What have I been up to...God only knows

Well, here we are in the second week of the school holidays and I have absolutely no idea where time has gone. I know some parents wish the holidays to fly but I have so much to do, so many people whom we promised to catch up with in the holidays and now here we are on the second last day of them!!!!
I have had the kids half yearly dental check ups done and Miss 8 Almost 9 needs a small filling which will get done next week. Mr 6 had speech pathology last week and was all over the room like a blue arse fly, his pathologist was amazed as the past appointments have been in the afternoons of a school day so he would have spent 4 hours in school before attending therapy and is obviously more settled then. She asked me half way through the session if he is always like that , my reply was "Welcome to my world" He was unable to sit through one work session let only the 3 she had planned, he was on the floor, under the table, wanting to go to the toilet, at the computer, you name it, he was into it. She told him he was making her dizzy. He has a pediatrician appointment next week and I will discuss it with her as it is something his teacher has noticed in the last week of term also.
I caught up with my pal, Maxine and her daughter who is the same age as Miss 8 Almost 9. And another friend visited yesterday after Maxine left, she has a daughter with Aspergers whom I have been helping with learning to read for the past two years. Stevie (as I call her) missed out on funding at school and the school placed the onus on her parents to facilitate her reading deficiency, so I took over for the second half of Prep and grade 1, then Mandy got a home tutor who specialises in special needs kids. Stevie is now only slightly behind her counterparts and the school tried to take the credit for it!! Any way, Mandy and her tribe of two visited yesterday and she looks very well and very in control considering her diagnosis of MS and the fact that her son has a partial diagnosis of "some form of autism spectrum disorder". It never rains, it pours for this woman. But we have been friends for over 20 years, she was bridesmaid and her husband best man at our wedding and she knows I am ALWAYS there for her.
Speaking of weddings, it was out 17th wedding anniversary last Saturday, there is no listing for what is a traditional gift and what is a modern gift for a 17th, so I gave him some Lindt choccies and he gave me some Jelly Belly jelly beans...So the official 17th wedding anniversary gift is now,chocolates and Jelly beans!!!And on the subject of celebrations it will be my da's 80th on Saturday but his party is on Sunday at our place.
I have been training the pup, I have not mentioned him much as when I first mentioned him; there was an issue raised in regards to our existing dog ; with council. This was done anonymously and in a very, very covert manner and also contry to councils guidelines in regards to accepting complaints. Suffice to say, the matter is with a higher authority and I am entertaining the idea of issuing a writ against the council for accepting and entertaining a malicious and vexatious compliant in in a manner contary to their own guidelines which therefore was vilifying of our character and statue in the realm of the dog world. You see, we are both accredited dog obedience instructors and long time trainers and dog handlers, we are both stewards and members of many clubs and affiliations within the dog world. Heads will roll, I care not who complained or why, I care that local authorities feel they can circumvent their own guidelines which are in place to stop this sort of un warranted harassment. Watch this space.
anyway, the pup, (who for privacy reasons shall remain nameless) has been wonderful; we have been to a local park ( off lead area) today with our friend from Portland who's dog sired him. He needed to learn a bit of respect for other dogs so his father gave him a "bit of what for" . I do not advocate dogs fighting but there are times when nature needs to allowed to run its course...And he learnt his place in the pecking order without any blood letting. Having a dog on a lead and pulling it back again and again, does little except teach them to try again. Let them do what nature intended and the younger will learn its place and respect for it elders...As did someone today. We are meeting up again later for another play session offlead and tomorrow is a local Obedience Trial at Riddells Creek which I think I will peruse. Mr 3 has a party to attend tomorrow afternoon so I have some four year old shopping to do and I am debating attending obedience club tomorrow or visiting the trial and catching up with some friends.

Traffic, Games, and the magic of surprise

So the Commonwealth Games opened last night here in Melbourne...My kids were totally fascinated with it all.
I was very impressed to see the EAD (elite athletes with disabilities) competitors as part of many contingents, this is a new era for the Games ;as these competitors are not only representatives of their countries; but the sports they are in are trail sports for future Games.

I thought it apt that Leunig's poem The Duck was used in the manner it was and that it was a person not normally seen by many in the community as a mainstream writer. Plus he's from Melbourne.

I wonder ,though, with all the traffic from the Games Village, and normal Melbourne traffic, how many people will be booked for driving in the now BLUE
LANES designated as GL (Games Lanes). We will see, call me a skeptic but looks like a bit of a revenue opportunity to me, what wrong with a "Hey mate, that lane's reserved for Games athletes travel only" "Oh sorry, I didn't know..There are no clear and concise signs telling me that"

Well, I am waiting for the hockey to happen, I am a hockey fiend. See the secrets out now. I love men's and women's hockey but not ice or skate hockey. Yes, I played for many years at regional and state levels, I wasn't very fast but I'm very strong and very deft, being ambidextrous helped too as I could play to either side by swapping hands. ( Why that pissed opposition teams off I will NEVER know LOL). Miss 8 was rapt to see her idol, Cathy Freeman carry the Queens Baton, and is very sad she has retired from athletics. Mr 6 was just enthralled by all the fireworks and peoples(sic). I did have to laugh that they had Ron Barrassi "walk on water" from the pontoons to the stairs....For those who are uninitiated to the religion known as football here...Barassi is thought to be the ultimate in footballs living legends as a player and a premiership coach. But I dislike football so would not know.

Don't forget to fix the leaking tap!!!

Miss 5 needs this type in the kids bathroom...LOL 

This is the type of toilet needed in my house!!!!! 

School Holidays, Commonwealth Games and ????

School holidays have been bought forward this year in Victoria( not sure about the other states) due to the Commonwealth Games being held here . So Term 1 was for a whole SIX weeks after a six week Christmas/New Year break, Term 2 will be 12 weeks with Easter off. I love how the Governments; State and Federal; just switch about the holidays to suit the multi media, mass production known as the Commonwealth Games. Now don't get me wrong, I don't work away from home, so it hardly effects me but if you have just split your leave between yourself and your partner to look after the kids during the summer holidays...What person would have accrued enough leave to have a further two weeks leave six weeks later???? And what employer ( apart from some PS departments) would allow you another lot of leave ,six weeks later????
Despite the Government paying lip service to "family friendly " policies...They counteract with the introduction of industrial relations laws which will strip away the right to even have the leave during school holidays let alone have all the entitled leave. Then they bring in this whammy...Yes, I know there are school holiday programs, which cost money and in some cases defeat the reason for going to work at all. The Government wants more women in the workplace, why? So we can be taxed more? So we spend more?Until the workplace becomes truly and equitably family friendly for ALL this will always be the downfall of any government.

Inso far as the Commonwealth Games goes, well, its great to see the countries of the Commonwealth get together for a who's the fastest/strongest/best/whatever competition, if that is your thing. It's nice to see the creme' de la creme' of their sports represent their country all trained to the nth degree of their fitness levels, what has been pushed to the background as oft it does is that the both the Special Olympics and Paralympics are scheduled for 2006 also.

I don't recall any advertising given to the SO or PO, those who attend are families and carers and others involved in the world of disability and special needs, I have yet to met a member of the general public who has ever attended a SO or PO just for the sporting aspect. As someone who has attended/seen both, let me let you in on a little secret..................
Wonderful though it was to see Cathy Freeman win the 400m in Sydney and the women's swim team win relays and the "Thorpedo" help bring back the glory days for Aussies in the pool....But for my sense of achievement and national pride, you will never, ever get over seeing Louise Sauvage win a wheel chair distance race or the joy on the faces of a relay team on the podium, or the utter disbelief of the winner of a 100m freestyle. For my money, these are the true sports people, they have no high octane sports institutes to attend, no high profile coaches and training teams, no real big name international sponsors, they do it because they love it, because they can and because they are grateful for what they have in life. So instead of buying that 10th ticket to see some sport you may not even like just so you can say you did, maybe look at attending the SO or PO this year, or make a donation to getting the PO team to Sorino.

