u/drpengu1120

Hi! We’re looking to move to the Chicago area to be closer to family, and we’re really interested in Skokie, but wanted to narrow down where to look since it’s a big place.

We’re queer and I’m Asian and my husband is white. TBH we’re not so much looking for community on this front, and more just want to feel welcomed and not deal with a bunch of discrimination, so wondering if there are any areas to steer clear of.

More importantly to us, we have two young kids. Our oldest is autistic but might be 2e/gifted. We’re looking for schools that can support our family, and heard good things about the schools here, but again, not sure if there are schools that we should focus on or avoid.

I was hoping especially to hear from any families with ASD/2e kids, and how they like their school/community.

Not diagnosed with anything but I’m pretty sure I’m hypermobile. My finger joints are all super bendy but less than they used to be because everything started stiffening up around 40. Like I used to be able to touch my thumbs to my forearms, but can’t anymore.

Anyways, I’ve got a 20lb 6mo and my thumbs are absolutely killing me. He wants to be supported while standing, picked up, etc. Plus I’ve got an almost 4yo who also wants to be picked up just like her little brother, but she weighs twice as much and I’m dying here.

Any suggestions on things I can do to help it? I’m used to joint pain basically all the time, but this is next level.

We’re looking to move the Chicago area to be closer to family, and Evanston is ticking a lot boxes for us. I’ve been following the whole D65 situation, so I know it’s in a period of transition.

That being said, we’re interested in experiences of families with autistic/2e kids.

Our oldest is in preschool and diagnosed with autism. She’s too young to say anything about being 2e, but it’s on our radar because she’s a lot like my husband and I when we were that age, and we turned out to be very academically inclined oddballs.

I mostly want my kids to enjoy going to school because they can find their niche and be supported. I want them to have an opportunity to be pushed to excel, but I don’t want them in a pressure cooker situation where they burn out.

Anyways, wondering if there are any families who can talk about their experiences with the schools in Evanston on this front.