Really really p'd off. Have to give up MA. Bloody stupid autism

[Clarissimo]

Dh has to be in Uni same time next year

there is nobody to help, no childcare can touch ds1, SSd told us that

That's it then, the only adult I will talk to from one month to the next is DH. Seriously, it's the last thing to give up. Everything else went

What's the bloody point any more? Even dh isjust sat watching tv annoyed at me for crying. I give up. Autism won.

I see what you are saying Clarrisimo but you are only looking at the financial side of things (which I know is bloody important, especially when you have children with needs) but what you have done and continue to do for your children is no small thing. Because of your hard work you have had the resources, if not financial.

Look, I'm not trying to present a bright side. I know there are times when there just isn't one, but it is so sad to see you appearing defeated when you are such an inspiration to many one here and I can assume therefore to people in RL too.

I know you would not chose to have your problems for the sake of being 'inspiring' and that life is quite frankly shit a lot of the time, and I'm truly sorry for that though.

good post Del, completely agree. I'm concerned for you, you sound so upset recently.

Just posted about this elsewhere. Look at Childcare Act 2006 s.6 There is a duty to provide childcare for disabled children for working parents - not sure whether being at univ counts as working though.

Te local SSD enacts a definition of disabled that does not include aspergers. not sure why they wont see ds3 though. But that is an excuse that apparenlty is enough.

However as the clourse is evenings I don't think there are any chidlcare provisions here for evenings anyway. It's bad luck really- no family nearby.

TC youa re right of course, Dh and I came close to splitting from it a few months back and as soona s we got a watertightc ase the LEa stated the oops we can't make the meeting crap. Am hoping it is a blip. DS4 is 2 next week so get to get my spirits up (although nobody from home would come to his party)

don't force yourself re:DS birthday - one of the few advantages of having a 2 year old is they don't have the birthday awareness, a bit of cake and cardboard box will do! Can I ask out of sheer nosiness - is your DH not doing a PGCE then?

Hopefully once DS1's school issues get settled things will dramatically improve.

DH is doing stage and theatree lighting- he likes doing WYSIWYG which is this sort of thing, would like to work doing that freelance

I used to be/will be again soon involved in running a postgrad course and there was a process called 'voluntary suspension' from study for circumstances like yours - Is there anything like that ? They might not advertise it so worth enquiring.

Dear Peachy, please don't give up! Like some of the other mums, I work in HE (in fact, I suspect niminypiminy and I work at the same uni) and was programme director for an MA until last year, and can only confirm what has been said about break in studies and it being in the uni's interest for you to complete. Have you looked at this page - is there anything useful there perhaps? The Elizabeth Nuffield trust used to give childcare grants to mothers studying, but they are not doing it at present (damn, it was the first place I checked)

clarissimo what about enrolling at a different university and transferring your CAT points over? The ASD course at MMU runs on Saturdays - 4 Saturdays over a term for a module.

[hijack], so where do you work sc13? does it begin with a b, by any chance?

And once again Clarissimo, please, please don't give up. It does seem so much easier when everything it going down the pan to give up and feel that it will never come right. But as everyone has said you are an inspirational person, and I'm sure there must be a way to make this work for you in the end.

Yes it does!! Haven't been on MN for a while because year so busy at work this year

well I never!! I'm productively spending my leave on MN...

Isan;t tehre only one palce starting with b that runs asd courses and is indeed famed for them?

LOL

And actually am going took becuase if they run like that, it's only 90 minutes away.

Here is a list of courses in ASD at HE level if you want to look at alternatives. There are some courses running online study options.

I would be very surprised if you need to argue the case for deferral, it is usually just a short form to fill out but they don't question your reasons why. I've known students to take time out to earn money, travel or just 'think about what to do next'.