International woman's Day

Today is International woman's Day(IWD), it is to commemorate the deeds of our foremothers and the selflessness of their actions to help women today achieve what they have. Little things such as the right to vote, the right of equal pay for equal work ( questionable, I know) the right to be not only a mother but an employee/employer or to stay home, the right to childcare facilities, freedom of choice in motherhood, relationships, sexuality; the right to say"no", the right of recourse via the legal system, the right to enter and serve in the armed forces, the police, the fire brigade, the SES, the CFA and numerous other protection and rescue services; the right to be whatever you wish to be; the right to education, be it tertiary or vocational; the right to serve on a jury, be the judge or magistrate, the barrister or the solicitor...........

In short, the women before us; be they our mothers, our aunts, our sisters, our cousins; gave us the rights and freedom of choices. How we use them, how we develop them, how we mix and match the product of our choices; is up to us. We need to ensure that they are not eroded by political agendas driven by guilt ridden rhetoric, that they are not cast into doubt by zealots who bring their beliefs to the parliamentary table; for they are our choices to be respected and unquestioned by anyone. Our foremothers did not suffer torment and ridicule, scorn and vilification for these steps ;they have made for us to rise above what they only were able to achieve; to be turned to rubble by those in society, business and politics who cannot accept the changing face of women.
We need to maintain the rage of our predecessors, fight for what we believe, what is our right, we need to smash the" glass ceiling" in the workplace in such a manner that the shards will be irreparable. We need to make it known;loud and clear; that to be a "stay at home mum" still makes us a worthy member of society, that taxpayers are not footing the bill for our leisure. That we are all of equal standing, be you working mothers or women who choose not to have children, or by fate, cannot have children, we are all united by a singular cause; that of furthering the rights of women; if not for ourselves; then for our children, our nieces, our god daughters , granddaughters and all who follow afterwards.

Play ball with the dog for chrissakes!!!!!!!! 

Weird, Strange and Random

I got tagged ( AGAIN, I am so excited by memes it's dangerous) by Jamie.
The rules are very simple and easy

1. Thank the person that tagged you.
2. List 5 random/strange/weird things about you.
3. Tag 5 other people.

SO THANK YOU, JAMIE.

1.I like to read crime/thriller books but cannot and will not watch them in a movie format

2. I have a pin in my ankle which hurts when the weather is going to get colder. This is real. Many people say this is a furphy..But I can say it's for real.

3.I like kids parties but I have to choke back tears at my children parties when I see them so happy and in awe.

4. I judge my writing by my own reaction to it, if a poem makes my cry each time; I know ( think) it's good, same with anything I write.

5. I read in the bath.

Now whom to tag....???/
No one likes to play such games about here very much, so I guess I will tag who ever wants to participate....OK.

Don't forget to play ball with the dog!!!!

Fair go for Dads ( and my little brother)

Now I realise the contraversy I will cause with this and am prepared to justify it with a true scenario. But I applaud the changes envisaged for support payments of non custodial parents , I applaud them for several reasons. One is because of my brother and his situation with his son and the other because it catches up with deceiving nasties as my brothers ex. Do not get me wrong, I do not have a good relationship with my brother ,we have different politics and ideals , and it is a wonder we even have the same parents we are so diverse. And I do not hate my brothers ex, we had the greatest time together and our children are only 14 month apart so we cemented out relationship in that process too. She chooses not to stay in contact, I still send her birthday cards, Christmas cards and cards for the kids(even her new kids) birthday. So there is nothing more in this than what I have experienced and saw my little bruver go through.

My brother has custody of his son for school holidays and alternating Christmas and birthdays, his son lives interstate where his mother took him when he was 9 month old, without my brothers permission or knowledge. My brother worked 14/7 to pay for the investigator who located his ex and his son, 6 months later....In another state. He then applied for custody/visitations rights etc...He was denied custody and visits without the ex about as she was still breastfeeding him ( my nephew was 20months old by this time)!!! He finally got visits in the state only when his son was almost 2years old...Until then my nephew hardly knew who his Dad was. At 3, they went to Court to sort out interstate visits and support benefits ( up until then and after his ex was receiving benefits from Centrelink but was living in a defacto relationship with another guy) the solicitors advised my brother and her that as the agreement; was amicable and my brother was paying above the accepted amount of support for his income bracket plus was supplying his son with new clothes at each visit; that there was no need to have the agreement ratified by the Court. Over the next 4 years, my nephew came over for school holidays (alternating or when his mum and new hubby were holidaying and needed a babysitter) often the hols did not fit in with the holidays here so we would get together for the kids on weekends at the beach or the zoo or such. Meanwhile, my brother was paying for airfares to travel to collect his son, bring him back to Melb, travel back with him and then his return. Once my nephew was old enough and ok with it, he traveled back and forth alone in the company of a steward/ess...My brother still paid for these trips each and every time.
About 8 months ago, Ex decides that marriage no 2 ( my brother and her were never married but in a defacto, I still considered her my sister in law) needs more money , hubby has his own flourishing business which is franchising out, they travel OS biannual, she has a daughter and my nephew attends a private school ( fees paid for by my brother) but she needs a cash injection. SO lets apply to the Child Support Agency( CSA) for support, forgetting the in excess of a grand paid into a bank account in her name each month for support, the school fees, the clothes and the paid airfares when they need a baby sitter. CSA, in their wisdom, check nothing but send my brother a bill (calculated retrospectively) for in excess of $20k. Then then wipe out his bank account. They also place a garnishee order on his salary. He contacts them, telling them he has receipts for all payments made to her account since the inception for the agreement, plus the agreement signed by both of them and witnessed by the solicitors for each party. No , sorry , you can show it to us in Court, agreement?? Was it ratified by the Court? NO? Sorry, means nothing.
What has happened is that little miss ex has told CSA that she has received NOTHING from my brother ever...So they hand over his $20k to her. Plus ongoing garnished payments for the next 6 months. I can talk about his now as the matter has been through the Court and resolved.
Under advisement from his solicitor, my brother did the following:
Firstly, my brother contacted Centrelink to tell them she was getting benefits when she was living with someone and he supplied copies of receipts for all the payments he made to her( she told them she was not getting any support). He sent copies to CSA also. Centrelink went after her for overpayment and CSA adjusted the amount my brother "owed" by the amount she had be overpaid by Centrelink ( ain't it grand the way Govt dept. work together, NOT).
After the matter went to Court, it was found that my brother was paying well above the expected amount of support and another agreement (very similar) was drawn up and RATIFIED by the Court. CSA refunded my brother his $20k plus his garnisheed salary, inclusive of interest. This money come from a special fund for cases like this when they have to give the money back, as Miss Ex spent most of the $20k, she has to repay CSA...Shame this does not work in reverse!!! She also had to repay Centrelink for the 4 years ( we thought it was only 2 or 3) of claiming single parent benefit, inclusive of rent assistance. Her husband wrote a cheque that day in Court for the money ( over $30k)

So now you see?? I realise that for every one of these horror stories for Dads there is probably 2 or 3 for a mum. But it is just so you realise it is not always the Dad who is the deceiver, the recalcitrant payer, the one leaving the kids without ( which is why my brother pays the school fees direct to the school and buys the clothes for my nephew himself instead of sending the money to her)
This is just another side to the story, another piece and as I said; my brother is no angel but he loves his son and deserves to be part of his life for as long as his son wishes him to be. This issue should not be about money inso much as equality and rights, the rights of child to see their non custodial parent, the equality of the sexes to share parenting and the rights of the individual to have justice done.

Let's play a game...............

