First off, let me say I think all children are extraordinary. How can they not be? They're learning everything for the first time, fresh explorers of a world old and familiar to us adults. How can that not be exciting to be around?

I haven't shared much about my boy here on my blog, though I've posted things about his school year on Facebook. So, to catch everyone up, I've got an almost five year old who's been in PPCD, or Preschool Program for Children with Disabilities, for over a year now, since he was a little more than three and a half.

As an infant and toddler, he always showed preference for me and a select few people. He didn't care to explore his world the same way a lot of children his age did, but he did have a knack for electronics and knew his ABCs by 18 months and how to count by 2. However, he didn't speak much, and by the time he was three he'd started having behavioral issues because of an inability to communicate with us about his needs and wants. Mommy could no longer read his mind and Daddy had never been able to.

There's a wonderful program for infant and toddlers called ECI, or Early Childhood Intervention, which is a state and federally funded program available in many (if not all) states. There's testing that has to get done, but by the time his inability to speak was starting to become an issue, he didn't qualify for that program because he wasn't far enough behind--it's a kind of graduated scale, so honestly, the earlier you try to get intervention, the better--so we had to wait a few months to test for PPCD.

Now, I am opposed to labeling children. I don't believe in girl toys and boy toys. I'm not a fan of saying my child is in a program for disabled children because he's more than able, but if not for society's penchant for trying to fit everything in a box, he wouldn't be getting the assistance he needed because we wouldn't have been able to afford the individual attention he gets in this program. Officially, he's been labeled as in the autism spectrum, though off the record the psychologist told us he was just extremely introverted. However to get him the help he needed, a label had to be slapped on to the form.

This past year has been extraordinary. Within weeks of starting school, the teachers had given him the tools he needed to start communicating. Within months, almost all his behavioral problems (aside from those every toddler and preschool age child has), had disappeared. And now, though he still has enunciation problems and is extremely introverted (and will no doubt always be since both my husband and I are), he has full conversations with my husband and I. My current favorite sentence of his is, "I've been knowing that." And yes, my precious son, has indeed been knowing all kinds of things even though he's just now able to articulate what exactly he's been knowing.

This summer he's in summer school again, to reinforce the skills he's learned to date, and in the coming school year, we'll be focused on getting him ready for kindergarten in a year. I'll admit I'm nervous. I worry about bullying. I was bullied well into high school, while my husband was so introverted he's not sure if he was ever bullied. I'm hoping my son is never bullied or if he is, he's like his dad and doesn't realize it. But all we can do is provide him the skills he needs to face the challenges of each day ahead.

So to everyone with an extraordinary child, I want to say, find whatever support or help you need, whether you're a parent of a child who's marching to the beat of the same drum as most other kids or one who marches to his/her/their own beat. We all have concerns and worries, good days and bad. Most parents understand where you're coming from and even if you don't want to talk to people you know, you'd be surprised how many parents post their honest thoughts about their daily trials and tribulations online. And on the good days, give your child a hug and yourself a smile. On the bad days, give yourself permission to take a time out, remind yourself you're human and that your child/children is/are new to this world and experiences and may not understand the why/how for the first twenty-two times. Then give him/her/them a hug for refreshing your view of the world.

And if you ever need an ear, I can normally be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/emmalaiwrites.