My children have been amusing the folks in the grocery store lately. When you come in to our grocery store, you come in to the produce section. Our produce section has vegetables lining the right wall, and the fruits in islands to the left. Most kids will zip past even these and head for the longer aisle beyond, with the sugary cereals or the poptarts or the chips. Not my kids. They make a beeline to the right...
...and beg me to buy broccoli.
I had Andy with me this week in the grocery, and we started off in the produce. He was wound up, asking me what each thing was. He became enamoured with a spaghetti squash, so I bought it for him to try. (Hey, any of you know what to do with a spaghetti squash? Because I haven't the slightest clue.) Even later, when he was screaming for some other thing, and he could have the sweet or the squash, he decided he wanted his squash.
I'd love to be able to write a long, wistful post about how many vegetables my kids eat a day, but I really can't. Usually, getting Andy to eat dinner at home is a battle. The only place he consistently eats is Grandma's, where he will eat from the time I leave him to go teach, until the time I pick him up. Granted, I usually leave him with a supply of ham, strawberries or grapes, and Cheetos. Not vegetables. But there you are. Joey likes vegetables OK, but the on;y one he really goes out of his way for is broccoli. I tried to send it in his lunch, but apparently raw broccoli is a different vegetable from hot, steamed broccoli.
But you still have to love kids who go into a grocery store and beg for mom to buy them vegetables. It certainly gets smiles out of even the most stolid and sour-looking shoppers.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Wednesday, March 11, 2009
Friday, March 06, 2009
Upcoming Campaigns
The plan is to start some new campaigns around here. Joey is six years old; he'll be seven in April. There are lots of things around the house he ought to be doing, and needs to start learning how to do. I am calling these the "independence campaigns" because they will include skills I believe Joey will need to be independent; things like cooking for himself and caring for his own things. However, I have no idea what seven-year-olds really can do. I am basing these skills on things I was doing at about seven, and remember doing myself at that age. Let me know if any of this sounds unreasonable.
The biggest campaign will be the cooking campaign. I thought I would start easy and rewarding: peanut butter sandwiches. However, we're going to knock it up a notch as well. At the book fair, Joey fell in love with a Sesame Street snack cookbook. I bought it because he was so enamoured with it- mostly with the fact Elmo was on the cover. He's been very into Elmo because of his classmates is very into Elmo, so they've been doing a lot of Sesame Street stuff at school, as well as Andy's new interest in Sesame Street at home. He gets it double-barreled. Then I actually got home and read the book- and it is really awesome. The recipes are simple, and most of them have several child-friendly steps. They are simple enough to include JOey in the prep as well as the actual cooking. Also, the recipes are relatively healthy, and emphasize healthy ingredients. So not only are we going to work on things like preparing his lunches himself, but also more general cooking- following instructions, following steps, and coming out with a yummy reward!
The bed-making campaign will also be starting. Changing Joey's daily routine in this way is going to be a huge deal. however, keeping things in order is going to be an important skill for Joey- especially if he has inherited some of my very poor cleaning and organizing skills. I'm going to have to wade through the sea of toys and cull the things he isn't interested in as well- make sure his things all have a place- so he can put his things there himself. Yep... a clean your room campaign!
Next, dressing. We know he puts on his own shoes at school, so we need to start having him do it at home. With new shoes, we have a ready-made excuse for the new change: you have new big-boy shoes, you need to put them on yourself. We kept the velcro. One thing at a time. However, we also are going to start looking at the buttons and zippers issue. Though he can get through life in pull-up pants, it will be easier if he can do snaps and buttons on jeans. I'm going to alert school on this one. The OT there swore he could do buttons two years ago, but we have yet to see any evidence of it. Its good for his fine motor skills!
And finally: sleeping in his own bed all night. I'll miss waking up with a little guy every morning, but the many nights in the recliner are not good on my back. He needs to be comfy in his own space!
Hmm, writing it down, it suddenly looks like a lot. We'll see how it goes.
The biggest campaign will be the cooking campaign. I thought I would start easy and rewarding: peanut butter sandwiches. However, we're going to knock it up a notch as well. At the book fair, Joey fell in love with a Sesame Street snack cookbook. I bought it because he was so enamoured with it- mostly with the fact Elmo was on the cover. He's been very into Elmo because of his classmates is very into Elmo, so they've been doing a lot of Sesame Street stuff at school, as well as Andy's new interest in Sesame Street at home. He gets it double-barreled. Then I actually got home and read the book- and it is really awesome. The recipes are simple, and most of them have several child-friendly steps. They are simple enough to include JOey in the prep as well as the actual cooking. Also, the recipes are relatively healthy, and emphasize healthy ingredients. So not only are we going to work on things like preparing his lunches himself, but also more general cooking- following instructions, following steps, and coming out with a yummy reward!
The bed-making campaign will also be starting. Changing Joey's daily routine in this way is going to be a huge deal. however, keeping things in order is going to be an important skill for Joey- especially if he has inherited some of my very poor cleaning and organizing skills. I'm going to have to wade through the sea of toys and cull the things he isn't interested in as well- make sure his things all have a place- so he can put his things there himself. Yep... a clean your room campaign!
Next, dressing. We know he puts on his own shoes at school, so we need to start having him do it at home. With new shoes, we have a ready-made excuse for the new change: you have new big-boy shoes, you need to put them on yourself. We kept the velcro. One thing at a time. However, we also are going to start looking at the buttons and zippers issue. Though he can get through life in pull-up pants, it will be easier if he can do snaps and buttons on jeans. I'm going to alert school on this one. The OT there swore he could do buttons two years ago, but we have yet to see any evidence of it. Its good for his fine motor skills!
