Craig’s School Journey: 3 Lessons I’ve Learned as a Mom in 4 Years

1. There is hope.

Two years before he entered school, Craig was in regular therapy — and it took so long before he could even write or color. But when he joined Kindergarten, something clicked. Just a few months in, he suddenly started writing his own name. Progress comes, sometimes quietly, sometimes in big surprising ways.

2. Environment matters.

After his huge progress in Kindergarten, we transferred him to a private school thinking it would be “better.” But he wasn’t happy. He got sick often, regressed, and didn’t want to go to school. After the first quarter, we returned to public school — and he slowly found his rhythm again. I learned that the “best” school is the one where your child feels safe, happy, and understood.

3. Follow his lead.

As parents, we want to give them everything. We hear terms like “bridging the gap,” and we feel pressured to push, push, push. But along the way, I realized: the more we force, the more he resists. His progress actually came when I stopped rushing and started following his pace. He found friends, he connected, and those friendships even extended to us.

#dearcraig#autismawareness#autismjourney#autismacceptance#snedandmainstream