Mentall Illness/ Autistic Children

I lived in Indiana for 3 years. My boys at the time were in Elementary. I started volunteering at their school. I remember the first time they needed me was to help in the special programs class. This class was ranging from Kindergarten to 5th grade. I was not sure what I was about to get myself into. I remember walking into class and the students just stared at me. I was working with the Autistic, handicapp and mental illness children. I began there as a volunteer, I soon got accepted to work as a full time assistant teacher. Yes this was a challenging class for me to work in, but in there shoes it was a challenge for them to work with me. Getting to know and understand the students, as well as the students getting to know me. I remember sometimes going home and just crying because it was such a challenge, and I wanted to quite, but I could not let those kids down, they needed me just as much as I needed them they became a very big part of me. I would actually miss them on the weekend or when we had extended vacations. They taught me so much.... lot's of patience, love, admiration, kindness. These people are true to themselves, and unique in their own special way. They are who they are.
The biggest challenge for me was trying to teach autistic children that it was okay to do something different. Not everything had to be the same. They students that I worked with were not able to talk, some did sign language and some used hand gestures to get their message across. They are VERY SMART children.