Now this game is called "Ask a question, Answer a question" it works like this. I will ask a question which can be generic, and not even relevant to the person/s I link it to. They , inturn, answer the question and ask another of someone (or more ) else and so on and on an on and on ad infinite.
I actually picked up this idea from a forum I frequent and they have over 2000 questions and answers, last time I looked.
The questions can be silly like "what colour is you wallpaper?" and the answers equally so "I don't have wallpaper" and even create a thread "why not?" "I don't like it"
SO I am bored OK
Let's PLAY

WHO WOULD YOU BE IF YOU COULD BE ANY ONE AND WHY??

I PICK............
JAMIE
SUPAMOM
Crrtic

ENJOY AND PASS THE FUN AROUND

Term 4, 2005 artwork. I have been remiss and slack...no excuses 

My boy read me a book last night.............

For a child who I was told would struggle in mainstream school, Mr 6 is not doing too badly. He proudly bought home his first reader last night, titled " I Can Swim". It consists of about 10 pages with an animal on one page undertaking the action with the words beneath and the other page has the surrounding happenings. This is because the "new" style of learning to read is no longer phonetic ( sounding out) but using other prompts for word recognition's such as pictures, no longer do teachers say "sound out the word" but "what do you think he is doing". Close enough is good enough..If the child says splashing instead of swimming, that will do; it's still visual comprehension.

Anyway, my boy read me a book all about a crocodile who can swim and a monkey who swings and an elephant that squirts and a leopard who can run and all sorts of other animals and their antics.

My boy read me a book and recognised 3 of the ten vocabulary words in the back
My boy read me a book and told me all about what else was happening in the book
My boy read me a book and then re did the vocabulary words
My boy read me a book
My boy can read

Cattitude....

Carrying on from Brians ask that I create a post that shows my cattitude I will attempt to enlighten you all on the wonders of the world of according to mothers. Now I know I have often done this before , posting about my daily stuff, my routine stuff but today I will post the RULES which should apply to all and sundry as according to mums. Sorry to the working full time, kidless , colleagues, community members but think of it this as time and effort spend with our little Sebastians, Johans, Amelias and Siobahans means a more settled doctor, nurse, podiatrists, dentist, cleaner, optomertrist, funeral director for YOU in your later years...LMAO.

RULE 1: Any child can push past you in the supermarket if you are blocking the lolly/biscuit/snack area he/she needs access to. Even more so if you are chatting on your mobile about the newest wine or a new dress. You tosser, you.

RULE 2: When in a supermarket queue with a) two or more children under 3 b) children who are hot/tired/bored or been denied lollys/whatever or c)siblings who are fighting, mums will have right of way to go to the head of the queue and be served before all others.

RULE 3: The petrol bowser closest to the pay booth shall be designated PARENT PETROL and only be used by parents with children in the car so they can keep an eye on the children whilst getting fuel and paying for it.

RULE 4: It shall be illegal to sniff offensively, sigh, tch tch, roll your eyes or any other form of un accepting behavior should my children undertake something YOU deem offensive, of bad manners, or unacceptable. This offensive is punishable by having to play at Party princess or clown at a month worth of children parties.

RULE 5: Bosses shall allow employees time off for teacher meetings, parents day, tour my school/kinder, doctors appointments, etc without groaning and carrying on about the other employees....My son might save your life on the operating table one day and then you will be grateful I had that 2 hours off for parent teacher interviews.

RULE 6: On public transport; should I be silly enough or desperate enough to utilise it with three kids; you will show sympathy if not some empathy and offer a seat to the whinging child who wants a seat.

RULE 7: All restaurants who claim to be "family" restaurants will provide an enclosed play area with decent play equipment and real kids meals not just downsized adult meals

RULE 8: If I am driving too slow for you it is because I am in a "SCHOOL ZONE" (IDIOT)
I care little if you are late for work, get up earlier, I could give you a wake up call at 0500 if you like........

RULE 9: All kids can and will play ball with the dog, too bad if the ball hits the fence or OMG, the the kids sound like they are having fun, that's just TUFF!!!

RULE10: All children will be raised in the manner we see fit, regardless of what you "think" would be better, or what you "read" somewhere or what you saw on "Oprah/ Sally Jesse/ Dr Phil/ Super Nanny. We live it day to day ,every day until you live in our world, stay out of it!!!!!!!!

There attitude with a Molotov chaser..............
Don't forget to clean out the crisper bin in the fridge.

My Monday fix

This is my Monday morning must .
I have become a voyeur in other peoples lives, although I know not who they are.
I compulsively have to log in AM Monday to see what has been posted
I have cried, been in awe, laughed and been shocked
I envy those with secrets to share..Anonymously or not
I think it would be a great way to get rid of baggage
So; in the like mindedness; of Postsecret..I am sharing the site with my readers ( all 3 or 4 of you)

AWB , WT and Free Enterprise

Given that there are varying stories about and people jumping ship like rats I was interested in the spin being placed on the "reason" behind the matter of the Australian Wheat Board ( AWB) paying the Government of Iraq ( Saddam's coffers???)to accept shipments of Australian wheat. Why it is all coming out now they have been caught out, if it was such a noble and just reason, I cannot understand .
Apparently, as is the "norm" with the so called free trade and enterprise within this world of ours, some shipments arrive, as per specifications, be they live exports, produce, goods, whatever and are found to be "faulty" or some part of the shipment agreement has not been adhered to or the consignment note conditions have not been met....So you have umpteen tonnes of wheat in port in a foreign land, you have farmers to pay back home and the country to which you are exporting is/was under sanctions and the people of this country need the wheat. SO what do you do, you make an ex gratia payment for the consignment to be accepted. How this works out in $$ I cannot see as the shipment would have been worth less than the $ paid and any further shipment might be up for the same treatment. This happens on a smaller local level too, a grocery chain has purchased 12 pallets of lettuce from a co operative, whilst the consignment is in transit, they are give "incentives" to purchase same from another supplier, which they do. Dilemma...2 deliveries of lettuce due, accept the one the "incentive" was given for and when the other arrives...Find some fault with it, "freezer burn" is a common enough complaint and refuse to sign con. note or accept delivery. Details are discussed and no fault can be found, transport co refuses to accept liability, goods are going to be wasted, in an act of "good faith" the co operative agrees to make an ex gratia payment ...This is the cost of doing business!!!!

Perhaps I have a simplistic view of things, but given that in the world of free trade, some countries (who may remain nameless as I do not wish to end up in the Gutamo gulag) PAY their primary producers not to grow crops in some years so to increase world demand. Our primary producers have to suffer the ups and downs of supply and demand without sufficient subsidies, no one suggests to them that for the price of the yield of the previous years crop..They plough this years into the ground!!!

I have watched my family and others struggle to meet the every increasing demand placed on them by co operatives ( what ever happened to dealing direct with a local milk company or the local stock merchant) Government and greedy ass, "would not know a Friesian from Jersey" export conglomerates. There was a time when you sold your milk to the local dairy for processing to Ideal and Pauls, if you had 500l you were paid for 500l if you had 400 same again. Now they only buy a certain amount from you ,therefore causing you to decrease your herd, which in turn requires less pasture. You have excess pasture on which you are paying rates on, water privileges and taxes as a primary producer, but the co op will only purchase XX amount of your produce. Many Australians do not realise that the beef and lamb they consume is second rate to the produce exported overseas. The incentive to supply the local market is not there as there is no money unless you are willing to meet the criteria for the export market, then what is deemed unsuitable is sold on the local market BUT at the export market rate. We are being held to ransom by the "big business" of farming, they enforce quotas which are either un achievable or not tenable. The days of selling your excess to whoever you wished outside of a contract quota have gone...Excess yield in the market place would decrease the market price and therefore the profit. In years past, meat produce prices increased and decreased with drought and disaster conditions, good rains and decreased irrigation costs,less stock meant less produce for market and an increased cost to keep what you had alive for market, more stock meant more for market therefore a steady supply and a cheaper cost. However, meat prices have continued to increase regardless of these "deciders".