And finally: sleeping in his own bed all night. I'll miss waking up with a little guy every morning, but the many nights in the recliner are not good on my back. He needs to be comfy in his own space!
Hmm, writing it down, it suddenly looks like a lot. We'll see how it goes.
Wednesday, March 04, 2009
Tuesday, March 03, 2009
Happy Spring, Happy IEP Season
Yes, the IEP season is fast closing in on us, and I find myself opening small word files and pulling out spiral notebooks, filling them with lists of things that might need focus in next year's program. I scatter these listing tools throughout the house. This is not just for IEP lists- I have spiral notebooks full of all sorts of lists of things I wanted to remember and needed to do. Then I promptly misplace the notebook. Anyway, I have these tools scattered through the house so that when I notice something needing attention, I can write it down, and try to remember to mention it to Mrs. H so it can be considered for IEP-worthiness.
This is not as easy as it sounds. After all, to me, Joey is Joey. I have no reference to "average" 6-year-olds running around my house for comparison. I have no idea what "average" 6-year-olds do, how they speak, what they like. I am still shocked to hear of first and second graders talking about House (and I'm a Hugh Laurie fan) or even High School Musical; my kids are still on Magic School Bus and Oswald, with a new smattering of Sesame Street. Joey likes Wow Wow Wubsy and Go Diego Go, but he has never watched the shows, he just likes the arcade-style games through the website. Superheroes? Joey doesn't know any. Star Wars? Why do 6-year-olds know about Star Wars??? I thought that was for the 8-to-12 crowd???
Thinking about him in terms of deficits is just not something we do. It takes something very obvious to catch our attention. For example, I have quite a few notes about his speech patterns, especially now that we've had an uptick in original, unscripted speech. Constructing original speech is very difficult for our little Mrs. Who, so all the mistakes in language, which you might expect from someone just learning to speak a language, are coming out in force. I can break them down and write them up into lovely IEP goals to make forming speech easier and more natural-sounding.
Field Day is a good day to come out and observe Joey. I learned this last year, when I felt the shock of seeing Joey in a room full of "average" kindergardeners, and how very different Joey really was. I was invited again to chaperone this year, so i was looking forward to getting an eyeful, and prepared myself for the eyeful. Realizing how hard it is for Joey to function and how much he really does struggle with things other kids find easy- everyday things like running and following a game- is really very hard. But this year, I was ready, I knew this was a tool for me to think about focusing effort and what skills needed more attention.
Then it snowed.
So now I am left to think of other options, other ways of getting the information I need to think about Joey and what he needs. Do I try to visit school while he is in one of his inclusion classrooms? Do I make more notes about issues we see at the park and other public venues? Where else can I get a good look at Joey in "average" contexts? What will these observations tell me? And will I remember where I wrote them down?
This is not as easy as it sounds. After all, to me, Joey is Joey. I have no reference to "average" 6-year-olds running around my house for comparison. I have no idea what "average" 6-year-olds do, how they speak, what they like. I am still shocked to hear of first and second graders talking about House (and I'm a Hugh Laurie fan) or even High School Musical; my kids are still on Magic School Bus and Oswald, with a new smattering of Sesame Street. Joey likes Wow Wow Wubsy and Go Diego Go, but he has never watched the shows, he just likes the arcade-style games through the website. Superheroes? Joey doesn't know any. Star Wars? Why do 6-year-olds know about Star Wars??? I thought that was for the 8-to-12 crowd???
Thinking about him in terms of deficits is just not something we do. It takes something very obvious to catch our attention. For example, I have quite a few notes about his speech patterns, especially now that we've had an uptick in original, unscripted speech. Constructing original speech is very difficult for our little Mrs. Who, so all the mistakes in language, which you might expect from someone just learning to speak a language, are coming out in force. I can break them down and write them up into lovely IEP goals to make forming speech easier and more natural-sounding.
Field Day is a good day to come out and observe Joey. I learned this last year, when I felt the shock of seeing Joey in a room full of "average" kindergardeners, and how very different Joey really was. I was invited again to chaperone this year, so i was looking forward to getting an eyeful, and prepared myself for the eyeful. Realizing how hard it is for Joey to function and how much he really does struggle with things other kids find easy- everyday things like running and following a game- is really very hard. But this year, I was ready, I knew this was a tool for me to think about focusing effort and what skills needed more attention.
Then it snowed.
So now I am left to think of other options, other ways of getting the information I need to think about Joey and what he needs. Do I try to visit school while he is in one of his inclusion classrooms? Do I make more notes about issues we see at the park and other public venues? Where else can I get a good look at Joey in "average" contexts? What will these observations tell me? And will I remember where I wrote them down?
Monday, March 02, 2009
Snow!
Forget that namby-pamby dusting we've been getting the last few years. This, folks, is snow.
I remember as a kid getting two or three of these a year. Once we were even snowed in at my mom's house for a couple of weeks. Wild. So I'm here with two happy, if cold and snowy, boys.
I remember as a kid getting two or three of these a year. Once we were even snowed in at my mom's house for a couple of weeks. Wild. So I'm here with two happy, if cold and snowy, boys.
Sunday, March 01, 2009
Grumps
I'm supposed to be doing a mountain of grading, but I'm grumpy, and it is never fair to grade when grumpy. The fact that a barrage of student idiocy and rudeness is the cause of the grumpiness is beside the point. I just can't do it. It's not fair.
