BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: ranger1
Date: 11 Jun 10 - 05:42 PM

YES! Go Tris!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Tinker
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 08:09 PM

Wow... great work on the transitional program. And once again it's something he loves .... you've accomplished an amazing feat. Congratulations.

tinker

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Herga Kitty
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 07:40 PM

Just great to catch up with this thread!

Kitty

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: ClaireBear
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 06:36 PM

Hey, congratulations. That is wonderful to hear!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 06:18 PM

Wow-O-WOW! That must feel so gratifying...after all of the years going through all of the red tape etc. to make sure he was always happy despite the authorities and to have it all work out to this is just wonderful!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: gnu
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 05:39 PM

Great stuff!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Janie
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 04:42 PM

WHOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Dave Swan
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 04:39 PM

That's great news man, just great.

Now watch while he smokes the full time staff. "Slow down kid, you're killing us"

D

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 10 Jun 10 - 04:22 PM

Again our thanks to all of you who have chimed in AND.....I have one other piece of good news!

I haven't been at my best with some other problems going on but today in the midst of trying to arrange a number of things, we got some WONDERFUL news! After what seems like forever working through the red tape we were finally able to get the County Developmental Delay Board, two other agencies that work with them, and the Village of Bremen mayor, manager, and council members, to get together and now TRISTAN IS OFFICIALLY EMPLOYED AT THE BREMEN STREET DEPARTMENT.....at least for a summer job which is what we were after. He'll be working three hours a day, Monday thru Friday.....and he is on Cloud Nine at the moment. Part of it is under an unpaid training program and the rest is a paid internship.

I love it when a plan comes together.........even when it takes awhile.

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: KT
Date: 05 Jun 10 - 02:58 PM

Congratulations to Tristan! And of course, to Spaw and Karen and Michael! What a happy, and satisfying time this must be for all of you. I love the pics I've seen of Tristan on his bike and in his graduation attire. Makes me think to myself, "I'd like to know that guy!" For now, I'm glad to at least know of him.
KT

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Wesley S
Date: 05 Jun 10 - 10:24 AM

WOW - Now THATS good news. No one appreciates hearing it more than me as you well know. Continued success to Tristan as he makes he way through life. You've really made my day.

All the best - Wesley

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Amergin
Date: 05 Jun 10 - 08:42 AM

That is wonderful, Pat! I feel like I have known him almost his whole life, with all the lovely stories you have told about him over the years. Congratulations, Tris and the rest of the Spaw clan!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 05 Jun 10 - 07:16 AM

Tris is out and about and more active than ever around Bremen. Living here in this old sort of throwback village has allowed him a lot of freedom that he wouldn't have in many other places. He's out with the street department guys a lot and Steve (the boss) takes him on the recycling truck as well as along while plowing the village streets in the winter. He has been allowed to ride the garbage truck and help out on its weekly rounds which he loves. Every crew from the railroad to the tree service guys who work here regularly know him not to mention the dozens of just plain folks that he helps out because he just loves to do it. I could go on and on......

He's also working at school and is transitioning into the adult MRDD programs so things are looking pretty fine for the boy in the future. He has made a lot of opportunities for himself that none of the MRDD jobs programs could have gotten for him. And he even likes to help out Mom and Dad too!

RE: The Fire Helmet-----A few months back there was a fire about a block down from us and Tris stayed well back as he knew to do but had to come home and get his fire helmet first.   He came home absolutely filfthy. One of the guys does mowing and is cutting our grass this summer and he told me that Tris had been out of the way until they went back to the firehouse where he got himself involved in the equipment clean-up and as per usual, he worked hard and did a great job. Jason asked where he ever got a Captains helmet and I had to explain this place and ElSwanno.....I think he charged me extra that mowing for having to listen....................

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Dharmabum
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 07:45 PM

Congradulations Tris !
I guess your next task is gonna be to try & teach yer old man how to behave himself!

Spaw;You & karen have done a helluva job.

       DB.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: ranger1
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 06:30 PM

Congrats, Tris!

Pat, thanks for sharing this and all the other wonderful stories about Tris with us. I read them to my neighbor, and we both get happy tears when I do.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: wysiwyg
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 06:04 PM

Good parenting always shines through.

What does Tris want to do next?

~S~

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 05:55 PM

Well......He is Rap, now that you mention it!

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 04:57 PM

You know, when I first read the title of this thread I thought it meant "Special Edition"....

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 04:48 PM

Shouldn't that be Patterson and Father, El Swanno?

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: fat B****rd
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 04:32 PM

Congratulations all round.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Dave Swan
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 04:25 PM

Congrats to the kid! Nice work Pat and Karen and Michael.

Now that he's a graduate, having achieved a much higher level of education than necessary for the gig, I guess we have to cut him into Lane, Fielding, Patterson and Swan, Layabouts for Hire. Lane, Fielding, Patterson & Son and Swan? Patterson squared? This will require new stationery and sweatshirts......

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: MMario
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 02:51 PM

We only did what he wanted and only when he was ready to handle it.....

And have you read any of the reports on rising suicide rates among young adults becuase their parents *DON'T* do this? Constantly pressuring their kids into things the children don't want or are not ready for?

Sometimes the "easy way out" is harder.