As opposed to popular belief, it is not the "cow cockies", graziers and other primary producers who are getting rich from this...If it was the case why are so many young people turning their backs on the "family business" and the chance to be your their boss to go work at Coles or Mc Donalds? Because, as a farmer, you no longer have the right to decide to have another 50 head because the milk is not part of your quota and your contract with ABC BUyers is only for 80 carcasses per season. This is not free trade, this is not free enterprise, this is not farming by choice...soon there will be no one wanting to farm and that will be a real loss to our heritage.

Sour grapes????

ROTFLMAO is what I have been doing as this story is a bit of a laugh

Political aspiration is a strange mistress, it causes some to act with outright rage and desperation and jealousy yet in others it creates humility, gratitude and grace.

What next????

I was aghast at this story regarding an ASX listed company trying to palm fines off onto workers, never mind that childcare workers are amongst the lowest paid employees in the community and that this corporation just keep gobbling up centres all over...If a centre is lax, it is the upper echelons who are at fault, not the workers. These are children we are talking about and many child care workers;despite the pay, LOVE their work; but they are forced to cut corners due to cost efficiency measures bought about by the corporate owners. I know centres who run AM shifts with one mothercraft nurse and two teenagers who come in before school, the Level 1, 2 and 3 childcare workers come in after 0900. The system of checking is flawed, the Department of Human Services needs to have carte blanc entry rights to child care centres at ANY time. Surely they realise that correct staff ratios are adhered to when they are in attendance only, the rest is just names written in a book as they have no access to pay details or hours worked for cross referencing.

Now, corporate child care giants want to have the fines for failure to comply with regulations enforced on the employees. Hello, work at the coal face for a while and see how you cope with the work conditions you enforce as POLICY!!! Coporatisation has no place in the care of our children. Bottom line is that a child absconded from a western suburbs centre, question is
How did they get out if child proof locking devices where installed??
And the child was gone for 1/2 hour, fine, a head count was done prior and another not due until a staff change over or movement from indoor to outdoor activity. This is tantamount to saying that truck drivers have to pay for losses in transit, train drivers reimburse commuters for late train arrivals. Seems the onus is on the OWNER not the employee, due diligence in mantaining a fit and proper place for the carrying out of the work for which is was intended. You can buy up the centres so that you own hundreds but the fact remains that the owner is where the buck stops. Give me a owner run and operated creche any day, least the owner is on site working with the staff, not in a highrise office unaware of any staff except the sycophants in the offices about them. Wake up and smell the nappies corporate creches.

PSGs, Growing Up and Birthdays

Friday was the much awaited PSG for term one . I invited his EIP co ordinator from last year to attend as a sort of hand over of info. Somehow if the info is coming from another educational professional instead of an overeducated, knowledgeable, "I know my child" parent; educators are much more receptive to it. It went well but officially he has no funding yet but it is expected, story keeps changing people. Something about part funding for another child who was coming back but hasn't yet..Not sure how it ties in with Mr 6 but apparently it does. All my fears aside, he has an aide, some woman whom has been an aide for the school for 30 years...That's fine and good but I'd like to see some clarification of credentials ( like First Aid!!!) rather than her just being someone the school/church is helping out with part time work. Numeracy was discussed and he scored low when tested ( my take is he has no numaracy recognition, lets call it like it is , please) The principal told me that he was astonished that the boy described and scored in the results and paperwork he got last year was so unlike the boy he saw at school. They have been observing him for signs of absconding the school yard and watching for the explosive behavior and NIL has happened (YET)
He is not socialising with other children in the playground as he is happy to play on the equipment alone that way he is un challenged by their skills and does not have to keep up with them, he does not have to try and learn the rules of their games and therefore s not at risk of non acceptance or ridicule. SMART BOY. My baby is growing up, he happily shows me the letter he has done each day and his other book (poetry, religion or reading) he proudly shows Daddy his work too but by then has forgotten the letter or the characters name. He had library for the first time on Thursday and although he had library at kindergarten and has been a regular visitor to the local library since he was 2, he was proud as punch of the book and his bag. He took it to his speech appointment to show his speech pathologist.
He has had two appointment's with his speech pathologist, first was to retest his receptive language and last Thursday was to retest his expressive language. Then she will work out some programs for him that work in conjugation with his school curriculum. They have hit it off straight away and she is very patient with him and he responds well to her, I am so glad I went with his EIP co ordinators recommendation. On the subject of ancillary services like speech, once your private health insurance runs out (if you have it) or in lieu of it. You can apply with your GP for an Enhanced Care Plan via Medicare. Whilst usually for high dependency type conditions,it can be used where therapy is long term. It can be used for speech, podiatry, chiropody,Aboriginal Health worker, audiology,Mental Health worker inclusive of mental health nurses,occupational therapists, psychologists and some social workers, physio, chiropractor, and osteopath. This plan pays $45 for each visit towards FIVE visits for any one of the above or a combo if approved by the GP every calendar year. Not many people know about it, Medicare do not advertise it and Mr 6 qualifies for it.
Mr 6 is 6 now, he turned the big boy number yesterday, he got very enthused about it and was awake at 0730 on Saturday morning wanting his presents, which was ok because the kids had swimming lessons any way. He got his Thunderbirds 3 rocket, he now has TB 1, TB 3 and TB4. For such a cheesy marionation show from the 1960's he certainly is a big fan, he prefers the older shows with the marionation(animations with puppets or marionettes) to the new movie but likes that too. He also got Spiderman PJ's from Nana, a whole lot of rubbishy trucks and such from my BIL and SIL(brother in law and sister in law) they never really put much thought into presents. Mr 6 opened the present , took one look and said "Oh no, not this, this is not good" they say from the mouths of babes come gems!!!

Valentines Day

I was thinking about VD past and realised that 20 years ago I was at the Dire Straits "Brothers In Arms" concert on VD 1986 with 2IC and a few thousand others. It was a Friday ( how's that for a memory) and was 38 degrees Celsius, (or very high 30's). The tickets were a VD gift to each other..I think. Yesterday I arranged for 2IC to get 2 lots of little choccie hearts delivered from The Chocolate Box (YUM)
The delivery was made but 2IC being the workaholic he is, did not go to the front office to collect the package as he thought it was work related and would get it tomorrow on his way in. When I called him on his way home to ask if he had received a delivery, I heard him say "NO,... Oh oh". And being the chocoholic he is..He hightailed it back to the office( he was actually getting a lift to the station from a work mate so the work mate told him he should go back and get them) So he came home with his 1/2 kilo of choccie hearts tore open the packaging and threw one heart shaped container at me and said "Happy Valentines Day". Rarely the romantic but when he trys he does well. I did not marry him for romance ( too much is BORING) we are soul mates, melded beings, so alike but so different, I never recall thinking he was the "ONE" but that I did not want to be apart from him or his life, that our lives were linked in some way and that a piece would be missing if we were not together.

This is me???? Maybe, could explain a few things....

Your Seduction Style: The Dandy

You're a non-traditionalist, not limited by gender roles or expectations. Your sexuality is more fluid than that - and you defy labels or categories. It's hard to pin you down, and that's what's fascinating about you. You have the psychology of both a male and a female, and you can relate to anyone.

What Is Your Seduction

You're an Expert Kisser

You're a kissing pro, but it's all about quality and not quantity You've perfected your kissing technique and can knock anyone's socks off And you're adaptable, giving each partner what they crave When it comes down to it, your kisses are truly unforgettable

What Kind of Kisser Are You?

You Have a Choleric Temperament

You are a person of great enthusiasm - easily excited by many things. Unsatisfied by the ordinary, you are reaching for an epic, extraordinary life. You want the best. The best life. The best love. The best reputation. You posses a sharp and keen intellect. Your mind is your primary weapon. Strong willed, nothing can keep you down. Your energy can break down any wall. You're an instantly passionate person - and this passion gives you an intoxicating power over others. At your worst, you are a narcissist. Full of yourself and even proud of your faults. Stubborn and opinionated, you know what you think is right. End of discussion. A bit of a misanthrope, you often see others as weak, ignorant, and inferior.