Besides, I've already grumped at my children, grumped at my husband, and grumped at the falling snow. I spent an inordinate amount of time in the grocery store today. When I left the house at 7 am, the forecast said something vaguely about two inches of snow on green areas. By the time I reached my mom's house, following a swimming adventure with Frick and Frack in which Frick was all about swimming and Frack just wanted to scream instead of dipping his face in the water (sometimes I wonder which one is the "special needs" one... perhaps that is something for another post), around 9:30 am, we were expecting 6-10 inches. Its never good when it snows in Atlanta. Only I didn't know we were now expecting a blizzard. I just didn't think twice when my mom asked me to run out and grab groceries for her, because she's been sick and even two inches of snow can be a problem on her dirt road. When I got home after meeting JoeyAndyDad at Chuck E. Cheese (where the boys had a marvelous time, despite the crowd because we got there later than planned) and discovered the new predictions, back to the grocery I went. There is a huge difference between "might have to entertain the boys with snow for a few hours" and "may be stuck in house with boys for two days". (Since we live in the city, I doubt we'll be stuck here longer than that, even if it doesn't immediately warm up.)
Whenever the "s-word" hits the forecasts, people around here go nuts. I went a little nuts myself, buying things like chips and crackers I wouldn't normally buy, and more drinks than usual, but I felt I was kinda prepping for a snow party. The people around me seemed to be stocking up for a major blizzard, as if they expected to be snowed in for the week. Actually, more like for the month. A week's worth of groceries on a Sunday wouldn't be that unusual, except for the huge number of people buying them; but these folks were going crazy. It also was putting off my nice, comfy schedule. This should have been a wonderfully relaxing day: a morning swim, a visit to Grandma's, a fun early lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, then home for an afternoon of cleaning the basement and enthusiastic boy-squishing, followed by a bit of grading after bedtime. Instead, I spent a lot of time crunched with crazed idiots who thought the world was ending, or would if they didn't have a month's supply of toilet paper right now.
I could do a whole blog just on adventures I have in grocery stores.
And instead of getting to read lovely stories about snow to my beautiful boys, I spent an hour trying to solve problems for students who, it turned out, weren't interested in solutions. That makes me really, really grumpy, especially when those students sent me emails of desperation complete with TMI excuses for why their work wasn't getting done, in cranky tones- as if it was my fault they hadn't bothered to do anything earlier in the week when solutions could have been easier to implement. And I still have three weeks' of discussions and two sets of exams staring at me. If I stuck an A on each and every one of them and tossed them back, not one of those students would care. In fact, they'd probably be happy. Who needs to learn stuff, anyway? How depressing is that?
Outside, the snow keeps falling, which means tomorrow's Field Day will likely be cancelled. In fact, I'm likely to have a snow day with my little guys, so I made sure I had hot chocolate with marshmallows on hand. If I don't get to grading soon, my grumpy butt will be stuck grading exams instead of playing in the snow. And that would just suck.
Besides, I've already grumped at my children, grumped at my husband, and grumped at the falling snow. I spent an inordinate amount of time in the grocery store today. When I left the house at 7 am, the forecast said something vaguely about two inches of snow on green areas. By the time I reached my mom's house, following a swimming adventure with Frick and Frack in which Frick was all about swimming and Frack just wanted to scream instead of dipping his face in the water (sometimes I wonder which one is the "special needs" one... perhaps that is something for another post), around 9:30 am, we were expecting 6-10 inches. Its never good when it snows in Atlanta. Only I didn't know we were now expecting a blizzard. I just didn't think twice when my mom asked me to run out and grab groceries for her, because she's been sick and even two inches of snow can be a problem on her dirt road. When I got home after meeting JoeyAndyDad at Chuck E. Cheese (where the boys had a marvelous time, despite the crowd because we got there later than planned) and discovered the new predictions, back to the grocery I went. There is a huge difference between "might have to entertain the boys with snow for a few hours" and "may be stuck in house with boys for two days". (Since we live in the city, I doubt we'll be stuck here longer than that, even if it doesn't immediately warm up.)
Whenever the "s-word" hits the forecasts, people around here go nuts. I went a little nuts myself, buying things like chips and crackers I wouldn't normally buy, and more drinks than usual, but I felt I was kinda prepping for a snow party. The people around me seemed to be stocking up for a major blizzard, as if they expected to be snowed in for the week. Actually, more like for the month. A week's worth of groceries on a Sunday wouldn't be that unusual, except for the huge number of people buying them; but these folks were going crazy. It also was putting off my nice, comfy schedule. This should have been a wonderfully relaxing day: a morning swim, a visit to Grandma's, a fun early lunch at Chuck E. Cheese, then home for an afternoon of cleaning the basement and enthusiastic boy-squishing, followed by a bit of grading after bedtime. Instead, I spent a lot of time crunched with crazed idiots who thought the world was ending, or would if they didn't have a month's supply of toilet paper right now.
I could do a whole blog just on adventures I have in grocery stores.
And instead of getting to read lovely stories about snow to my beautiful boys, I spent an hour trying to solve problems for students who, it turned out, weren't interested in solutions. That makes me really, really grumpy, especially when those students sent me emails of desperation complete with TMI excuses for why their work wasn't getting done, in cranky tones- as if it was my fault they hadn't bothered to do anything earlier in the week when solutions could have been easier to implement. And I still have three weeks' of discussions and two sets of exams staring at me. If I stuck an A on each and every one of them and tossed them back, not one of those students would care. In fact, they'd probably be happy. Who needs to learn stuff, anyway? How depressing is that?
Outside, the snow keeps falling, which means tomorrow's Field Day will likely be cancelled. In fact, I'm likely to have a snow day with my little guys, so I made sure I had hot chocolate with marshmallows on hand. If I don't get to grading soon, my grumpy butt will be stuck grading exams instead of playing in the snow. And that would just suck.
Saturday, February 28, 2009
Rest Well, Paul Harvey
A voice from my childhood was silenced today.