Anyway....congratulations to Tris and the whole family...

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Cats
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 02:36 PM

I have worked with these kind of kids all my life and each one is so very special and each and every thing they do and succeed at is a real bonus and means so much. Well done. Be proud and celebrate

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 02:04 PM

It was a good day and one that neither Karen and I were ever really expecting but as he has his entire life, Tris has done more than we ever expected. The only focus we ever applied to him was happiness. It may have been gas, but we swear the kid was smiling when we first saw him at only a few hours old.

We let that thought, his continued happiness, be the only guide that mattered. We have never put Tris in a situation where he became frustrated. A lot of people told us to do things which we knew he wasn't ready for or not needed at all and we continually refused. In the past few years as Tris has bloomed and become the "star" of his class we get these wonderful compliments implying we did something great with him. We didn't. We only did what he wanted and only when he was ready to handle it.....in other words we just went with the flow or took the easy way out. Whatever it was, Tris is a polite and very happy young man with skills he was never expected to have.

What else could we have asked for?

Thanks to all for the Congrats.....I read the thread to him and he kept asking, "For me?" LOL

Spaw

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: ClaireBear
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 01:50 PM

Congratulations!

Tristan should be very proud -- as of course should you, Karen, Mike, and all Tris' vicarious MudParents.

I wasn't around for the early years, but I've loved reading the good Tristan news in your posts over the last decade (especially this one about Uncle Dave and the fire helmet). This is icing on the cake!

Cheers and bear hugs
Claire

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Catherine Jayne
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 11:04 AM

Congratulations Tristan!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Rapparee
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 10:12 AM

Congrats to all of ya! Everyone deserves it, cuz raisin' boys ain't easy all by itself -- ask my mother.

Good for Tristan!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Tinker
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 08:53 AM

Congratulations to the whole family..... I remember when "we" considered buying him his own fire truck....

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: SINSULL
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 08:03 AM

Congratulations, all! Both your boys are young men now...and quite good looking.
Tri and Mike's early photos are on my fridge. Hard to believe it is graduation time.
Love, Auntie SINS

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Janie
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 08:02 AM

Congratulations, Tristan!. Ya' done your family right proud!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: jacqui.c
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 07:53 AM

Congratulations to Tris and to his family (nuclear and extended) for making sure that he had all the opportunities possible along the way.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: jeffp
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 07:38 AM

Wow! Well done to all concerned. You deserve to be very proud.

Jeff

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Bill D
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 07:34 AM

Good for him!...(and you & Karen). I enjoyed meeting Tristan a couple years ago, and it's great to see him doing so well.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: gnu
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 06:07 AM

CONGRATULATIONS TRISTAN!!!!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Morticia
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 06:02 AM

Can't believe how grown up he is......*sniff*. He's made us proud.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Leadfingers
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 05:17 AM

Looks to me that you have done a grand job draggiung him up Spaw ! Congrats

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Bonnie Shaljean
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 04:07 AM

Congrats & best wishes! Lovely to see the photos - thanks for letting us in on them.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: VirginiaTam
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 03:51 AM

Absolutely wonderful...

Thanks for sharing your Tristan with the Mudcat family, Spaw.

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: katlaughing
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 03:22 AM

I am so glad you started this thread, Pat. It has been wonderful to follow your progress with Tris and to see him functioning so well. You and Karen have done something really special in the way you have always advocated for and loved him. You are really special folks, as is Tris.

Here's that great smile of his on those trainers Gervase sent over, w-a-y back when: Click.

Congratulations, Tris!

Goodonya, Pat and Karen! And, Michael for wearing nice clothes...ah, teenage angst.:-)

luvyakat & Rog

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Sandra in Sydney
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 02:17 AM

I'll second that!

& congratulations to the proud parents & brother, too.

sandra

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: GUEST
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 02:03 AM

Congratulations Tristan, well done!

Cheers
JennieG

Subject: RE: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: Gurney
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 01:29 AM

Congratulations to Tristan! Know how you feel, 'spaw. Our son was just capped.

Subject: BS: Special Ed. Mudkid Graduates!!!
From: catspaw49
Date: 04 Jun 10 - 01:19 AM

Karen and I would like to announce the graduation of a special kid that many of you have helped to raise. When I came to Mudcat, Tristan had just started school. Pretty early on a lot of you offered lots of great advice which we really needed. One day, worrying over how he would ever learn to ride a bike, we found some special training aids available only in England. Within two hours of posting the problem, Gervase had already bought and paid for a set and was having them shipped.

Mudcat has always been a special place.

So this past weekend he graduated........THREE PICS   He has done well in all his SE classses and is a hard worker out at the job sites. He will be contnuing along in the postgrad program for another year or two. We only get this one bite at the education apple and we need to take advantage of it. Tris can do some basic addition and subtraction and can write his "boilerplate info" very legibly and has OVER 200 sight words giving him the ability to read some short phrases.. His life skills are excellent and he is very well liked by all who meet him. He functions at about a 6 year old level overall but he has some special skills where he really shines.

I thank all of you for every ear you have given me and every piece of advice that was given. And I thank all of you for caring for our special lad and the interest you have shown over the years. Karen and I have but one thing to say........

Thank You


Pat and Karen