This week Alison is joined by Hasna, Huma and Suzana to discuss their biggest back to school fears. How do we manage our anxiety about the upcoming school year? How to have a line of open communication with your child’s school and teachers? and much more!   Topics Topics 00:00 - This Life, the chronicles of Autism moms podcast, series 1 episode 19 – Biggest Back To School Fears. 00:30 – Alison kicks off the episode 02:00 – Suzana, what gives you the most anxiety personally about your son going back to school? 03:59 – Hasna, what gives you anxiety? Is this educational or social? 05:13 – Maybe you don’t like the way you finished the school year 05:36 – this anxiety never goes away, it’s just heightened in the run up to the school year 05:51 – you’re exhausted before the school year even starts 06:00 – To handle anxiety, Suzana likes to have meetings at end and beginning of year 06:48 – Huma’s hands are sweating just at the topic of the conversation 06:50 – Huma, how do you handle the back to school stress? 08:00 – Suzana: Summer vacation alone stresses me out! 09:26 – How do you go into meetings with the school/teachers calmly and prepared? 11:05 – Hasna: we as mothers are so traumatized from this process, it always triggers really negative feelings 12:28 – Why is the school not passing on the file to the next team? Where is the communication happening? 13:20 – This trickles down to our children—that feeling of not belonging—there’s no validation for their struggle 14:07 – Huma, I was very docile with my previous school. I had no expectations. My son was made to feel like he was a bad boy because the system failed him. 15:46 – How messed up is it that you can’t stand up and advocate for your child for fear of him getting kicked out of school! 18:40 – We are absolutely being let down by the system. Our kids in the present system are not the “preferred” children. 19:52 – Who gives anyone the right to not give our kids a voice? Why aren’t any schools helping kids find their voice. 20:36 – After 5 years Huma was told her child cannot return to the school. 23:13 – Top Tips Handling your biggest Back To School Fears   Summary This week Alison is joined by Hasna and Suzana to talk with Huma who is currently going through a particularly bad break-up with her son's school. Unfortunately, this is a common occurrence that a lot of parents will experience   Topics Topics 00:00 - This Life, the chronicles of Autism moms podcast, series 1 episode 19 – Biggest Back To School Fears. 00:30 – Alison kick’s off the episode 02:00 – Suzana, what gives you the most anxiety personally about your son going back to school? 03:59 – Hasna, what gives you anxiety? Is this educational or social? 05:13 – Maybe you don’t like the way you finished the school year 05:36 – this anxiety never goes away, it’s just heightened in the run up to the school year 05:51 – you’re exhausted before the school year even starts 06:00 – To handle anxiety, Suzana likes to have meetings at end and beginning of year 06:48 – Huma’s hands are sweating just at the topic of the conversation 06:50 – Huma, how do you handle the back to school stress? 08:00 – Suzana: Summer vacation alone stresses me out! 09:26 – How do you go into meetings with the school/teachers calmly and prepared? 11:05 – Hasna: we as mothers are so traumatized from this process, it always triggers really negative feelings 12:28 – Why is the school not passing on the file to the next team? Where is the communication happening? 13:20 – This trickles down to our children—that feeling of not belonging—there’s no validation for their struggle 14:07 – Huma, I was very docile with my previous school. I had no expectations. My son was made to feel like he was a bad boy because the system failed him. 15:46 – How messed up is it that you can’t stand up and advocate for your child for fear of him getting kicked out of school! 18:40 – We are absolutely being let down by the system. Our kids in the present syst