Light It Up in Blue Today!

A note from Kristen Chen, Chair PTA Special Needs Committee April is Autism Awareness Month, and today, April 2nd, is Global Autism Awareness Day. It's a special day to all of those touched by autism. And, by the recent estimate from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), that's pretty much all of us: 1 out of every 88 children is now diagnosed with autism. If you're a boy, your chances of being diagnosed with autism is 1 in 54. That's a HUGE number, which basically means that every one of us knows someone who is touched by this disorder. My son has autism. I have a cut-out from an old magazine on the bulletin board above my desk that I would like to share with you. I try to follow this advice every day, and I would urge you to do the same for your child, autism or not: 1. Compliment your child with autism every day, with sincerity 2. Believe that he or she CAN, rather than can't 3. Forgive yourself for being human, for having limited energy, limited knowledge, limited patience 4. Express gratitude to the people who are with you on this journey (friends, teachers, specialists, etc.) 5. Make time for your spouse and other children; make them feel valued and loved 6. Demonstrate in word and action the qualities you're trying to instill in your child 7. Take the break you need 8. Trust your inner wisdom 9. Dream the dreams you've dared not dream! Today is Global Autism Awareness Day. Please honor this day by wearing blue, the color of autism awareness. Thank you.