Re•Storying Autism www.restoryingautism.com

Transcript of A Mothers Hopes and Dreams - A Video by Bernie Wastney

Narrated by Bernie Wastney and the voices of children and whānau (family and kin)

Narration begins:

To me, inclusion can be successful if you have the right attitude. What's your attitude? What impact would your attitude have on my child with autism? Your attitude makes a difference.

Male sounding voices: What’s wrong with him? What’s autism?

Female sounding voices: Why does he tap and squeal? He can’t talk, he's got no friends.

Bernie (quoting a teacher): He can only do half days, he doesn’t have enough teacher aide hours for a full day.

Female sounding voices: I know he’s only been here for 20 minutes, but phone the mum to come and pick him up right now! He’s having a meltdown! We have experience with autism, we don’t need your advice.

Bernie: I’m so sleep deprived. Sorry, what did you say? What did she say?

Male sounding voice: Loud noises! Anxiety.

Female sounding voices: Smells. Headaches.

Female sounding voice, speaking in Māori: the clouds in the sky gather, but above them extends the Milky way

Bernie: When some people think of severe autism, they think of meltdowns, anxiety, awkwardness, difference, grey clouds. As a mother of a child with autism, I want them to see beyond the clouds to his uniqueness. His resilience. To see that he tries to cope the best he can. The possibilities, the Milky Way. Although my child’s ability to achieve the same as his peers may be different, my hopes and dreams for him are the same as his peers. To be accepted. To be included. To be happy. To have expectations that he will achieve at his own level, in his own way, it his own time.

Children’s voices: Welcome, Nau Mai, Haere Mai.

Male sounding voice: We love Michael in our class.

Bernie: I believe every child in our school will benefit from Michael coming here.

Female sounding voice: Michael is teaching us so many things.

Bernie: This is a great opportunity to learn how to support people with autism in our community.

Male sounding voice: I played mahjong with Michael. He beat me. He’s really good at it.

Female sounding voice: Our school values your input. We prefer to collaborate with parents, so our children have the best opportunity to achieve. We are learning different ways to encourage Michael to engage.

Bernie: The award for helping in Kapa Haka practice goes to Michael. In New Zealand, the treaty of Waitangi was signed by Māori chiefs and the crown in 1840. The principles of the treaty are summarized as the “three p’s”: partnership, protection, and participation. As a parent, I want similar principles applied for my child when he is at school. Partnership: School and parents working together. I trust your experience as educators, please trust my knowledge as a parent. I am a valuable resource, let's do this together. Protection: All children have the right to education under the New Zealand Education Act, including my child. And please protect our children from negative people who don’t understand them. Participation: For our children to be accepted and included, and to create opportunities for them to achieve. I want you to see beyond the clouds, the behaviours, the challenges, the differences. Because beyond that is the Milky Way, uniqueness, resilience, and a world of wonder and opportunities.