Advocating Is Hard, But Necessary

This past week was the first week of school and my whole IEP team and my new aid were telling me how great I am at advocating for myself.  My first week consists of me emailing my teachers and telling them what my disabilities are, what they can do to acomadate me and how I will learn best in their class.  If they don't get my email I make sure someone's on top of it and bother that person about talking to my teachers until what needs to be said is said and understood.

     My IEP I told me that none of their other students advocate like I do; they're too scared and shy.  I put scared and shy in the closet for this part life a long time ago because if I don't advocate for myself, no one will.  

     In any situation, you have to advocate for yourself in order to get what you need.  Always remember to be nice yet assertive and try not to get frustrated when someone doesn't understand because in my experience sometimes you have to tell people over and over to get them to understand.  It's always hard to be nice and assertive at the same time.  I even still struggle with that and in other situations besides school I still struggle with putting the shyness and the scariness away.  But if you don't advocate for yourself it's hard to find people who will so try your best and make sure you get what you need to help you.