Autism. New year at school

This morning I was woken at 7.10 by my two elder children, dressed in their school uniforms, tugging at my blanket.

"Bright Eyes says he's not ready for school," said his sister. I brought him in for a sleepy hug and then got up for brekky. But that was his only falter all morning.

He was ready at 7.30, he helped me pack his lunch and he looked for his hat. He played happily with his brother until we had to leave and was out the door at 8.45. We went over to school with no problems and he found a basketball to play with.

When finally his little brother had had enough waiting around and was well and truly ready to head down the path to preschool, I kissed Bright Eyes goodbye. I saw a lower lip tremble for a minute, so I said, "If you feel worried, K (his new teacher's aide) is here to help you. He looked around and headed off with her.

Wow! When I think back to a year ago, when I didn't send him at the beginning of the year he 'should' have been in, because I knew he couldn't possibly cope, I am amazed at how far he's come. Imagine if we can make similar progress this year... what a great thing to look forward to!