What Temperment Are You?

Does it ever end???

Will there ever be a point in Mr 5 almost 6's education when I will not have to fight and pursue people for what he needs and what he has a right to??? I thought we had come full circle with this; he got funding, ipso facto he gets an aide...No biggie. But no, its not that simple, despite the Catholic Education Office(CEO) having no published info on due process for funding, PSGs etc as the Department Of Education(DET) do, and me having no formal, written confirmation from the school of funding ( only verbal from the principal that he has 5 hours a week aide). Firstly I get palmed off to the Deputy Principal,(DP) fine, he handles Student Wellbeing etc,then after I track him down; he has to wait till after the Leadership meeting to arrange a time with me( why?? I am unclear). SO finally yesterday, I pin the DP down to arrange a meeting......And he has to refer to the PRINCIPAL and have him there too!!!!! I really feel I am getting the run around , Mr 5 Almost6 has no aide to date and the Principal tells me yesterday that they have two other children who may get funding and they will not be advertising for an aide until Term 2.
MY SON HAS FUNDING NOW>>>WHAT HAPPENS TO THE $1500 FROM TERM ONE? I also get told that the priest is the employer and has to make the decision as to whom to employ for the job!!!!!
So now I have a meeting on Friday with the DP and the Principal, Mr 5 Almost 6's early intervention co ordinator is coming ( on her day off, so it better not be cancelled) I have a feeling of loss of control here as the guidelines are in accessible to the public and you only have what you are being told by the staff at the CEO and always the same person, whether you ring the regional office or the main office,...You are referred back to the same person. Today I spoke to a psychologist at the regional office who was very informative about the process and says I can ask about the utilisation of the funding from term1 if he is not being supplied with an aide till term 2. One of the differences I found is that the DET or State system funds the child, whereas the CEO funds the program and is designed for the child learning needs. Only drawback is that the school gets the money and its up to them as to how they spend that money, which may mean I have a fight on my hands, even thought the majority employ aides with the money. Mr 5 Almost 6's aide from kinder who is qualified to work in schools took her resume' to the school yesterday (after my meeting with the DP and the Principal). Must have looked like a right set up to the Principal!!!!LMAO I did not know about this until today!!!

Jamies Interview with me

Jamie has offered to interview me, I'm not scared, we're going on a bear hunt...Yeah right. So I have been remiss in answering the questions, let alone looking at them. But now its time to get down and dirty...........

1. You talk about your kids a lot on your blog, showing that you are an excellent mother in the process. What bit of advice would you give new parents so they can be just as excellent at parenting?
OK firstly, I am not an excellent mother...Just seems that way to people. I yell too much and praise too little. Parenting is really about "suck it and see", what works for one family, will not work for another and all children are INDIVIDUALS...So what works for one DEFINITELY will not work for another. Read the books, do the courses, whatever...It really boils down to you, your own childhood, and what you want for your kids. I see mums ( and dads) every morning a t school who hardly give a second glance as the drop their kids off and drive off to work or home. Whilst I do not tag my daughter into school, I respect her wishes to go in by herself without me or her brothers, whereas Mr 5 Almost 6 needs me to take him in ( he is only in prep) Mr 3 may be a different case when he reaches school. I know parents who want to bring their kids up so opposite to the way they were bought up that they confuse the kids and themselves..This may be fine if you had a really bad upbringing but just not wanting to be like you mum or dad is no reason to let your kids run riot. So "suck it and see" is the basis , I think for trying to be a good parent.

2. If you could change one thing about yourself, what would it be and why?
My anger levels, I am a person of passion and hotheaded to boot. Cross me and you will regret it...Later not sooner. I am a person of revenge and stealth. My adage is 'revenge is a meal best eaten cold" Not good attributes to have...But meditation is working and I try not to sweat the small stuff and its all small stuff...Or so I try and tell myself.

3. What is your driving force through life?
The fact that you have but one life ( we know of) and should not waste it (too much) on yourself as there is plenty of time for you. You never know when you may not be here so you need to show all the love and friendship to your family and friends now so they know that you care and never have to wonder.

4. If you could be somebody else, who would it be and why?
Enid Bylton and /or May Gibbs for to be an adult and be able to see the world through the eyes of a child as they did would have been a wondrous gift and a great sense of escapism.

5. What was your main purpose to start a blog?
Now I have been thinking about this of late. I think the keeping of a diary lent itself to allow me to vent all my feelings and frustrations PRIVATELY. Doing the same or similar on line, allows me to (SOMETIMES) think before I type rather than just scawling rude words in texta in a diary and wondering a week later why I did it. It gives me a literary ( of sorts ) outlet for the feelings and I get some feed back on it sometimes.

So there it is...Jamies interview with Supamum. Any one care to partake ( not likely) feel free to ask.
Don't forget to wash the windows............

Blogging...Why do it???

A friend recently discussed blogging and bloggers, she is not aware that I have a blog; so I was giving an uninformed opinion as far as she knew. Her ultimate question was that if a blog is a web log, vis a vis , an online diary of sorts...Is it not a form of exhibitionism to publish it on line for all and sundry to read, capture, reprint, comment on and discuss.???? Her view of bloggers where that they had "issues" and needed to "see someone" as they were "putting themselves out there as if naked". I held my wrath and told her that some times it helped to "put it out there " in a quasi anonymous way and it was sometimes a form of venting and other times a way to glean opinion and feed back on matters which you may be stuck on. She still saw it as an form of "getting your 15 minutes of fame" in an easy way....Commenting on as many other blogs as possible, blogging about inane subjects no one cares about as much as possible, blogrolling, listing in blog circles, etc. So as to get your blog listed in Google or other search engine.

I now pose the question to my self, WHY BLOG???I know people look at my blog as I see the listings on my site meter, some do not stay and if I search details I find some obscure reference which has naught to do with their search, no one comments much but perhaps they read what I say and I say it all ( LMAO) so there is nothing left for them to say. I think, I continue, as it has helped me vent so many feelings and such anger that I keep doing it so I do not lose the strength that has gone into putting my feelings "out there"...Also so my blog does not become an obscurity. I really care little who reads and who doesn't, but it is nice to see a comment occasionally:) I see it an an avenue for public comment ( of which I do much) I was bought up to be outspoken and to speak my mind if I did not agree with something. The way to be heard is to speak up and the way to be seen is to stand up...Is an adage my mother always told to me.

I may have pissed some people off with my posts...Well, it runs two ways, maybe someone has pissed me off. I may not have the same views as mainstream people, but I never claimed to be a conformist. And I may just be boring to some...Bad luck, don't read it then!!! I guess in a way , the discussion opened up ,in my mind, a question I had never thought about before. Why do I sit down at the PC most days and create an entry that is equivalent to tearing open my heart at times and at other times like a storm at sea???

I have to think on this...............

Why I am giving up Coke....... 

I drink Coke.........

I have mentioned before I have a perchance for Coke...Not Pepsi ( I will drink that if no Coke is about) but THE REAL THING...COKE.

I think this love affair with the sugary syrup came about as we hardly ever had fizzy drinks as kids...But my mum loved Coke. She had an open can in the fridge which she sipped from as she said she didn't like it that much to drink a lot of it at once. My brother and I used to steal into the fridge when mum was not about and sip from the can..It was a delicious ,devilish sort of treat to us.

