Kindergarten!

Many parents have told me that the transition from preschool to grade school is the roughest. Most of them haven't done the school-to-adult transition yet, so I'll be interested to hear what they have to say after their kids reach adulthood. But I will be so glad to have the first day of kindergarten behind us! What people say is generally true - special needs preschool is a happy place, where parents' hands are held and warm fuzzies abound. Erica attended the MRDD school for 5 years, from the age of 18 mos. to 6 yrs. Some years were better than others, but the facility is amazing due to the funding support for MRDD locally and the state and federal monies available.

Now we are jumping into the school district fray. Our district has a special ed. director who is a decent advocate and - I believe - has the best interests of the students at heart. Like any district, there is a limit to resources but ours provides more services than many. They have agreed to try full inclusion, enrolling Erica in a typical kindergarten classroom with a one-to-one aide. She scored at the low end of the "normal" range for typically developing kids, so if her physical challenges can be accommodated, it will be exciting to see what she can do. Our neighborhood school has never had a student in a wheelchair before, so we are pioneers of sorts (I hate being in that position!) but the students at this school will benefit so much from including Erica, and they deserve that opportunity as much as she deserves the opportunity to try to fit into their routines and social circles.

The traditional route for students in our district with multiple disabilities has been a program at another school that gradually includes them as they prove they can handle it. I really wanted to go the full inclusion route from day one. I hope that she doesn't miss out on progress that could be made with more direct instruction from a specialist in the other program, but I don't lose any sleep second guessing myself. I just pray for a great year.

Summer - don't blink!

Well, everyone knows the summer always flies by at the speed of sunshine. The fourth of July has come and gone, and already I've gotten my first "back to school sale" flyer in the mail. My thoughts of leisurely summer days were only partly realistic. We do get to sleep in some, except during Safety Town week... oh, and vacation Bible school week... oh, and days that we have early morning appointments. Oh, well. The wading pool hasn't even been put together on the deck - perhaps because of the giant inflatable water slide the neighbors have and invite us to enjoy? Hmmm. The list of things we'd like to do always exceeds the free time available, but we are having fun. That's the whole point of summer, right?! Just don't blink, or it'll be gone!

A new chapter for an old (OK, middle-aged) librarian

Well, the date is fast approaching. My last day of work. I have the greatest job in the world, with the greatest boss in the world, at one of the best libraries in the country, and I'm leaving it. Some days, I think I should have my head examined. But I've weighed the factors in this decision many times and every time I do, they come out more in favor of staying home for a while with my girls, now ages 6 and 2. Working part-time has been the best of both worlds for several years now. But even with a cushy schedule like mine (I work Tue/Wed/Thu each week), trying to work in PT, OT, speech, adaptive dance class and all other misc. appts. with various specialists on Mondays and Fridays is making me crazy. The thought of being able to spread them out over the WHOLE WEEK seems positively luxurious! Now, I'm not so naive as to think that my 20 "found" hours per week will result in actual free time. I did actually sit down and contemplate how I would like for those hours to be spent, but with kids all bets are off. I know one thing for sure... I'm going to spend more time playing with them! And if that means that my house isn't any cleaner or more organized (one of my New Year's resolutions) or that I don't manage to create home-cooked meals from scratch (my husband is a better cook, anyway) then... at least I will look back on these years and say "wasn't that fun when we used to sit in the driveway all afternoon and made chalk drawings?"

Erica starts kindergarten in the Fall and I'm asking the district to place her in a regular classroom with para support, as opposed to busing her across town to the MH class at another school. After doing a lot of research (imagine that, a librarian reading!) into inclusion practices, I support the theory that a student's Least Restrictive Environment is the class in which they would enroll if they did not have a disability. I know this wouldn't work for all kids with special needs, but I truly believe it will for Erica. One thing I'm planning to do with my 20 hours is to make myself available to help out at the school, whether for PR/goodwill or actually doing things that will free up staff time to address my daughter's needs.