I remember riding in the back seat as my folks took a drive, bouncing down 522 through Woodville and Scrabble, listening to Paul Harvey. It was a voice from a golden age, lost to modern walkman-toting teens like me. He read the advertisements the same way he read the news, as if he were encouraging a friend to buy this wonderful thing. he used small details of lives to illuminate what it really meant to be an American, to value freedom and practice respect. He made you think about larger issues in human scale, and understand why integrity and self-respect were important, the larger effects of small acts of honesty, kindness, and compassion. He opened up the possibilities by showing how everyday people became extraordinary. It was more than just cold facts in a news article; there was a very human side, a lot of shades of gray, even in the most black-and-white moments. What choices would you make? Where would those small choices lead in the larger world?
You could count to a surprise ending, a twist in the tale that showed how this yarn, itself a masterpiece of values in hard work, caring for others, and doing the right thing for its own sake, was actually about a larger personality, a small moment in a life that was changing the world. Small moments became momentous. He revealed the deeper fiber of a person in a single episode from everyday living.
I wish I knew more about Paul Harvey, who revealed so much about others, and showed us exactly why they- and we- were great. I wish I had the rest of the story.
Good day.
I remember riding in the back seat as my folks took a drive, bouncing down 522 through Woodville and Scrabble, listening to Paul Harvey. It was a voice from a golden age, lost to modern walkman-toting teens like me. He read the advertisements the same way he read the news, as if he were encouraging a friend to buy this wonderful thing. he used small details of lives to illuminate what it really meant to be an American, to value freedom and practice respect. He made you think about larger issues in human scale, and understand why integrity and self-respect were important, the larger effects of small acts of honesty, kindness, and compassion. He opened up the possibilities by showing how everyday people became extraordinary. It was more than just cold facts in a news article; there was a very human side, a lot of shades of gray, even in the most black-and-white moments. What choices would you make? Where would those small choices lead in the larger world?
You could count to a surprise ending, a twist in the tale that showed how this yarn, itself a masterpiece of values in hard work, caring for others, and doing the right thing for its own sake, was actually about a larger personality, a small moment in a life that was changing the world. Small moments became momentous. He revealed the deeper fiber of a person in a single episode from everyday living.
I wish I knew more about Paul Harvey, who revealed so much about others, and showed us exactly why they- and we- were great. I wish I had the rest of the story.
Good day.
Afternoon Art
"Fish out of water"
"Stegosaurus"
"Ankylosaurus"
And the most fearsome of them all... "Turkey".
Friday, February 27, 2009
Instant jacket removal
The boys both got new coats for the winter. I got Joey a beautiful blue one with matching snow boots because his old coat was getting small and the lining had disappeared (and rather unusually, has yet to turn up). Andy's new coat appeared after Christmas, because his old coat, which had been Joey's old coat and going strong for 4 years and through two boys, finally gave up the ghost (washing it had no effect on the filthy look, all the velcro had been pulled off, and Andy's wrists stuck out of the sleeves). Grandma found him a lovely red one, one of those fluffy down ones. Very warm, and it would crush better to make getting him in his car seat easier.
All was well until Andy decided he didn't like coats. Specifically, he realized it was easier to get into his car seat without one, and when you aren't wearing a coat in a car seat, your back doesn't get sweaty. Also, I think the weight difference was a factor- his old coat, being one of those lovely 4-in-one coat systems (I'm not being facetious. I love those 3-in-one and 4-in-ones: buy one coat, wear it the whole year round, just wear the parts you need! Totally, totally, awesome) had some weight and thickness to it that his new coat lacks. He's happy to wear it as an actual buffer against cold, but he's figured out that the car, once warmed, is, well, warm.
And now that's been generalized. The minute he hops into the car, he's stripping off his jacket. The temperature makes no difference; even if it is freezing, he knows that in about ten minutes, the car will be warm. The fact that he'll catch his death in those ten minutes without a coat is of no interest to him in the slightest. This from the child who, up until three short months ago, insisted on having any jacket with a hood worn with the hood upon his head. Even indoors.
It also makes no difference which jacket he is now wearing. It was warmer than usual the past two days, so I pulled out the sweatshirts. I thought the weight might also encourage him to keep it on. No dice. Open door, hop in, remove jacket. It's a ritual now, ingrained into his the pathways and set on automatic. Open, hop, remove.
The teachers at his school, who have to put him in my car and strap him into his seat, find this very odd. They are busy trying to get him wrestled into the seat quickly, and he's trying to remove his jacket, which he wore for all of a half-dozen steps between the door and my car. She actually chuckled this morning, "Poor guy. If they come with a jacket, we have them wear them home; even if its just for ten seconds!" I was glad for the implication that my child isn't the only one to hit the car and strip.
All was well until Andy decided he didn't like coats. Specifically, he realized it was easier to get into his car seat without one, and when you aren't wearing a coat in a car seat, your back doesn't get sweaty. Also, I think the weight difference was a factor- his old coat, being one of those lovely 4-in-one coat systems (I'm not being facetious. I love those 3-in-one and 4-in-ones: buy one coat, wear it the whole year round, just wear the parts you need! Totally, totally, awesome) had some weight and thickness to it that his new coat lacks. He's happy to wear it as an actual buffer against cold, but he's figured out that the car, once warmed, is, well, warm.
And now that's been generalized. The minute he hops into the car, he's stripping off his jacket. The temperature makes no difference; even if it is freezing, he knows that in about ten minutes, the car will be warm. The fact that he'll catch his death in those ten minutes without a coat is of no interest to him in the slightest. This from the child who, up until three short months ago, insisted on having any jacket with a hood worn with the hood upon his head. Even indoors.
It also makes no difference which jacket he is now wearing. It was warmer than usual the past two days, so I pulled out the sweatshirts. I thought the weight might also encourage him to keep it on. No dice. Open door, hop in, remove jacket. It's a ritual now, ingrained into his the pathways and set on automatic. Open, hop, remove.
