Our FineLad - now 19, has had quite a life. Autism spectrum, dyspraxic, short term memory deficits, dyslexic. He started off as a non-verbal fighty escape artist who caused absolute chaos.
A patient primary school was the start of good things for him. The first of his secondary schools said he was basically just thick and rude and wouldn't get anywhere in life. Moved him to a school that cared, and found any number of ways to get round obstacles with him.
Despite those odds (and him coping with a Dad that nearly copped it from a brain haemorrhage and me being on treatment for breast cancer - both of us on the autism spectrum), he ended up with 10 GCSEs, 3 A levels, was Prefect for the school, and plays national level rugby.
He has just heard that he's definitely got a place at Uni, at a degree course that will support his needs, doesn't do exams, & is a really easy commute away so he can get support here too if he needs it. I am just so proud of him and the efforts he's made to overcome each obstacle. There's been despair along the way, and tears, and exhaustion, but also good friends and triumph and joy aplenty.
Can many of our dcs make it to where they want to be, despite the odds? Yup. Never despair. That bundle of nonverbal anger might just turn out to be the next FineLad.