Today was a landmark day: I went to my daughter's last IEP meeting. I attended as a spectator, because she's over 18 and technically in charge of her own rights. But like I'm going to sit there and not talk? Yeah, right. Fortunately, there wasn't anything to argue over, just some information to fill in for my daughter, who would very much like not to talk at her meetings.
I remember her first IEP meeting, fourteen years ago, and how happy I was just to sit and listen, how amazed that all these nice people who knew so much took such an interest in my child. Those were the days. I remember her worst IEP meeting, when I insisted that she needed to be mainstreamed and the team was unified in its opinion that inclusion would destroy her. It didn't. I remember meetings where I'd ask simple questions and professionals would stare at me like they had no earthly idea what I meant by things like "measurable goals" and "instructional aide." But I also remember plenty of meetings where things went smoothly and the professionals were friendly and we all just wanted to put something good together for my girl.
My landmark last IEP ever is still a couple of years away, since my son's just a sophomore in high school. It's kind of amazing, though, to think that from now on my daughter really will be on her own in requesting and implementing her educational rights at the college level. The community college she's chosen does offer some services for learning disabilities, but makes it pretty clear that they don't deal with parents. It's good to have that transition. But it will be hard to sit down and shut up.
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