IEP meeting

I have a IEP meeting for Lauren tomorrow morning. I hat them, hate them, hate them. I get a knot in my stomach just thinking about them.

First, it's intimidating. It's usually a teacher, a special ed teacher, a SLP (speech and language pathologist, a OT (occupational therapist), a PT (physical therapist), a psychologist, a special services interventionist (or something like that), and a reading intervention specialist. Let's not forget the administrator that's required to be there. And then there's me.

Second, you get services because you are delayed. Therefore, we must spend the majority of the meeting talking about what your child CAN'T do and what other kids CAN do. That's the MFE part.

The IEP part is slightly better because at least there is a discussion of what they can't do but what the school is going to get them to do and how they are going to do it.

Everytime I leave one I am even more aware at how different she is than other kids. It's not something I really like to dwell on, it's something that just is. One of my most common sayings is "It is what it is". I can't spend my life trying to change something that can't be changed.

Ugh, I should drive into work tomorrow ready to jump off a bridge.