The teachers at his school, who have to put him in my car and strap him into his seat, find this very odd. They are busy trying to get him wrestled into the seat quickly, and he's trying to remove his jacket, which he wore for all of a half-dozen steps between the door and my car. She actually chuckled this morning, "Poor guy. If they come with a jacket, we have them wear them home; even if its just for ten seconds!" I was glad for the implication that my child isn't the only one to hit the car and strip.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
On the Playground
We had an interesting encounter at the playground today. A boy ran up to Joey saying "I know you!" Joey was very happy to see him, though it took Joey a minute to acknowledge him. Then Joey realized there was also another child from school whom he knew. Joey tried very hard to play with these boys. However, they were playing some kind of make-believe involving swords (maybe Star Wars?) and at some point in the play, probably because Joey couldn't follow what they were doing, they started running away from Joey whenever he approached them (had they decided to make him the villain, perhaps?) Joey became very upset that these boys kept running from him. Finally, as I was trying to intervene and get Joey to calm down, he said, "I don't like them running away from me. It hurts my feelings. I am going to go tell him."
And that is exactly what he did: "Don't run away from me. It makes me feel sad!"
I was so proud of him.
Unfortunately, the boy responded, "You can't tell me what to do!" and ran away. The two boys also kept inviting Joey to play when he gave up and tried to do other things, then running away from him, which I thought was a little odd when he had so clearly told them he didn't like that. I don't know if they meant to be upsetting to him, but I finally packed the boys up and took them home.
And that is exactly what he did: "Don't run away from me. It makes me feel sad!"
I was so proud of him.
Unfortunately, the boy responded, "You can't tell me what to do!" and ran away. The two boys also kept inviting Joey to play when he gave up and tried to do other things, then running away from him, which I thought was a little odd when he had so clearly told them he didn't like that. I don't know if they meant to be upsetting to him, but I finally packed the boys up and took them home.
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
What the Fly Hears In Andy's Room at Night
Once upon a time, there was a T-Rex, stomping through the woods, stomp stomp stomp stomp. He saw some bubbles in the trees, and followed them because they were so pretty. He found his good friends, Blue Lizard, Red Lizard, and Green Lizard. They were blowing bubbles and having a great time. They asked T-Rex if he wanted to blow bubbles.
"Yes, thank you!" said T-Rex, and the Lizards gave him a bubble wand and he blew bubbles. Then he found a treasure chest, right there in the middle of the woods. It probably belonged to some pirates. He opened the chest, and it was full of pirate swords.
"These probably belong to a pirate," T-Rex said. A pirate ship sailed up full of pirates. Well, there was one pirate. And T-Rex gave him the treasure chest full of pirate swords.
"Thank you!" said the pirate.
"You are welcome!" said T-Rex. They gave each other a sweet kiss, and the pirate sailed away with his treasure chest in his pirate ship.
Then T-Rex saw a dragon, flying across the sky. It was a baby dragon, and it was orange. He flew down to the ground.
"I want my mommy!" said the dragon. T-Rex helped him find his mommy. They looked all around. They went to Fox's house, but the Dragon's mommy was not there. And they went to Mouse's house, but the dragon's mommy wasn't there. And they went to spider's house, and dragon's mommy wasn't there, either. then T-Rex looked and he saw lots of dragons, and there was dragons mommy. Then were dolphins and gulls all around. And there was a mommy dolphin, and two baby dolphins, and they were dancing.
"Let's play!" said mommy dolphin. "Let's dance!" So the bay dolphins danced with their mommy. She gave them lots of kisses. They gave her lots of kisses. Then one of the dolphins hid.
"Where is the other one? " said the baby dolphin.
"I don't know," said mommy dolphin. then the other dolphin leaped out and shouted "surprise!" and surprised the mommy dolphin. And they all got kisses.
"Good night, my babies," said mommy dolphin, and she gave them kisses.
"Night night!" said the baby dolphins. "This is my bed!" said one baby dolphin. "No, it's my bed!" said the other baby dolphin. So mommy dolphin had to give them both more kisses and tuck them into bed, where they fell asleep.
The end.
"Yes, thank you!" said T-Rex, and the Lizards gave him a bubble wand and he blew bubbles. Then he found a treasure chest, right there in the middle of the woods. It probably belonged to some pirates. He opened the chest, and it was full of pirate swords.
"These probably belong to a pirate," T-Rex said. A pirate ship sailed up full of pirates. Well, there was one pirate. And T-Rex gave him the treasure chest full of pirate swords.
"Thank you!" said the pirate.
"You are welcome!" said T-Rex. They gave each other a sweet kiss, and the pirate sailed away with his treasure chest in his pirate ship.
Then T-Rex saw a dragon, flying across the sky. It was a baby dragon, and it was orange. He flew down to the ground.
"I want my mommy!" said the dragon. T-Rex helped him find his mommy. They looked all around. They went to Fox's house, but the Dragon's mommy was not there. And they went to Mouse's house, but the dragon's mommy wasn't there. And they went to spider's house, and dragon's mommy wasn't there, either. then T-Rex looked and he saw lots of dragons, and there was dragons mommy. Then were dolphins and gulls all around. And there was a mommy dolphin, and two baby dolphins, and they were dancing.
"Let's play!" said mommy dolphin. "Let's dance!" So the bay dolphins danced with their mommy. She gave them lots of kisses. They gave her lots of kisses. Then one of the dolphins hid.
"Where is the other one? " said the baby dolphin.
"I don't know," said mommy dolphin. then the other dolphin leaped out and shouted "surprise!" and surprised the mommy dolphin. And they all got kisses.
"Good night, my babies," said mommy dolphin, and she gave them kisses.
