Published on 12, July, 2020
I have noticed questions by carers about their children during lunch breaks. This got me thinking of my own experience.
I left school over 40 years ago and it is only in the last few years I realized I was autistic.
When I was at school a lot of lessons were quite formal which suited me. However when it came to lunchtime as all the schools I went to were nearby I went home for lunch. In the Junior school quite a few people went home for lunchtime which was nearly an hour and a half. Most occasions when I stayed it was for a club but I didn't like being at school for the whole day and especially the long lunch break.
I wonder if modern schools are more of a challenge for autistics.
Terrible! Until college all I wanted was to not be there but be home. I was also held back in the 3rd grade which made things even more socially awkward for me than they already were. It was kinda weird because they just held me back with no special attention afterwards. Just try again I guess?I did about the same. I don’t know if autism was even on the radar back then. If I’m even on the spectrum that is.
That must have been awful to be held back but no extra help.
I remember being tutored before I was held back and I guess it didn’t work. I was very young so I don’t remember a lot of it. But from what I do remember is that one year I stayed behind while everybody else progressed. They were in the class next door. Everything else being the same except that. It was almost as if like nothing happened. I knew something happened!!
I should add that in the 1st grade I came down with spinal meningitis. I missed some school. It was explained to me that I was just unable to catch up. I never bought it though as I wasn’t held back till 2 grades later and I was tutored after the illness. I remember my mother getting extremely frustrated with me “not getting” things. But in my mind it was “yeah but I’m thinking about THIS” whatever that was at the time.