There are certainly times I have felt exhausted by advocating and have stepped back and taken time to rethink, regroup, reenergize. It is a process, not one event, not a few meetings, the occasional phone call and email. Advocating is generally long term so you have to pick your battles and plan your moments or you will run out of puff.
It is nearly the end of the year. Everyone is tired, including you and your DS. Then there will be 6 weeks of growth before the next school year. Watch your child over summer in a more relaxed environment. Enjoy each other's company and when the new year starts and you know where he is at developmentally and what teacher you will be dealing with, make a renewed plan. It's not giving up, it's taking a break and developing a new vision.
I feel for you. I know how it feels to be battered by the system. I particularly dislike teacher's using personal idiosyncratic anecdotes which are usually irrelevant to your child's circumstances but personal bias is very common. If it helps, it is only now at the near end of the journey, that I can see the value of the agony and the tears we have had over the years. I was told yesterday about a number of new students at my DD's school for next year being allowed to accelerate without jumping through all kinds of hoops and obstacles that we faced. DDs success in accelerating has been a big part in changing people's opinions.
You may never know the difference you make to your child, or even other children.
