This post is being written for parents, especially parents of young children, another post that has nothing to do with the impending war with Australia and everything to do with education!

How do children get into the public school preschool programs? Their parents push. They ask for their child to be screened for learning challenges. Screening may not result in placement. If not, those parents keep pushing.

I should start with an observation: There are no “average” children. Average children do not exist. Children learn differently. Not all gifted children speak early. Speech deficits may not correlate to cognitive deficits. Introverts may manifest a dislike of loud noise and social demands even before they can walk. Many children have specks of ADHD in their behavior at odd times. Variability and being the odd child out sometimes come with the territory. So I want to stress that the odd child out may be perfectly fine.

But I suggest parents go with their feelings. What does your gut say? If the language seems to be coming too slowly, if the lack of eye contact or sharing seems extreme, or if the waves of tantrums come too often, I strongly recommend seeking help early. Talk to counselors. Talk to your school district. When available, early intervention helps. Going to school to get ready to go to school ups the odds that kindergarten and first grade will go well.

Eduhonesty: If you hit a wall, keep hammering. You may need to find the right person to get help. Document concerns. Keep documenting. Go back. And go back. People have been known to fight the special services fight for years. Those services cost money and districts drop the ball for a variety reasons, money and staffing among them, especially when deficits don’t scream out at them. The kid with a tracheotomy who needs assistive technology to communicate will get help. That girl who covers her ears through most of her playgroup may struggle to get special services, especially if she does well with adults in quiet spaces, disguising her challenges.

Go with your gut and — I hate to write this — keep in mind that administrators may have an agenda that does not match your own. I remember when the state of Illinois told my district that our special education rate was “too high.” We had placed too many children in special education, according to some secret rule. Maybe so, maybe not, but teachers were quietly given to understand that no placements would be made except in emergencies.

Fortunately, people who complain enough can become emergencies. Keep pushing. You have a perfect right to shove as hard and as often as it takes to get help.