"Night night!" said the baby dolphins. "This is my bed!" said one baby dolphin. "No, it's my bed!" said the other baby dolphin. So mommy dolphin had to give them both more kisses and tuck them into bed, where they fell asleep.
The end.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Communicate The Way You Know How
We've been having some trouble with Joey. This isn't a huge surprise- spring is here, the weather is all over the place, the light is changing, the world takes a shift for Joey- his sensory needs tend to shift about now, he tends to be trying to process things more and have a harder time with processing about now. The frustration level goes up. Behavior- like any child- also goes a little haywire.
OUr latest campaign is teaching Joey to use words to tell us how he is feeling. The idea is to teach him instead of showing us his feelings by screaming, hitting, slamming doors repeatedly, tracking, and other behavioral ways, he should use words to communicate his feelings. We've been encouraging him to understand different relationships and the roles of people in his life, and how his words can be used to communicate his needs to these people. We've let him know we want to know how he feels, and he can always use his words to tell us how he feels. Instead of fidgeting with things on the teacher's desk, he should say, "I am uncomfortable. I am frustrated. I need a break."
Sounds good, doesn't it? Except you never know what a child hears. How is Joey interpreting what we are telling him, trying to teach him?
Joey got sent to Ms. T this week. The reason? An accumulation of behaviors that was becoming increasingly disruptive. Use of rude words (such as his favorite, "wiener"), putting marks on other children's charts towards "timeout", giving teachers checks, saying other children are responsible for his behaviors, and other inappropriate outbursts. This is very worrisome, as we are trying to keep him in inclusion settings, and these kinds of loud, inappropriate behaviors can get him sent back to self-contained environments. Fortunately, our school personnel- especially Joey's teachers- have been very understanding and willing to try to help him. However, a trip to Ms. T is a bit of a trauma. Joey gets upset when his classmates get sent to Ms. T, so to find himself in her office... well, he's a bit upset. Besides, Ms. T tends to raise her voice, so we've gotten a lot of shouting this weekend (and lots of "Ms. T is loud!")
How to help him? What is going on? What has happened to get Joey so out-of-sorts? Where is my Deerstalker and pipe?
My mom had an absolute brainstorm of brilliance. She's good like that. What if he has taken what we are teaching him- use words to express feelings- absolutely to heart? Instead of lashing out, he is saying words that, to him, express his feelings? After all, that is how Joey uses language- he attaches feelings and meanings to words and phrases, and uses them to convey those feelings and meanings, even when the words have nothing to do with the moment. What if he is using this tool of words to "give himself a break"- to get out of an uncomfortable situation?
We keep urging him to communicate, and to use words to communicate. Perhaps he has generalized that lesson in his own way?
OUr latest campaign is teaching Joey to use words to tell us how he is feeling. The idea is to teach him instead of showing us his feelings by screaming, hitting, slamming doors repeatedly, tracking, and other behavioral ways, he should use words to communicate his feelings. We've been encouraging him to understand different relationships and the roles of people in his life, and how his words can be used to communicate his needs to these people. We've let him know we want to know how he feels, and he can always use his words to tell us how he feels. Instead of fidgeting with things on the teacher's desk, he should say, "I am uncomfortable. I am frustrated. I need a break."
Sounds good, doesn't it? Except you never know what a child hears. How is Joey interpreting what we are telling him, trying to teach him?
Joey got sent to Ms. T this week. The reason? An accumulation of behaviors that was becoming increasingly disruptive. Use of rude words (such as his favorite, "wiener"), putting marks on other children's charts towards "timeout", giving teachers checks, saying other children are responsible for his behaviors, and other inappropriate outbursts. This is very worrisome, as we are trying to keep him in inclusion settings, and these kinds of loud, inappropriate behaviors can get him sent back to self-contained environments. Fortunately, our school personnel- especially Joey's teachers- have been very understanding and willing to try to help him. However, a trip to Ms. T is a bit of a trauma. Joey gets upset when his classmates get sent to Ms. T, so to find himself in her office... well, he's a bit upset. Besides, Ms. T tends to raise her voice, so we've gotten a lot of shouting this weekend (and lots of "Ms. T is loud!")
How to help him? What is going on? What has happened to get Joey so out-of-sorts? Where is my Deerstalker and pipe?
My mom had an absolute brainstorm of brilliance. She's good like that. What if he has taken what we are teaching him- use words to express feelings- absolutely to heart? Instead of lashing out, he is saying words that, to him, express his feelings? After all, that is how Joey uses language- he attaches feelings and meanings to words and phrases, and uses them to convey those feelings and meanings, even when the words have nothing to do with the moment. What if he is using this tool of words to "give himself a break"- to get out of an uncomfortable situation?
We keep urging him to communicate, and to use words to communicate. Perhaps he has generalized that lesson in his own way?
Thursday, February 19, 2009
Strategy
"iapeng-in!" Andy waddles, then flaps his arms and runs. I suppose he is a penguin underwater, instead of on land.
"I am yellow! I am Bus 30! If I hit you, you will break!" Joey vrooms, turns the plastic ring he calls a steering wheel and zooms through the first floor after the penguin.
What Joey means is he is going to play chase. This is a favorite boy game,especially during the Witching Hour. Unfortunately, it can go horribly wrong during the Witching Hour, as they get tired and annoyed with each other, with their communication hurdles, and with the determination and differing wills of each other. For example, one wants to play penguin and the other wants to play bus. That is going to annoy each other, as opposed to two boys playing penguins, or two boys playing buses.
But I worry about what those words could mean if he uttered them in school, with no interpreter handy. How would his very real fear of being hit by a car be handled? Would it be interpreted as a threat?
