This is going to be quick, because I am losing ALL patience with the universe. Consider the following: If I had testicles, I would this day would best be compared to a 24-hour kick in the sack that has rendered me sterile. NO. JOKE.
But I would like the address the issue of the "research project". Upon arriving at school this morning (where I escorted my children to their classrooms, because there was no WAY I was going to trust them with
The project was meant to be done at the ability level of a kindergartner--only, I'm not exactly sure what that means, because my kindergartners are struggling to form letters and learn phonetic sounds. We aren't to the part of the game yet where we can organize our thoughts into a multi-step project. Just this very morning, I asked Big J to write his name on
And it's making me crazy. And I don't love it, not one single bit. I LOVE my son, but there is not one iota of me that can watch him struggle to write a letter, and NOT hate it.
I don't believe his school is failing him--quite the contrary, I think they are super aware of Big J and are doing everything they can. Problem is, he can't be diagnosed with a learning disability until he is 7, and he can't receive occupational therapy (handwriting help) without having another significant delay. It is a strange, bureaucratic crack that we are slipping through, and it looks like we'll be here for at least 10 months, so we are going to settle in and eat some cheese puffs.
This was the way he was born--it isn't a lack of attention or focus on the part of the school. They are doing what they can, and then some, until he legally qualifies for extra help. But this goes way beyond what can be addressed in a 3-hour day. And it has to be okay, because I can help him, but I can't fix him. Mike and I actually have ZERO resentment for our kid's schools or their teachers--but we are definitely being moved to understand that school DOES NOT perfectly meet the needs of our kids. This is pretty important for us, and honestly, for every parent to understand: We are called to KNOW our children, what the need, what they don't.
My G also came home today with 3 of 5 daily stars taken away--some of them for generally disorganized behavior that occurred LAST week. I don't even know where to begin to address that. Yes, she is a hot, hot mess when it comes to having her act together. She lost her television time this evening, which is fine, because we have homework to do. Except that we forgot our homework at school.
Wait for it.
Mental implosion in 3, 2, 1.....
She knows it's a problem. She hates having to tell me she lost behavior stars. She's more than willing and understanding of losing her privileges. She doesn't complain. What to do? Make her lick toilets????? What. Am. I. Missing.
Final groin blow: My computer has suffered a major brain injury, and now appears to be coughing up blood. Oh, technology, how I loathe thee.
Serenity now.
4 comments:
Remember, this too shall pass and it does it get better. How many adults do you know who cannot read or write their names? It just might take longer than you would want. But, really it will be ok.
Hey, my Miss A wrote her name backward and with each individual letter mirrored until the summer before kindergarten, which was the summer *after* she turned 6. She was writing the letters upside-down as well, until maybe 6 months prior. She's a lefty and I blame her atrocious handwriting and crazy lettering on that.
Another thing: Miss A's standardized test scores from fall her kindergarten year show her as solidly average. Her winter scores put her in the 80th percentile. By spring of kindergarten year, and from then on, she's been 97th-99th percentile. I didn't see these scores til recently, but it surprised me how much she changed in a year.
And she was much older than most kindergarteners, and a girl, and the firstborn, and not a preemie or a twin or triplet. Basically it took her til age 7 to hit her stride.
I hope this makes you feel better and not as though I'm minimizing your concerns. You're doing great and I love reading your school posts because they are so much like what's going on here.
Waldorf schools don't even begin teaching reading/writing until 7 years old. Hang in there, friend!
2 thoughts:
1. The Wondertwins were probably always going to need a bit extra time and support at tasks like this, so rest assured that providing them a loving, normal childhood, you prepared them for this stage of their lives. By having a loving family unit, they know themselves and know that they are loved, and the rest will work itself out over time. Thank goondess you didn't fret and tutor and quiz them their whole first 5 years to MAKE them try all these skills before they could possibly be ready.
2. My nephew, a full-term singleton, struggled with reading a writing for 2-3 years! I even thought maybe they should retain him because, though he didn't qualify for an IEP, he just struggled so so much. Well, one day, he hit his "readiness threshold", and now he is a happy A and B student getting ready to enter high school.
Stay focused on peace and don't let fear rule the day.
They will both excell once they are developmentally ready, and that day will come, whether you agonize about it or not!
(friendly advice from a mom whose own kid doesn't start KDG till next year. Nice, right! Feel free to make fun of me next year when it is my turn to worry about skill development in an otherwise happy and healthy kid!!;)
The key to helping kids w LD is patience and time. Your working w them often and that's great. He's got so much he struggles with try dissecting the problem and work w the most pressing issue first and only. Your doing a good job. I believe that completely!
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