As time went on I became a coffee fiend at school and to contract my obsession ( I was drinking plunger/home ground coffee at 16...Way before it became TRENDY) I drank Coke as I was not always allowed in the senior common room to make my coffee fix. By my last year of high school; one day when I was playing softball, whilst waiting for the ball to be pitched, ( I was a catcher) I noticed my hands shaking as if I had a fever, I felt well enough, was not ill...Why were my hands shaking before my eyes. Too much caffeine was the answer, and as I was having trouble sleeping ( I only slept 4-5 hours them any way) I thought it time to give up this dreadful bean. I quit coffee...COLD TURKEY. Occasionally, the smell of fresh ground coffee and the aroma of a new blend entices me, but I haven't touched it for two decades. 2IC is a coffee hound with a coffee machine, grinder, you name it...But I am clean.

So enter my affiliation with Coke, in lieu of coffee, I drank Coke..After all it had less caffeine( so I believed) could be bought anyway (unlike a decent coffee) and was transportable ( put the lid on a Buddy bottle and away you go) I need to have some almost weekly if not daily, over Christmas we bought 24 and 30 can packs because of all the visitors...Yeah, right, guess who drank up to 4 cans a day?? Yes , me. Let alone the fact that despite my fitness level being average or above average ( depends on who you speak to and compare me with) I still need to control my weight...Coke consumption at that level is something I do not need. So thanks to Mr Brian

I give you my reason for giving up Coke.........

It 's only just begun......

Well, here I am again and it appears all systems are not really go with the funding for Mr5 A;most 6. I sent an e.mail to the principal regarding a PSG meeting ( Program Support Group) which HAS
to be held each term. He told me he will give it to the deputy principal who handles all that stuff...We are in the second week of a 6 week term ( due to the Commonwealth Games) and this has to be done NOW!!!!!! Maybe I am a bit pushy and want my own way too much but if it has to be done then, done it will be.


Apparently they are going to advertise the position for an aide, and I think there may be another child with funding so it may be a 10 or more hour a week position. My sons teacher wants the aide time to be in the morning during the literacy block...Which is fine with me. I have been in contact with the ACD who advised me push for the front fences to be increased in height given that Mr 5 Almost 6 is a flight risk or a permanent teacher presence in the junior playground area near this fence. So it continues............

I knew I would have to push for some things but I never realized I would have to jump up and down about things which have to be carried out for the benefit of my son and his education, which are a criteria for the funding being given. I thought PSGs were a given, like having to show ID to collect airline tickets or such; I never thought I would have to ask and chase about for them. I have much yet to learn about the Catholic Education system and special needs kids it seems, with few SN kids in the system and less even at my sons school, and the privacy issues ( I can't ask who else is SN or getting funding) there are few venues to go for advice and help. Luckily I have a friend who is currently a teacher in a Catholic school and her husband is a principal...They have been a wealth of information and help to date.


On a local note, a certain local shop which sell children playthings, has decided to no longer have lay by. This I discovered when I found Thunderbird 2 (TB2) ( after months of searching) at the shop and so it could remain hidden until Mr5 Almost 6's birthday, I requested layby...To be told that they are no longer doing layby because of all the non pickups from Christmas. Excuse me if I am wrong but if someone has paid money on a lay by, you have that money and the goods still , you are able to sell the goods as the layby terms have not been adhered to .....YOU ARE AHEAD!!! All I can say to that is TOYS "R" US HERE I COME!!!!!! And local traders wonder why they have no clientele...Is it any wonder??????????

Day two at school

Mr 5 Almost 6 went off for day 2 of three half days at school today, Daddy went to work late( ie Mummy drove him to work after school commenced) so he could see the big boy go to school ( Daddy had a meeting yesterday that could not be cancelled or missed so Daddy missed day 1 of school) And off he happily went to his classroom, had to reminded to get his name tag but found it ok. His teacher says he's been fine to date, but it is only day 2 of two 3hour days, we will see how long it takes. Do not get me wrong I do not wish for bad behaviour, I just know it will come, the limitations of his language and the wish to be understood by his peers lend to his frustration and it pents up and explodes and if you are in the firing line or the last straw, you may be injured. He is easily calmed but why should he always be at fault????? Why should he need to learn restraint when also learning communication skills others take for granted??How about they need to learn about tolerance and giving and caring, instead of just preaching it? Why does he need to conform with what society deems "nice and proper" behaviour? I am not talking about him being allowed to be a sociopath or such..just be himself a bit. I think there's need to be more about acceptance and education of others in schools rather that what happens now. I knew Elizabeth Hastings who was a Commissioner with HREOC, I met her several times through my work and she was an inspirational, committed, dedicated, knowledgable woman who saw past her own wheelchair and into the lives of others. She was a true advocate with undefinable fairness about her. This is something I have from 1996 and much of it is still an issue in education today...a decade later.

ACCESS TO EDUCATION FOR STUDENTS WITH A DISABILITY: BARRIERS AND DIFFICULTIES

Issues raised in consultations by Elizabeth Hastings, Disability Discrimination Commissioner, with education providers 1996

1. Lack of available options

There are not enough services available to students with disability to match the requirements. In early education, a mix of services is often required. In schools, physical access limits choice, as does provision of support services and a selection of schools prepared to provide full access to the curriculum. Rural, regional and isolated areas provide minimal option (see also transitional services and post-school options).

2. Lack of information to families or prospective students about options

Many parents do not know what choices are open to their children in either Special Schools or inclusive schools, or about accessing ancillary services. They are often unaware of how to access educational services appropriate to the needs of their child with disability, particularly in early intervention and early childhood education. Older students find it difficult to obtain sufficient information about vocational education, pre-employment training and support services, or adult and community education.

3. Lack of information to families about procedures (applications for funding, expectations of school's management of their child's education process)

Many parents have no information about procedures for funding or personal support and do not know what pre-schools, schools or any of the post-school services will arrange for the student. Many do not have information about planning the student's educational goals and how these are established, or what an Aide's role is, or whether equipment can be obtained to assist in accessing the curriculum. They do not know how personal care or health care can be arranged or what needed therapies can be provided in the educational setting.

4. Inconsistency (lack of equivalence) between various education providers and sectors

In many instances, the move from one educational sector to the next reveals significant gaps in level of service. Moving a young child with disability from early childhood services to primary school is frequently a transition in which the programs and supports are not replicated in the new setting. The same applies at all transitional levels, equally from primary school to secondary school, and from there to the range of post-school options. There is lack of equivalence within a region from one school to another, and from the private sector to the public school sector, so families dissatisfied with service or who move location find the student unable to move with ease across education settings.

5. Co-ordination between services, departments and ancillary staff unsatisfactory

The need for collaborative service provision is great in supporting students with disability. In many cities, towns, areas and regions, the needed coordination between education, health and community services is disorganised or non-existent. Ancillary staff of the most necessary disciplines of speech therapy, occupational therapy and physiotherapy are often not easily accessible to education authorities for their students. Procedures for accessing these services has undergone change and accessibility has diminished in recent years.

6. Funding for student disability support insufficient

Insufficient provision of funds is the biggest issue in providing equal access to education for students with disability. There are several funding sources, none of them sufficient to make and have available the full range of services needed. (see also Equipment, Aides, therapy staff, interpreters).

7. Procedures and formulas for applying for funding too complex; delays; labeling students by disability to access funds: global budgeting/self managing schools

Procedures for applying for disability support funding have changed in some States in recent times. Funding provision is fragmented, coming through a number of departments. There is sometimes delay in obtaining approval for funding for individual students, leaving them either in school or college without the needed assistance, or not in education because they cannot access it until the funding for support is there. In some States, the funding is approved for a student with a given diagnosis according to the funding criteria. This encourages the detrimental labeling of the student by his or her disability diagnosis, rather than as a person or by Ability. In State where schools are allocated a "global" budget to administer the whole of the school's requirements autonomously, there are concerns that disability support for students who need it has very low priority compared with the many other demands in the school for finances, and that there may be too little accountability for the disability support expenditure.

8. Funding unavailable for conditions such as mild intellectual disability, behavioral problems and learning difficulties

The criteria established by Commonwealth and State funding for students' disability support requirements does not correspond with the DDA definition of disability. Many teachers report that if students in the above categories had even a little aside or speech therapy or other disability support funded, they would prosper educationally, with very little financial input.

