I often get asked my opinion on vaccines. Did I give them to my kids and my view on them. Because I have a son with Autism, it is assumed that I am in the know and that I have a strong belief about vaccines. Well the truth is, I don’t.

When Caden was diagnosed, just shy of turning two, there was a quiet buzz about the possibility of vaccines being a cause for Autism. I had given my first child, Kyle, all his shots, and Caden followed. I trusted my doctor and did what most parents do, follow the guidelines set by their doctors. I mean lets be real, I already had enough on my plate, knowing about medical stuff and toxins was just not something I had taken on.

After our diagnosis, my number one priority and focus was on how I could help Caden, not on the cause. I couldn’t take back what had already been done (if we could even pinpoint exactly the cause), so the buzz about vaccines stayed a distant fuzzy noise in my world.

Fast forward to today. There is so much going on in our world and much like fighting for my kids and being their biggest advocate in school and with their lives, I need to wake up and be an advocate for their health and their future as well. Being a person who has always controlled everything in my life, having kids with special needs flipped my world upside down. This was something I could no longer control completely, but I could be educated and learn as much as I could to help them find their way. As parents, all we want is for our children to be happy and healthy and live their lives to the fullest. We want them to do and be whatever they want to. But how can they do that if they aren’t free, if the government is making choices for them? This is just not okay with me, and this is where I do have an opinion.

We, you, me, all of us, need to educate ourselves on what is going on. We can’t sit back and let others stand up and voice their opinions, while we stick our heads in the sand. What is going on right now, with vaccines, and the laws that are being passed, making it mandatory for our children to be vaccinated, is not okay. This is NOT about whether or not to vaccinate your child. That is or I should say, SHOULD BE, your decision as a parent. It is about having freedom of choice and about being a mother, a father, and making the best decisions for your children, and raising them how you choose. Nobody should be choosing for you.

My three boys with my “Grandpa Jack” who is now 98 and thriving…

My youngest son came home the other day after a beautiful 9/11 assembly at his school. He told me some of the kids gave speeches and they sang our National Anthem… “the land of the free and the home of the brave,” he said. I looked at him and said, “unfortunately, that isn’t the case anymore.” My heart sank and I took a deep breath. It is time. It is time for us to take our freedom back and fight for what is right so our kids can truly sing their National Anthem and be proud of where we live, knowing they have the choice to live the life they want, and be whoever they want… that their dreams can come true.

At the very least, try to get informed. There are so many amazing groups out there and you can do the research yourself. The government is not informing us of these changes, they are not televising protests or letting us see how upset people are with these laws being passed. What you don’t know, you don’t know, so I am telling you to open your eyes and see what is happening. This will impact you and your children.

Concerned Parents of California:

The mission of Concerned Parents of California (CPOC) is to protect the rights and autonomy of the parents of California so we can make decisions regarding our childrens' health and education. We will promote and advocate for the preservation of personal liberties, informed consent, and protection from government overreach. CPOC commits to protecting our civil and constitutional rights in the United States. We will protect these rights by opposing discrimination, segregation and cohesion from unjust legislation.

CPOC is an official registered political group. I am the LEAST political person, I do not follow politics and I am the person who doesn’t know what I don’t know. But this is where mama bear is coming out and I am all in on this one… Go to their website and check it out… BE INFORMED!