Both boys end up crashing into the couch. Someone stubs a toe. Someone else gets annoyed about the two different games. I hug my boys, and they are off again, a bus in one direction, a penguin in another. They run into each other. It's an accident, but the results are explosive. I have to close my computer completely and get the boys engaged. We jump on the trampoline. We play a round of Feed the Kitty (a great game!) Joey gets onto his computer to play some games. Andy wants to watch some Sesame Street. The dust settles. Andy works on some of his art, darted between the kitchen art table and the living room where Sesame Street plays, constant motion.
Distract and engage. Diffuse the frustration, redirect attention, provide opportunities for success. It may not always work, but it is always worth trying.
"I am yellow! I am Bus 30! If I hit you, you will break!" Joey vrooms, turns the plastic ring he calls a steering wheel and zooms through the first floor after the penguin.
What Joey means is he is going to play chase. This is a favorite boy game,especially during the Witching Hour. Unfortunately, it can go horribly wrong during the Witching Hour, as they get tired and annoyed with each other, with their communication hurdles, and with the determination and differing wills of each other. For example, one wants to play penguin and the other wants to play bus. That is going to annoy each other, as opposed to two boys playing penguins, or two boys playing buses.
But I worry about what those words could mean if he uttered them in school, with no interpreter handy. How would his very real fear of being hit by a car be handled? Would it be interpreted as a threat?
Both boys end up crashing into the couch. Someone stubs a toe. Someone else gets annoyed about the two different games. I hug my boys, and they are off again, a bus in one direction, a penguin in another. They run into each other. It's an accident, but the results are explosive. I have to close my computer completely and get the boys engaged. We jump on the trampoline. We play a round of Feed the Kitty (a great game!) Joey gets onto his computer to play some games. Andy wants to watch some Sesame Street. The dust settles. Andy works on some of his art, darted between the kitchen art table and the living room where Sesame Street plays, constant motion.
Distract and engage. Diffuse the frustration, redirect attention, provide opportunities for success. It may not always work, but it is always worth trying.
Monday, February 16, 2009
Yummy Lunch
Joey had off school today for President's Day- and Andy didn't. So I got to hug and squish my Joey all to myself for a few extra hours! We didn't do anything super-special; it was pretty cold, and lots of stuff was closed for the holiday. We went out to cheer up Grandma, and played some video games, and took a ride. We took Grandma to a store where she bought chocolate and flashlights for the boys. She wore out pretty quick, so we dropped her off after we picked Andy up, and I took the boys to lunch.
Taking two small boys to lunch by yourself can be a challenge, especially if the restaurant of choice is a salad bar place. Fortunately, we are well-known at the place, so they were happy to seat us next to the bar and in the window, so everybody could get food without leaving small boys unattended.
And we proceeded to have the Perfect Lunch. Joey got his mac and cheese and green beans and sat down. Andy got his lettuce, dip, pickles, cheese, bacon, and butter, and sat down. I got my salad together, and we had a lovely lunch. Our lunches came, and the boys buckled right into their chicken strips. Food was actually consumed. We talked about Andy making a hat at school. We talked about it being President's Day. We talked about George Washington, and that he was born at the farm we frequent, and spent his youth across the river from our house. We talked about President Lincoln being the 16th president and being born in a log cabin (something Joey needs to know for SOL tests). We played tic-tac-toe on our placemats. We got ice cream for dessert, with sprinkles. The boys spent the time eating it practicing signs and Spanish (well, Andy practiced his Spanish).
They were so lovely and charming, the elderly couple sitting next to us actually came over and told us so.
How's that for a yummy lunch?
Taking two small boys to lunch by yourself can be a challenge, especially if the restaurant of choice is a salad bar place. Fortunately, we are well-known at the place, so they were happy to seat us next to the bar and in the window, so everybody could get food without leaving small boys unattended.
And we proceeded to have the Perfect Lunch. Joey got his mac and cheese and green beans and sat down. Andy got his lettuce, dip, pickles, cheese, bacon, and butter, and sat down. I got my salad together, and we had a lovely lunch. Our lunches came, and the boys buckled right into their chicken strips. Food was actually consumed. We talked about Andy making a hat at school. We talked about it being President's Day. We talked about George Washington, and that he was born at the farm we frequent, and spent his youth across the river from our house. We talked about President Lincoln being the 16th president and being born in a log cabin (something Joey needs to know for SOL tests). We played tic-tac-toe on our placemats. We got ice cream for dessert, with sprinkles. The boys spent the time eating it practicing signs and Spanish (well, Andy practiced his Spanish).
They were so lovely and charming, the elderly couple sitting next to us actually came over and told us so.
How's that for a yummy lunch?
Saturday, February 14, 2009
Midnight Meandering
Ah, the boys are asleep, I have finally finished my online class discussion boards (over 200 messages to answer! Yikes!), and here I am. Not asleep. I am an idiot.
I have checked the locks on all the doors. I've been doing that with more diligence, now that Joey comes down and plays on his computer in the middle of the night, or early in the morning, or times when we're asleep. Just what we would need is for him to get a wild hare and decide to go out and play. What will we do when he gets older and can work the locks? Mom has suggested I go talk to the police department about him now, before there is trouble, in case trouble begins. On my "to do" list for the week. There only needs to be a problem once for it to be a serious problem. Perhaps I ought to look into GPS, in case his wandering gets more serious. He knows where he is going when he runs, but we don't. Finding him in the middle of the street again would be Not Good. Especially at four in the morning.