9. Trained Aides and ancillary and support staff insufficient; difficulty with/lack of health care and personal care assistants

There are not sufficient numbers of teachers' Aides or Integration Aides available at all to meet the need. Of those there are, there is insufficient training and professional support provided for them. They need to be trained in the complexities and sensitivities of their task. Too many Aides distance the child from teacher and class, rather than assisting with inclusion. Many children, young people and adults with disability require personal care or medical interventions throughout the day. There are problems in determining who undertakes these procedures, whether it is teachers, parents, health personnel, specially employed and credentialed staff, and in some areas, unresolved issues as to who pays the cost of these services.

10. Changes to availability of ancillary and support staff and trained Aides or inequitable arrangements for such support services

Provision of ancillary staff employed by education departments has been discontinued. Various versions have replaced the earlier arrangements. Ancillary service staff are contracted in, or groups in an area establish core services to service several schools, or arrangements are made between Community Services, Health and Education departments. There is not equal availability of ancillary service staff from one area to another, or from one State to another.

11. Equipment, technological aids and other devices insufficient

Obtaining appropriate equipment as needed for individual students, from hearing and vision aids, to electronically adapted mobility devices, to walking frames for students, is a continuing barrier to providing equal access for education providers, from students in kindergarten and child care, through the school system, to vocational and recreational education providers. Some schools within areas have arranged pooled stores to make access to these aids easier, but there are rarely enough supplies to meet the need.

12. Curriculum adaptation needed; curriculum limited; or curriculum needs not addressed. Components of courses or post-qualification employment not accessible

Although much work has been and is being done to devise appropriate adaptations of educational curricula for a range of students in a range of age groups with a range of capacities and abilities, this is one of the largest areas of difficulty for education providers and their students. It is a huge field because of the individual nature of students and of their requirements and levels of readiness to learn. There are areas where not enough has been done or curriculum needs and curriculum adaptation is too little understood. A separate problem is when courses for qualification (vocational, pre-employment or academic) contain particular segments which a student with a disability cannot complete or cannot access. This creates difficulties with enrolment (advice and information issues), with granting qualifications or accreditation, and with post-qualification work or profession.

13. Disability unrecognised or undiagnosed

In several areas, failure to recognise or failure to diagnose a student's disability is a problem in providing access to education. In early childhood, it may not be possible to identify a child's disability, if it is a learning difficulty and the child is too young for it to show up, if it is a developmental delay, because very young children develop at vastly differing rates in the first years, if it is a complex mix of muscular, behavioral/emotional and intellectual disability which is not diagnosable until an older age. Psychiatric debilities are not recognised by many teachers and are often denied by parent or student.

14. Disability denied by parents or unrealistically minimised

Parents sometimes deny or do not inform a school or pre-school about their child's disability. Some parents do not alert schools to the degree of disability or ask the school to provide education above the level of capacity of the student with disability. This creates problems of a sensitive nature for teachers and schools.

15. Parent choice/selection of placement for child

In most areas in Australia, the educational setting in which a student can be educated is that preferred by the parent. In the best circumstances, a setting appropriate to the student's abilities and needs can be agreed upon by parent and school. However, there are many instances where this issue creates significant conflict. A minority of parents want either to keep their child in Special School to get the higher staff to student ratio, or to protect and care for it, when it could benefit and manage well in a regular school. Some parents whose child has more severe disability want to enrol the child in an inclusive school, when the educational benefits may be achievable. This issue in general can give rise to anger and misery for many, especially the child.

16. Parent participation needed in students' support arrangements, appropriate educational Goals and program planning

The family of a child, young person, or adult with disability probably knows more about the student's abilities, deficits, style of learning and communication and personal qualities than anyone else. In formulating curriculum plans and learning goals, these issues are more significant for a student with disability than for students without, because they may be limiting or enabling factors which the educators would benefit from knowing about. Teachers need to encourage parent participation energetically, to explain the process more clearly to parents and listen to parents far more.

17. Teacher training and support and integration aide training and support needed

Probably the biggest issue of all in the whole spectrum of barriers to access to education for students with disability, along with the issue of insufficient funding infrastructure. Many teachers were trained decades ago with nil expectation of having students with disability in the class. A large majority of teachers are willing to manage with a range of such student, but in order to gain the confidence essential to allow for creative and responsive teaching, they need training, regular practical and theoretical reinforcement, and a support and consultation mechanism - someone to ring and ask what to do about an issue that has arisen. Some teachers without training in working with students with disability are negative and resistant. Most are not, but need substantial input in managing the inclusive class. For different reasons, teachers' Aides and Integration Aides need training and support in the complexities of their role.

18. Teacher stress

There is a substantial burden on teachers of inclusive classes, due to inadequate professional support, inadequate training in teaching the adapted curricula, managing the class which includes students with disability, and inadequate understanding of a range of disabilities and what they mean in practical terms for the individual students in the class. Research shows that the teacher's feeling of confidence is by far the biggest factor for success for teachers of inclusive classes. Confidence only comes from a combination of training, support, experience, and the resultant competence.

19. Class sizes need to be reduced where classes are inclusive; shortage of teachers (cuts to numbers)

It is obvious that if a teacher at any level of the education system is required to provide teaching to a wider range of student abilities, it is going to take more time and create greater demands in the teacher's time and creativity and responsiveness. There is not sufficient reduction in class sizes in inclusive schools to facilitate this. Additionally, education budgets overall in a number of States have meant that class sizes are not reducing and the numbers of teachers have diminished substantially, particularly in Victoria.

20. Conditions and disabilities that are the most challenging for teachers to incorporate in the class

There is common agreement at all levels of the education spectrum that some disabilities are more challenging than others, These are: behavior problems, including Hyperactivity/Attention Deficit Disorder, Autism, learning difficulties (which often are accompanied by frustration in the student leading to behavior difficulties), Deafness(due to communication difficulties about the curriculum) and psychiatric problems. Some teachers find it challenging to incorporate students with intellectual disability in a regular class, because of the scope and amount of curriculum adaptation needed in the one class.

21. Access to buildings (costs and other problems)

Many buildings used for child care and pre-schools, schools, and premises used by adult and community education providers are not physically accessible. Many of these do not lend themselves to modification, or modification would necessitate enormous expenditure.

22. Transport: barriers (functional and financial) to transport to and from school/college/university

Many students with disability have mobility limitations. Many have inappropriate behaviours, which can be allowed for in class but which may create difficulties or embarrassment for the student in public. Many have physical and medical problems which make independent utilisation of public transport problematic for them. Some students with disability attend schools and vocational or academic institutions far from where they live, because those institutions offer support or accessibility others do not. Cost of special transport is a difficulty. Parent availability to transport students is not always possible, particularly where both parents work. Some education providers say transport to and from pre-school, school, college, or university is the biggest problem in providing access to students with disability.

23. Transitional programs and procedures inadequate

There is a very great need for more services, and more comprehensive and appropriate services, to assist students with disability in three main phases of moving from one level of education to the next. They are all of major importance in the student's settling effectively into the next level. The first transitional phase is from early childhood services/pre-school into primary school. This phase can make or break the young child's early entry into the formal school system. The second, a difficulty for all students, is the progression from primary school to High School. The third, a very vital stage, is the transition from school to work, training, pre-employment training, vocational education, academic course, or adult and community education. There is a need for far more services in this area, to enable people with disability to either obtain the means to earning a living, or providing meaningful activity tot the extent appropriate, to fill in their days in a useful fashion.

