Calm sailing in aisle 4....Aisle 4, calm sailing...thank you

Well, having vomited my brain-fartage upon you in my previous post today I'll play it light and dreamy.
No, I'm not on drugs or drinking bucketloads of grog (at this present moment in time) but things are....calm.
The Tourette's vocal tics have kicked back in; they're always there it's just he's using them as more of an outlet to let loose some of his steam and to give us fair warning that he's anxious.
Not that he hasn't been told to verbalise these things but when he gets highly anxious commands, simple steps, rules of behaviour, etc, all fly out the window and he runs on gut instinct.
So, he's grunting a lot, his father has bought him a shedload of bubble wrap in rolls which he both sits and maniacally pops with glee and in turns uses it to belt us with.
It's true...bubblewrap really is (almost) as good as therapy with a shrink.
Think of those soft nerf balls and that's what it's like being hit with.
Sure beats having the crap belted out of you with a fist, foot or any piece of furniture lying close at hand.
Anyway!
He's off to his lapidary club, for his 3rd year, where he learns lapidary and all about geology and geography, minerals, gems and how to make an ice cream bucket of opal/garnet/greenstone/semi-precious gemstone bits into something close to any woman's heart.
Oh, and he's started on his Spanish.
He of the silver tongue will be able to woo any girl that crosses his path!
Things are in progress to get something done - don't want to say anything just yet in case I mozz it all, but we are being heard :)

Read this and tell me the health system is healthy

My cousin just gave me a newspaper article to read, from last Sunday.
Even though my own son has recently been through/still going through similar experiences - both with his behaviours and with a lack of medical care being forthcoming (which resulted in an apology) - it is still gut-wrenching to read what our kids are put through.
Read the article HERE.
We already know that mental health services for adults is threadbare, with many falling through the gaping holes, but the fact that it's almost non-existent for our kids who could soon be the next generation of adults desperately seeking mental health care is disgusting in 2010.
It's beyond time for the politicians to shut up with empty promises and to put our money where it's needed most - prevention is easier, cheaper and more effective than any band-aid cure.
Early intervention across the board with Every.Single.Diagnosis.
Every.Single.Time.
Today.

It's the little things

Just when you think things are crappy something comes along to slap you back in your box and say "Hey, chicky, be grateful for what you got, OK?"
Oh, alright, that's my weird-arse inner voice saying that and threatening to slap me silly six ways from Sunday when I'm in danger of wallowing in Mother Guilt.
And let me just say that inner voice sounds suspiciously like my mother in full flight.
Not pretty.

When school happens shit happens

Sometimes the whole school system idea works and other times it fails children miserably, depending on the school/teachers/child/if the moon is full that month...you get the picture.
My kidlet went to an Autistic-specific school for 3 days per week in a type of pre-prep programe.
He loved it - heck, any parent would love it! - average of 5 kids per class with 2 teachers and they closely followed the curriculum of mainstream schools as well as incorporating sensory and speech therapies.