Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Dear Teacher, please don't make me be annoying...

 **FYI- this was pertaining to my daughter's Extended Year Summer Program, not her regular classroom**

Dear Special Ed Teacher,

Yes, my daughter talks. But she can't really tell me about her day at school. Please give me a note. DAILY! Parents thrive on information about their children. Sending her off to school with a complete stranger is enough anxiety for me already, so please tell me about her day. I'm not asking for a novel, but something that can make me picture her day.

Did she cry? Did she eat? Did she play with children? I need to know these things. All of the artwork is cute, but my daughter doesn't sit for more than 3mins, and she has deficiency in her fine motor skills- so what is she doing during this time of crafts?? We are working on potty training- I need to know how this is going in school as well.

She is getting PT, OT and speech- I have heard no feedback except from the speech therapist. I don't think this is asking too much. Shouldn't the therapists be advising me what they are working on, so I can incorporate it at home?

Lia started singing a song last week that I had never heard. It turns out it is the Welcome Circle Time song at the beginning of school. This was my biggest glimpse into Lia's day at school so far.

So please, dear teacher, write me a few sentences daily. Let me know how the day is going- good, bad, whatever- I want to know these things. And I don't want to become an annoying parent in asking- I just want it given to me.

Thank you,
A concerned loving parent, not trying to be annoying :)




Friday, July 20, 2012

An Ode to Laurie Berkner

Dear Laurie Berkner,

My 3 yr old daughter is obsessed with you.

#1. Laurie Berkner
#2. iPad
#3. Mommy.... yup I'm 3rd.

She has autism and is verbal, but does have a speech delay. Your songs have put words into her mouth beautifully. She wakes up singing "One Seed" and goes to bed singing "Family". All of your songs are so silly and free- and those 2 words describe my daughter perfectly.




So thank you.

Thank you for...

Letting your music allow me to do dishes

Letting your music allow me to do laundry

Letting your music allow me to vacuum

Letting your music allow me to clean the house

Letting your music allow me to have a conversation on the phone

Letting your music allow me to cook dinner

Letting your music let Mommy have a few moments of peace

And most of all, thank you for letting your music let my child have words.





Thursday, July 12, 2012

Summertime or Some Therapy Time?

In the middle of our crazy summer schedule was the Chop follow-up appt. Did I expect much from it? Nooope. Did Lia behave during it? Nooope. Was I instructed to do anything I'm not already doing? Nooope. Was told to come back in 1 year. 1 more year of endless therapies and such, just to hear that I'm "doing a good job". I've started to rely less on the medical community and more on my own mommy instincts. Afterall, doesn't mommy know best?

Between Preschool, Speech, OT, PT, Therapeutic Horseback Riding, Relationship Development Intervention and Music I think I've got it all covered. Lia's schedule is more like a college freshman, than that of a 3yr old toddler. Some day's I think I'm doing too much and other day's I feel like I'm not doing nearly enough. I'm trying to balance the lazy days of summer with enough non-lazy days.

The summertime is fun with Lia. She loves the beach, and screams out "OCEAN!!!"
The beach is a place where Lia can just be Lia. Free of all her therapies, she can run and scream and jump, just like any other toddler you see at the beach. I love the beach- I don't have to worry about stares and judgement. Lia blends in with all of the other excited children on the beach. And for this, mommy can just be mommy.