I am sooooo lucky to have this choice! And I'm really looking forward to the first real summer vacation that I've had since high school. But I'm also a very nostalgic person who has a hard time letting go of things that have meant a lot, so the next couple weeks of "last times" will no doubt find me choked up a lot. After 17 years as a librarian, my identity is pretty tied in to my career choice. I'm maintaining my professional membership and have joined the library committee at church, so I'm not "letting go" of that part of my identity, just re-shaping it a little (OK, a lot). But the decision feels right, so with more eagerness than anxiety I say.... here goes!

Be my Valentine...

This photo is a new favorite. After finding coordinating outfits for the girls at Old Navy and scheduling an appointment at our favorite studio, the darlings presented the usual challenges to getting a good shot of them together. Erica can't sit up for very long and tends to droop gradually but steadily. When she does look at the camera, her eyes have a decent chance of crossing before the shutter is snapped. Natalie has very little patience for being photographed; the best shot of her is usually the first one, since for each successive attempt she will sit for less time and be less willing to smile. But she does love her sister, and she does love giving kisses! Hugs and kisses from my girls and "I love you Mommy" are cherished moments indeed. Happy Valentines Day.

Dance Class

Everyone should read "Ballerina Dreams: a true story" by Lauren Thompson. Have a tissue handy. It is the story of a ballet dance teacher who makes dreams come true for little girls with special needs who want to dance. I believe it is the same program in New York that was highlighted on the NBC nightly news one evening (people making a difference segment?) and made the rounds of my special needs parenting listservs via YouTube link.

Well, thankfully, someone in Columbus Ohio decided to make dreams come true here, too. A physical therapist at the local Easter Seals center decided that dance class should be made available for kids with special needs. It isn't ballet - more of a jazzy dance style, and many of the girls (boys are welcome too) wear tap shoes. Some use a walker or gait trainer, some dance on their own. I actually sit on a rolling stool and hold my daughter so she can participate as she is able - it is more of a workout for me than it is for her (which is OK).

The class is held in the spring and fall, with a recital at the end. The teacher presented each girl with a white rose at the recital. The world is opening up for kids with special needs these days.
I am continually grateful.

Summer fun

As the weather warms up and thoughts turn to summer, I am ever more impressed with the opportunities for today's children with special needs to participate in fun activities. Our daughter, age 5, will once again have a busy schedule this summer (but not too busy to enjoy a picnic at the park or a dip in the backyard wading pool). In addition to adaptive horseback riding and yoga, she will once again play in our local Miracle League baseball program. This is a wonderful opportunity for a child to experience being part of a team and trying their best, and success is guaranteed thanks to the buddy system where each child is paired with a volunteer who helps him/her as much as needed and makes the game fun. Best of all, the family brings the child to the game and then simply sits back to enjoy WATCHING the fun. Parents with special needs children often find themselves being the most involved parent in the group in order to facilitate their child's participation. Be the brownie leader, the Sunday school teacher or the playgroup organizer so that other adults don't feel too uncomfortable and are willing to include your child. If you work outside the home, that can really put the squeeze on the amount of time you have to devote to these activities! But with adaptive recreation programs, your participation is not required, which is a beautiful thing. Look for day or residential camps, sports of all kinds, adaptive adventures like skiing or kayaking or even rock climbing! The programs are out there and kids of all abilities are getting involved and making great summer memories.

that crazy calendar

Having young children who are not yet into the "lessons and team sports" phase of life, one would think that my days of being a taxi service would still be to come. However, having a child with special needs whose calendar is jam-packed with appointments for doctors, therapists, and evaluations has to be just as crazy. We schedule weekly, bi-monthly and monthly therapies. We have quarterly, bi-annual and annual followups with various specialists. And then there are all the usual childhood things like the dentist and pediatrician, not to mention preschool! Somewhere in there is time for recreational activity, gatherings with family and friends, date nights for mom & dad, and "alone" time (?!) for mom. Whew! I think I need a nap.