School's Out!

Phew! it's been a busy day on the blogging front....from my rant this morning about shit-heeled shoppers buying up everything in stock regardless of whether they need it to finding out that, as from Friday, all the schools will be shut for the foreseeable future.

Well this week is doing wonders for our autistic need for calm, routine and a workable schedule.

Seriously tho' we've kinda been expecting this for the last week or so and have been dropping heavy hints to the podlings that this might happen plus we've also had an idea of what things related would upset them the most.

In our case it's the fact that the girls were preparing for a trip to London (which coincided with their birthday) so to say they're a wee bit unhappy is an understatement, but as I mentioned we'd expected this so have been gently hinting that this might be the case.

Cos that's what parents do.

Our school it has to be said has been really well organised, informing the pupils as soon as the news broke, then posting across social media - they've even got folders of school work sorted and sent home today plus there's a small group of us on Whatsapp that have been discussing helping each other out with childcare so everything seems to be running smoothly.

So far.

Nicola Sturgeon explains the effects of the Corona Virus to a group of primary 7s earlier today.

If anything this situation goes to show how much - as a parent of a special needs (gah I hate that phrase) child - you come to rely on yourself and if lucky the tiny amount of like-minded folk around you.

There's precious little, if any, social support and in our case no extended family to help and that's the way it's always been.

A great example of the lack of support was when the girls were first diagnosed, at the time I was working with a young carers group, specifically helping with respite for kids with autistic siblings and the like. When I asked if I could juggle my hours (mainly to not do pick ups but all the drop offs) I was told that it wasn't acceptable as you were contracted to do both but in a rota.

So yes, I had to stop working with an autistic support group because those in charge couldn't support a worker with an autistic family.

Now luckily we work mainly from home - partly thru' choice but mostly because we need to be on hand for the kids - so can be there whilst they're off but before you say 'lucky you if I'm at home I won't get paid!' just remember that we're actually gonna get absolutely fuck all done with our 3 traipsing around till the summer (at least).

Swings and roundabouts really.

Not related but it made me snigger.....'Oral statement' fnar.

So will anything any good come from this?

Well if 'mainstream' parents and businesses begin to realise who important not only a social-based, community  care system is to everyone's well being then things might change for the better.

We've already seen how after years of being told 'no' when it comes to autistic folk remote working the ideas has been accepted so how knows?

We can but hope.

This was the point I was attempting to make on Radio Scotland earlier but I think the fact that I was rather pragmatic about it as opposed to angrily blaming everyone means I was maybe not the right person to talk to.
Or maybe I was.

To be honest my autie lack of conversation skills kicked in and could have quite happily continued talking for the evening.

Honestly I'd still be doing it now if I were able.