With spring comes another bumpy patch for all of us. Traditionally, Joey gets wild hares this time of year, as the winter fades out and spring comes on. Maybe it is a change of light and weather. Maybe he is tired from being in school. Maybe all the odd days off- teacher work days, holidays, snow days- add up to confusion for him. Maybe he just gets a little crazy before making a leap forward in development (a leap we usually have in late spring). Maybe he leaps forward because whatever is going on now resolves. I've been so proud of him, with his spelling bee, and his wonderful job at his dance concert. I wonder if these things are more of a challenge this time of year, or if these activities help get him through the rough time. He was so happy yesterday, flapping his butterfly wings in his Bolivian folk dance. He was even in time to the music when he clapped and stomped, a big deal for Joey (who is often half a beat behind in such things.) My baby is growing up.
Andy has a bumpy patch about now, too- allergies. Andy and I took Grandma to the doctor's today. Andy and I needed our ears checked because on top of the lingering cough, we now have headcolds. Well, actually allergies, according to the doctor. My poor mom has inflamed lungs from coughing so long. It would be lovely if we could all just take some nice long naps and get all better. That includes you, my friends. All of us. Let's have a big Group Nap. Or maybe a Nap-In. We could protest the lack of sleep due to fighting with schools and government agencies for services the law says it is our right to have for our loved ones or for ourselves. A big Nap-In. Then we can all wake up and have the big Bake Sale.
I think I may have wandered off-topic. Sorry.
I have checked the locks on all the doors. I've been doing that with more diligence, now that Joey comes down and plays on his computer in the middle of the night, or early in the morning, or times when we're asleep. Just what we would need is for him to get a wild hare and decide to go out and play. What will we do when he gets older and can work the locks? Mom has suggested I go talk to the police department about him now, before there is trouble, in case trouble begins. On my "to do" list for the week. There only needs to be a problem once for it to be a serious problem. Perhaps I ought to look into GPS, in case his wandering gets more serious. He knows where he is going when he runs, but we don't. Finding him in the middle of the street again would be Not Good. Especially at four in the morning.
With spring comes another bumpy patch for all of us. Traditionally, Joey gets wild hares this time of year, as the winter fades out and spring comes on. Maybe it is a change of light and weather. Maybe he is tired from being in school. Maybe all the odd days off- teacher work days, holidays, snow days- add up to confusion for him. Maybe he just gets a little crazy before making a leap forward in development (a leap we usually have in late spring). Maybe he leaps forward because whatever is going on now resolves. I've been so proud of him, with his spelling bee, and his wonderful job at his dance concert. I wonder if these things are more of a challenge this time of year, or if these activities help get him through the rough time. He was so happy yesterday, flapping his butterfly wings in his Bolivian folk dance. He was even in time to the music when he clapped and stomped, a big deal for Joey (who is often half a beat behind in such things.) My baby is growing up.
Andy has a bumpy patch about now, too- allergies. Andy and I took Grandma to the doctor's today. Andy and I needed our ears checked because on top of the lingering cough, we now have headcolds. Well, actually allergies, according to the doctor. My poor mom has inflamed lungs from coughing so long. It would be lovely if we could all just take some nice long naps and get all better. That includes you, my friends. All of us. Let's have a big Group Nap. Or maybe a Nap-In. We could protest the lack of sleep due to fighting with schools and government agencies for services the law says it is our right to have for our loved ones or for ourselves. A big Nap-In. Then we can all wake up and have the big Bake Sale.
I think I may have wandered off-topic. Sorry.
Friday, February 13, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Current events
Wow, exciting life here. The weekend weather was so beautiful, we were having too much fun enjoying it to spend lots of time at the computer. The boys got to go to the park and play with lots of other kids, including some friends from school. they had such a good time that Andy was sad when we stopped a the park yesterday, and no one was there (they were all in school!) We have one more beautiful day coming before the cold returns. We're going to make the most of it.
The boys went to the dentist today. We've been not hurrying to take them, because we haven't had dental insurance, among other issues. It was definitely time, now that we have decent dental insurance. Good news- we've been brushing their teeth with those motorized toothbrushes- the only ones they will let us put in their mouths- and it has paid off. No cavities! I think they actually had a good time, but I'm not sure. I wasn't allowed to go with them. I did warn them about they guys when I made the appointments, so they were prepared. Also, I only use the dentist office I know to be the best in town- not just the great dentist, but great support and reception staff. If you're in this area, there is no other place to go.
The boys got balloon dogs as rewards. They of course promptly popped, causing some natural melty episodes. However, I think they left with a positive dentist experience.
Tomorrow I have our first pow-wow with Mrs. Huff about next year, and the issues with history and social studies this year. Mostly next year- making sure we are on the same page about what we want for Joey, the settings we are looking for, and talking about the teachers she has already interviewed. We want no real surprises at the IEP.
Thursday Joey has a school concert- a dance and music performance. I'll let you guys know how that goes. The camera better be working.
Full plates here. But I'll keep checking in when I have a breath.
The boys went to the dentist today. We've been not hurrying to take them, because we haven't had dental insurance, among other issues. It was definitely time, now that we have decent dental insurance. Good news- we've been brushing their teeth with those motorized toothbrushes- the only ones they will let us put in their mouths- and it has paid off. No cavities! I think they actually had a good time, but I'm not sure. I wasn't allowed to go with them. I did warn them about they guys when I made the appointments, so they were prepared. Also, I only use the dentist office I know to be the best in town- not just the great dentist, but great support and reception staff. If you're in this area, there is no other place to go.
The boys got balloon dogs as rewards. They of course promptly popped, causing some natural melty episodes. However, I think they left with a positive dentist experience.
Tomorrow I have our first pow-wow with Mrs. Huff about next year, and the issues with history and social studies this year. Mostly next year- making sure we are on the same page about what we want for Joey, the settings we are looking for, and talking about the teachers she has already interviewed. We want no real surprises at the IEP.
Thursday Joey has a school concert- a dance and music performance. I'll let you guys know how that goes. The camera better be working.
Full plates here. But I'll keep checking in when I have a breath.
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