24. Attitude of teacher or Principal negative or resistant or deny obligations

There is much evidence reported at all levels from parents to Principals themselves, that if a teacher, or particularly a Principal of a school has an attitude that is either negative or totally resistant to placing students with disability in the regular school setting, there will be discrimination in either exclusion, or in difficulties for the student if enrolled. This is the area most vehemently complained of, and most frequently, by parents of students with disability. There is a time-lag between changes in policy and practice towards inclusion, and the responses of those in charge of administering preschools, child care centers, or schools. Complaints are more commonly directed against Principals than teachers. Many Principals and some teachers are still denying that they have any obligations to accept students with disability.

25. Differences, difficulties or conflicts between parents and schools, including requests for placement, arrangements made at school, unattainable expectations of parents for their child

These three areas have given rise to many bitter conflicts and much injury to the future educational and social prospects of the student for settling into the educational environment and accessing education at an appropriate level with all supports required. There are constant hurdles and disappointments for parents of children with disability, leading to volatile emotions and many failed hopes and expectations. Calmness and practicality have to be at a premium. Often both sides are pushed to the limit in trying to reach a resolution which meets their needs and the appropriate educational needs of the child.

26. Discrimination by schools / other educational institutions, either conscious or unconscious, including lack of understanding of relevant issues

Both direct and indirect discrimination by educational authorities on the grounds of the disability of students occur regularly. In some instances, disability discrimination is overt and direct; in others, it is founded on lack of knowledge of disability issues and inclusion practices. Until greater knowledge and understanding of disability and its effects, the law and human rights principles, and the experience and the practice of inclusion as the norm are achieved, individuals and institutions will continue to discriminate, knowingly or unknowingly. However, the education filed in general is supportive of a widespread movement towards equal access to education for students with disability.

27. Discrimination, social isolation, teasing, bullying, or harassment by non-disabled students

There is regrettably, an incidence of marking out and picking on students with disability by non-disabled students. This appears to occur much more commonly in the age groups from about the age of onset of puberty (12-13 on) than in the younger age groups, who tend to be far more accepting and helpful in their attitudes towards peers with disability. It is to some extent dependent on a supportive environment within the school, from Principal to teachers and clerical workers and ground staff, as to whether the teasing, bullying and victimisation are present, or if present, allowed to continue.

28. Prejudice and discrimination, or complaints, by parents of non-disabled students

Parents of students who do not have a disability are sometimes resentful that the class in which their child is learning includes one or more students with disability. This is particularly so in schools which aim at academic excellence. These parents are aware that the teacher's time and attention is split among students of differing ability.

Some parents are just outright prejudiced and do not like their child associated with students with disability, particularly those with obvious physical disability or with intellectual disability. Some such parents have requested that the school "get rid of" certain students with disability. Others have taken their child out of that school and enrolled him or her in another school which (at that time) does not have students with disability enrolled.

29. Tendency or plans to "cluster" similarly-disabled students in schools and other educational institutions which have developed expertise in particular disabilities

In a number of areas, different educational institutions (schools, TAFEs) have recognised that a particular school or college is well-equipped to provide education to students with a particular disability (for example, mobility, deafness, vision impairment, behavioral problems) and have directed enrolments to this particular education provider. While that policy makes some practical sense, it is simply an indication that at present time, not all education providers are yet in a position to provide access to students with disability across the board, and leads to undesirable marginalisation of particular groups of students with disability.

30. Unfamiliarity with the requirements of the DDA

It is quite clear from the Disability Discrimination Commissioner's consultations with education providers representing every sector of education that there are a great many of these who do not know what their legal obligations are under the DDA. Particular sectors of concern in this regard are: a range of early education providers, particularly private providers, community child care centers, after school care centers, vacation care providers, some smaller independent schools, and private training organisations. The other sectors are all far more aware of the existence of the legislation and have either some or a fairly good concept of the overall requirements, but very few have a practical or detailed knowledge of what their obligations under the DDA are or of how to interpret this in reality.

31. Competition between schools, skills testing, rating of schools detrimental to promoting inclusive policies and practices

There is an increasing demand from the public at large, spurred by political considerations and the mood of the times, to promote competitive academic achievement as the prime objective of the school education system. While this is already a narrow view of education for all students and is vocationally inspired, it leaves even the non-academically-gifted non-disabled students out in the margins, by not recognising the many other elements besides intellect that make up a whole education, like creative endeavours (drama, music, art,) or interpersonal skills and social issues. When schools start excluding students with disability from taking art in skills testing because that would drag the ratings down, there is a matter for serious concern about the directions education in general is taking, and most particularly, what effects this movement is having on attempts to make schools more inclusive. As for the effects on individual students who know they will never "make it" in academic competition, great damage is done to their self-esteem and sense of worth as individuals with something of value to contribute.

My baby boy went to school today...........

Mr 5 Almost 6 started school today...After four years of therapy, wondering, torment and tears , he got up this morning told me he wasn't going and cried..And so did I. We had worked so hard to this point, not pushing the school idea too much but reminding him and getting the bag embroidered with his name and reminding him gently that he was a BIG boy now. All of it to come to a brick wall with tears and pleadings of not to go but to stay home and be with mum. I steeled myself and cajoled him into the uniform; that was all it took...Nice new polo, shorts and those "big boy" pull on boots ....Well, that made it all happen. He was going to school with his sister...Now to just ease in the idea that he is not in the same ROOM as his Grade 4 sister...That took a bit of convincing.

Off we went to school and I had yet to find out about funding. Off his sister went to her classroom and Mr 5 Almost 6 and Mr 3 and I waited in the designated area for preps. There were a few tears, mostly the mums of first timers or the last one to go off the school. Mums of middle kids seem not the cry as much or at all, I am told and of middle boys...NEVER ( told to me by a teacher friend and mum of 6) NONE of the children were upset or distraught...As this process of assembling (preps) only in a designated area was used for the orientations, so they felt familiar with it. Off Mr 5 Almost 6 went with his teacher ( and old school mate of mine) to his class without a backward glance.............. Mr 3 played piano for us as the preps trooped off.

I then had to "hunt down" the principal to find out about funding as I had not heard anything. When I asked ,I was told "We got 5 hours a week. Pretty good considering he doesn't fit a criteria"
No info about PSGs or anything, just "I"ll have to contact X" I take it X is an aide, but I would like to know X's credentials as an aide first I think...Ideally, it would be great if his aide from kindy could be sourced for the job...But I may be pushing the envelope on that one. I have contacted the Association Of Children with a Disability for a contact worker to call me regarding PSG's and where we stand on making them happen ,as I have been told they are not a popular forum of this principal, in fact the reputation is that no "special needs" children be at the school at least that is what the signals are being given off to many parents.

I seem to have come full circle now and I feel slightly lost , we have got Mr 5 Almost 6 into a mainstream school, got the preferred speech pathologist, got the teacher we wanted, got the funding for an aide in a Catholic school when he fitted no criteria 100%. All we have fought for, written letters about, worried over, all the work of his therapists, the staff at early intervention, his kinder teachers and aides has come to fruition...My baby boy went to school today and I cried..............................

Vale Aunty Dot

You may (or may ) not recall in March April or some time last year I wrote of my aunt who had a terminal diagnosis of cancer of the liver after fighting off breast cancer 6 or so years earlier . She survived until the early hours of Friday morning, almost 10 months after the first TERMINAL diagnosis. Seems that she felt she had to fight and fight, not wanting to go before a grandchild birthday, a child's birthday, the birth of a great grand child and other family events and the thoughts of such events kept her and the rest of us hoping and for a long time we went from taking one day at a time to one family occasion to another because of her ternacity and determination.
A women of conviction. Devout Catholic, dedicated and respected community member, greatly loved mother, grandmother and great grandmother. Someone who always was welcoming of everyone, always asking about how people were and caring about the reply, she lived her life as she wanted caring for her family and theirs, she was a person who put other first and one of the best cooks I have ever to come across. Thank you for being there when I need you, thank you for my wonderful cousins who are like brothers and sisters to me. The biccie tin and cake tin will be empty now..But like you ,Aunty Dot they deserve the rest.