Hey everyone! Can you believe it’s already the end of July!? I feel like this has been the fastest, yet slowest year all rolled into one.
SO, what’s new? How have y’all been?
We have been surviving the days over here.
AJ went through a rough patch of some tough emotions. For a few weeks, we couldn’t have screens on. If we did have them on, they were on low. It’s always hard for me to balance the kids on days like that.
Lucina would want to play, be loud, watch cartoons, ya know, kid stuff, while AJ would want complete darkness and silence. I have gotten surprisingly good at teaching Lucina to give AJ some space on tough days though.
The sweet soul that she is will say “Shh, AJ night night” and close the door to my room.
If you don’t follow our social media pages, I always bring up how AJ pretty much claims my room during the day. It is where he lays down, plays, even eats if he sneaks food behind my back. His room is only for nighttime apparently lol.
I would say the first half of the month was like that. Once AJ was becoming a little too overwhelmed, even on calm days, I decided to cut the personal screen times. For a good while, the kids were tablet free. I was trying to manage some changes one week and honestly, I just needed a break. So that week I let the kids have their tablets for way too long.
You can say that backfired on me haha.
They do use their tablets now, but after a certain point of the day. I tried going cold turkey like we did in the past, but it was not working out. It is so crazy how screens are addicting to many of us.
Lucina
Oh sweet and sassy Lucina! While AJ was having a tough month navigating some emotions, Lucina was prospering and being a little more spunky than usual. I really don’t hold her sass or spunk against her because if I am being honest, our schedule focuses on AJ a lot. It’s her way of announcing “hey guys! I’m here!”
Some exciting development news is that she understands the concept of “first, then!” I was in shock! A good shock. That shock also came with a little sting because AJ still struggles with that concept.
Many times, I feel like I fail her. I feel like maybe I don’t give her credit and expect skills of her that I should. It’s not intentional by any means. It’s more of me being unaware of a typically developing child’s growth.
Lucina is my second baby, but my first in many ways. I had no clue kids at two understood first, then. I thought that came at like four. You see, AJ is developmentally behind in almost every aspect. Things he does do or reach, are always delayed. I guess I am so used to that, that I subconsciously expect certain milestones to happen later than the correct time frame.
I think the one thing that kind of helps me, is that I speak to AJ age appropriate. Does he understand first, then? No, not really, but I still speak to him as if he does. So naturally I speak to Lucina the same way.
One day she was upset because she wanted an ice cream. I told her “first lunch, then pop.” Guys, she instantly stopped crying, repeated after me, and then finished her lunch to earn her ice cream. I was SHOOK or is it Shooketh? I’m awful at keeping up with the times lol.
That day it hit me. This little two-year-old deserves to be spoken to and expected to be given the benefit of the doubt when it comes to her intellectual developments. I was so proud of her that day for showing me that I need to give her rope to go off and grow.
Full disclosure: I first, then almost every scenario now haha.
She has been feisty and with that comes some stubbornness. I don’t know where we would be if first, then wasn’t being used. It is my saving card every time. It pretty much shows me that she just needs reassurance on what is happening.
Speech & School Evaluations
Lucina is about to age out of early intervention for our state. If I am correct, I want to say it is age three for every state. Anyway, when that happens, children who receive early intervention typically get transferred to the public-school system.
I have learned the hard way that just because your child receives early intervention from the state, does not mean they will meet the requirements to receive services in the school. Example: I fought for a few years to get AJ occupational therapy in school.
Let’s talk about her speech. I can’t remember if I mentioned it in a blog, but Lucina is now on track developmentally for her expressive and receptive language. So why does she still get therapy? Well, she has a Phonological Disorder. In short, she has a tough time properly pronouncing the words and mixing up the phonic aspect of them. It’s nothing I am worried about. I am sure as she grows, she will learn to slow down when getting her words out.
What does this mean for speech after early intervention? Nothing for us. We are fortunate enough to have private insurance to keep Lucina in speech if the school district decides she is not delayed enough to receive speech services in a school setting.
She did so good on her evaluation and nailed every task asked of her. I know for a fact she won’t qualify for PreK 3. AJ qualified and started on his third birthday because he was really delayed. I rather those spots go to children like AJ who need the extra time.
If Lucina does qualify for speech via the school, a school therapist will be going to her morning school to provide services before her morning class starts. I had the option of taking her to AJ’s school, but opted for the therapist to go to her.
School for AJ
I am sure based on what I mentioned above, you can guess that Lucina will be returning to in person morning school. Her morning school is a private school that can control exactly how they run and function versus a public school. I am okay with sending her since her class is small and it’s only a couple hours a day.
AJ’s school on the other hand, is large and follows the district wide policies. AJ is in a contained special education class, so in general, his class size is smaller than the typical 20-30 student class sizes. I want to say his class was at 14 students, including him last year.
The class size didn’t deter me from sending him, it was one policy that I didn’t feel comfortable with. I do know every school is trying their best with these hard times, so I don’t feel attacked by any means. The one thing that made me pick virtual for AJ was the limited communication.
If someone in his class were to get the virus, we would not be notified from the school. The department of health would be the ones to notify us. Nothing against DPH but they are kind of slow in that department.
AJ receives services with immunocompromised children, and Lucina goes to school as well. Even if it is just a delay for three days, too many people would be exposed just from AJ. I do get HIPAA. My thing is I don’t want the persons identity. I just want a general note that says a possible exposure occurred and to please keep an eye on “x.” That would at least allow me to cancel his outside services for the fourteen days.
Anyway, that is why we picked virtual. I don’t care for being left in the dark until DPH contacts me, assuming they do.
Virtual Learning
So how is virtual learning going to look? Well for AJ, his teacher is not going to follow the school’s general protocol. AJ is a special education student with an IEP (Individualized Education Plan). He receives accommodations and waivers for testing. The plan is to create him a Distant Learning Plan that I can work on at home with him. I have to have a meeting next week to create that plan, but I already told his teacher that I want his IEP goals to be transferred to his DLP. The plan (in my head) is I will adjust his curriculum at home with manipulatives and his communication device.
If there is one thing about me, it’s that I don’t allow AJ to be “warehoused” in school. Some schools have reputations where they warehouse their sped students; basically, not teaching them or helping them learn. Not my son. I made/make it clear he is to be given an education, no matter if he has waivers.
Life in August
Well, that was our little July recap. So, what’s up with August? Getting back into school!
August will be the month of adjustment. We have our calendar filled with therapy, morning school, and windows for virtual learning. It is going to be an interesting month to see how well we handle this new schedule. I’m excited that the kids will have a sense of structure again.
In the meantime, August is starting off with a tropical storm/hurricane for us. I’m crossing my fingers it moves east and we just get a little rain. I could not imagine starting virtual learning with no power because of a storm.
If you aren’t already, feel free to follow our social media pages. I post daily on there compared to our blog.
I hope everyone has a great and fresh start in the month of August!
❤ Until next blog
RAISING OPPOSITES 