened in 2009), she informed me that 'this was not a communication issue, he was a malicious bully'
Within 1 hour of that conversation I had made the decision to remove him from the school. He attended day care full time until I was able to locate another school. As it turned out it was the best thing that ever happened. I found a school where my son spent 2 years working one-on-one with his teacher. When I asked her after two weeks about his behaviour she said, 'he is not being naughty, he just does not understand' (that was prior to the introduction of the pictures.
One of the tasks that I feel that I have been put on this earth for is to be vocal about the issues that my family and I face. By being comfortable with my own situation, maybe I can make mental illness less of a taboo (a lofty goal maybe, but I it gives me a chance to use my opinionated, not a good follower, personality to good use :) - I too agree that I 'don't find normality to be desirable or even logical'.
I finish my long reply with a quote:
A very good friend of mine who has a son with severe autism was once asked if she ever wished he was normal. Her reply 'If he was normal he would not be my son. I love him for who he is'.
Thanks for letting me share :)
Regards
Louise Hawkins
Lecturer - School of Management & Information Systems
Faculty Business & Informatics
Building 19/Room 3.38
Rockhampton Campus
CQUniversity
Ph: +617 4923 2768
Fax: +617 4930 9729
-----Original Message-----
From: Peter Smagorinsky [mailto:smago@uga.edu]
Sent: Thursday, 16 July 2009 08:10 PM
To: Louise Hawkins
Subject: RE: [xmca] Fwd: Notebooks of LSV
Hi Louise, just a quick note to share with you that we also have a daughter with Asperger's. It was very tough going but with a lot of intervention we have got her mostly on her own two feet at age 23. She's on the high functioning end of the spectrum, which has made it possible for the interventions to work.
http://www.dramaplayconnection.com/
http://www.collegeinternshipprogram.com/
I've also recently written an essay about dealing with Asperger's, which I'll attach. It's currently in review so please don't forward without permission.
Best of luck with your family! Best,Peter
Peter Smagorinsky
Professor of English Education
Department of Language and Literacy Education The University of Georgia
125 Aderhold Hall
Athens, GA 30602
smago@uga.edu
-----Original Message-----
From: xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu [mailto:xmca-bounces@weber.ucsd.edu] On
Behalf Of Louise Hawkins
Sent: Wednesday, July 15, 2009 7:28 PM
To: mcole@weber.ucsd.edu; eXtended Mind, Culture,Activity
Subject: RE: [xmca] Fwd: Notebooks of LSV
I found the first section of the Notebook very interesting as it discussed
written language as compared to spoken language. My son has aspergers, and
the his verbal vocabulary has been increasing as he learns to write. He
appears to be learning to talk, by first learning to write and read......
Regards
Louise Hawkins
Lecturer - School of Management & Information Systems
Faculty Business & Informatics
Building 19/Room 3.38
Rockhampton Campus
CQUniversity
Ph: +617 4923 2768
Fax: +617 4930 9729
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Cole [mailto:lchcmike@gmail.com]
Sent: Thursday, 16 July 2009 02:24 AM
To: eXtended Mind, Culture,Activity
Subject: [xmca] Fwd: Notebooks of LSV
Attached is the PDF file from Soviet Psychology. Achilles thought it might
be of general interest.
mike
PS-- Basov!! There is a double issue of Soviet Psych on his work. Nice that
Valsiner could nail the M.A. Levina ref.
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