The 8th Planet

IEP (individualized education plan) meetings… I HATE them. I don’t hate the lovely teachers & specialists that care for my kids; I hate the process. I hate our school district’s access philosophy for kids with special needs. I hate that I have to FIGHT for something so simple as an education for my kids…and on a regular basis. (I hate there are so many non English speaking families that can’t fight the way I’ve needed to). I hate not knowing if I’m pushing my kids too hard or not enough. It’s physically & emotionally exhausting…

Over the last six years, I’ve had to fight ridiculously hard for Isaac to be kept with his Gen Ed peers with a modified curriculum in the classroom. He is engaged and excited to be there but I haven’t known if my functionally nonverbal child is retaining any information at a 4th grade level. Then, out of no where he started reciting the planets! In order! With descriptors (biggest, hottest, sideways)!

.

An engaged para at his side who can quickly modify class work, a dedicated speech therapist who preloaded curriculum appropriate vocabulary on his Talker, a Gen Ed teacher who is committed to engagement not test scores and a kid who is eager to learn with his friends…we did it!! Hallelujah!!

Sugar Momma

We had a fun little milestone in our house recently...understanding the value of money.  

Mila LOVES music and her down time usually includes listening to and/or singing along to music in her room.  She got a FROZEN karaoke machine sometime during quarantine and has been collecting CDs for Christmas and her birthday.  About two weeks ago, Mila decided she wanted to add a specific soundtrack to her collection.  In a moment of  parental "I wonder if she is ready for this?" introspection, I asked Mila if she wanted to BUY her own CD. She responded with curiosity and a conversation about working and dollars and buying ensued.  In the end, Mila made a chart of the goal she was working towards (the Frozen Broadway soundtrack), how much it would cost ($14) and the jobs she could do to gets 'dollars' (help with the recycling, fold the socks, unload the silverware, etc).  

I had NO idea how seriously she would take this! She would jump at the opportunity to help me and get her dollar. 

She did it!  Every day she counted her dollars and was able to quickly add how much one more dollar would add to her coffers (this is a HUGE math skill for her!)

And wouldn't you know it, the VERY DAY she got to hand over her $14 and buy her CD online, it arrived in the mail.  (How DID that happen??) ;) 

Parenting a teen in a way that fosters both foundational dependence & trust in a caregiver AND age appropriate independence is a bit of a tightrope walk.  I spend a lot of brain time attempting to discern am I parenting what she never was taught before or parenting for what she will need to know later?? I'll admit that finding a reasonable stride on that tightrope has been difficult.  But this little project--helping her set a goal, finding a practical way to meet it, letting her reap the rewards of her good efforts AND stand in confidence that she doesn't need to earn her place in the family, was a win for both of us. <3 

She already has two more dollars in her jar for her next special purchase. *wink*