My name is Siobhan Domingo and my son attends the Eden II & Genesis school in East Meadow. I am the mother of two children with autism. Robbie is nine and attends Genesis and his younger brother Caleb is seven and attends our local elementary school.
I have always been passionate about the special needs field. I attended SUNY Plattsburgh and received my master’s degree in secondary education and Spanish. While home from college breaks, I worked as a paraprofessional for Western Suffolk BOCES and I fell in love with the kids I worked with. They taught me to see the world through a different lens and that the small successes are just as important as the larger ones. My work there inspired me to pursue coursework in special education. I enrolled in the post master’s advanced certificate program in Students with Disabilities at Molloy College. After completing my coursework at Molloy College and substituting for some time, I began working at the Tiegerman School (formerly SLCD) as a Spanish teacher at their middle and high school programs. This was a brand-new program they introduced at their facility where they wanted to expose students with language deficits to a foreign language. During my time there, I also taught social skills and technology during their summer program. I worked there for close to two years when I got the surprise of being pregnant with my beautiful son Robbie.
After my son was born, my husband and I decided that I would take a break from teaching for a short time to care for our child. The price of daycare was high and the commute to and from work would have taken me away from my son for long hours each day. While at home, I also gave birth to my son Caleb. Shortly after Caleb was born, our oldest Robbie, who had just turned two, was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Even with my background and experience, when it is your child, it is a completely different world. No one prepares you for the challenges that come with a diagnosis, let alone two . My younger son received his diagnosis at five and the therapies and appointments just doubled. I had plans to eventually return to the work field but when autism hit our lives, my job became dedicating myself to my sons and making sure they received every therapy and support that I could get him. I use my education and what I have learned in the field to help me advocate for my sons and to ensure that they receive all of the services that they are entitled to.
Last year, I returned to the workforce and obtained a position as a secretary for a local firehouse. This job’s hours and proximity have provided me with the flexibility to remain an active and involved parent. I am learning new skills in a different industry and am still able to provide for my family in some way.
Autism has taught me so much about patience, love, and understanding. The biggest lesson my children have taught me is that “You know one child with autism, you know one child.” It is a wide spectrum and my boys happen to be at opposite ends of it. Luckily, I’ve been blessed with an amazing support team at Genesis who has quite literally held my hand through most ups and downs of navigating this journey these past several years. I would like to give back to this wonderful community in any way possible because without the support of Genesis, my family would not be where we are today.
