How can I find a grant? I want to stay home with my autistic son, I work fulltime, I am a fulltime student?

Question

I have 3 children one of whom is autistic. He is in day care while I am at work. I would like to be at home with him, and also continue my online college degree. I am married, I do 100% of the housework, cooking, cleaning, shopping, all of the laundry, dishes basically everything. My husband works but when he gets home, he pretty much watched TV and plays video games. I get up at 4:30 am everyday to get all three kids and myself ready, dressed, breakfast everything. We leave at 6:50 am I drop all of my children at their destinations. And head to work. I do all of my college assignments and essays during my 15 min breaks at work and hour lunch breaks. I have a 3.86 grade point average. The problem is, I cannot keep up this pace. And I worry about my son all the time at the school. The owner of the school calls me telling me she is going to kick my son out of the day care (he's 4 yrs old and beautiful) when problems arise. I need to be home with my son, stay in school and still pay bills

Answer 1

It sounds like you need to get a grip on the household, for yourself, your marriage, and your kids.

Here are a few suggestions. Take back your life and let your family know beforehand what is going to happen so there is no surprises.  Try these.  They work for me. (I'm really a mild mannered person, I promise)

1.  Throw away all the video games.  A  pool or any good body of water will do (unplug them first of course!).  A good TOSS will take care of these time suckage machines once and for all.  Trust me the kids or hubby won't die as a result of a nice float in the bathtub. They are not allowed in my house, ever.

2.  If the kids are above the age of 5 they can do their own laundry.  I'm not kidding here.  Being a martyr and sacrificing your time on chores will only give you wrinkles and grey hair.  If hubby doesn't start helping out, go on laundry strike and simply don't wash his.  

3.  Everyone including the lump on the lazy-boy needs to have a day to do dinner and dishes.  If the lump doesn't participate, he isn't called to dinner.  

4.  The kids are half his... I suggest he get them where they need to be 2X a week one week and 3X a week the next.  You do not need to rationalize this or give any explanation for this.  They are his kids too.  A few times of you LEAVING for work without them (before he leaves, of course) will quickly get the message to him.  You are serious about this change in the division of labor.

5.  What am I missing.... oh, on-line schools are EXTREMELY expensive and financial aid usually isn't enough to cover the ludicrous prices AND living expenses too.  I would suggest you transfer to a perfectly good state school or community college.  Almost all of them offer on line classes nowadays at about a tenth of the cost.  Your federal financial aid will go a LOT farther and you'll have a lot more money going to you for living expenses.

Unfortunately the reality of you staying at home full time (especially without the lump supportive -  ie - as in him getting a second job) is not very realistic if you have a high amount of bills and debt.  PS Private student loans are evil and should be avoided like the plague.  Federal loans are the better deal with better interest rates.

Answer 2

Is there a possibility of cutting back the number of classes you take at a time?

Also, if you do end up needing another school for your son, please contact you local public school system. They provide a preschool class for kids with special needs (by federal law).

Here are some organizations that offer family grants: http://www.act-today.org/grants.html and http://www.autismfamilyresources.org/nee...

Here are some other autism resources that may help.

"Ten Things Every Child with Autism Wishes You Knew" - http://www.ellennotbohm.com/ten_things_a...

"Positively Autism" (Free newsletter and printable lessons/activities) - http://www.positivelyautism.com/

"Teaching Tips for Children and Adults with Autism" by Temple Grandin - http://www.autism.org/temple/tips.html

Website of Paula Kluth, Ph.D. - http://www.paulakluth.com/autism.html

ABA Website: http://www.christinaburkaba.com/