By Elayne Pearson, C.A.S., Special-needs Preparedness Specialist, is an award-winning writer, poet, presenter, advocate, author, and actress.
It’s May, and some nice graduation announcements have arrived at the house. While I’m happy for each student, it occasionally picks at an old wound from Heidi’s high school graduation (or the lack there of). I ponder if I did the right thing by not having our painfully shy teenager participate in the formal commencement exercises like her Special Needs Educators had encouraged.
It’s hard to know whose advice to listen to.…
Back when Heidi was in preschool, Kim Peek, the autistic savant who inspired the Oscar-winning movie, Rainman, was traveling around the country sharing autism awareness. Kim was a phenomenon. When he and his father, Fran Peak, were invited to speak to a nearby Christian youth group, I was strongly prompted to attend.
The peaceful drive through rural towns with their snow-packed fields, farms, and shaggy horses felt surprisingly at home to me.
MAY
![Elayne_And_Heidi_In_White_Touched-up[1]](https://www.certifiedautismspecialist.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Elayne_And_Heidi_In_White_Touched-up1-232x300.jpg)
By Elayne Pearson, CAS,