30 Ways to KNOW you have an SPD kiddo!

You have seen those “You know you are a redneck when” or “You know you are from Yakima when” lists, so here is mine:


You know you have an SPD kiddo when:

1. You judge every playground by the number of swings or spinning equipment it has.
   
2. You hear the Red Robin crew begin to clap and you immediately cover your child’s ears to avoid the Happy Birthday song.
   
3. You have memorized where the automatic flushing toilets are in your whole town.
   
4. You can, all by yourself, cover the automatic flushing mechanism on a toilet, help your child to use the bathroom , do a “clean butt” check, and yell, “1-2-3!” all without your child being “in” the stall when the flush goes off.
   
5. You can think of 5 ways to use a can of soup, and none of them require opening it.
   
6. You hear about a new “spa” that allows you unlimited time to use their showers, pools and hot tubs and the first thing you think is, “My son would love that!”
   
7. You have a trampoline in your main living area (probably not far from the TV or the kitchen).
   
8. You have objects that are OK for “chewing” and are not edible.
   
9. You have visual aids so your child can get himself ready for school independently.
   
10. You can explain the difference between an IEP and a 504 in one sentence.
    
11. Your discussions with your doctor require a better understanding of acronyms than doing your own taxes.
    
12. You wonder if you can write off a swing in your playroom as a “medical expense.”
    
13. You haven’t been on vacation...pretty much ever.
    
14. You consider reading the Support Group List Serve an “afternoon out with friends.”
    
15. You have turned down more invites for parties than you attended during YOUR ENTIRE college career.
    
16. You spend equal amounts of time convincing others that your child is “not” OK as you do that he “is” OK.
    
17. Before your child was one year old, you had your first doctor ignore your concerns.
    
18. You can, from memory, give Handwriting Without Tears verbal cues without hesitation.
    
19. You have a pair of earphones that were so expensive; your husband can’t believe you let your child use them.
    
20. You carry gum, bubbles, protein snack and ear plugs in your purse; but no lipstick, powder or mirror.
    
21. You have looked into buying MULTIPLE of your child’s “favorite” toy so that if need be, you could secretly replace it.
    
22. You have heard more than one person insist that you have to spank more.
    
23. You have had at least one family member stop inviting you over to their house because they think your child is a bad influence on theirs.
    
24. You can give a minimum of 3 things OTHER than a chair that a child can use to sit on.
    
25. You have given up the idea that your child will *sit* through an entire meal.
    
26. You have seen so many doctors, it would make most women’s head spin, but for you, you can recite them, by name, and date, and what they did or did not do for your child without hesitation.
    
27. You remember the day you found support.
    
28. You remember her name, too.
    
29. You pass your new found "support" on to everyone you can think of.
    
30. You wouldn’t trade being the mom of your kid for any other “typical” kid in the world.