First, a follow up on my uncle's health...
He's home! My mom called to speak to my Aunt Rene and Uncle Mel picked up the phone. My mom said she just about fell off her chair. Uncle Mel is the Comeback Kid - he has completely overcome the odds and returned to health in a way that nobody predicted. So - happy Valentine's Day to Rene and Mel....and many more to come! I am certain that this is a special day for you both, knowing that it nearly didn't come to pass together.
I had to reschedule my tea party for church in order to visit Mel, and I will do that soon.
Today is also my parents' 41st wedding anniversary - happy anniversary, Mum and Dad! Thank you for giving me a model to follow, as you've made it through easy times and hard times and never faltered in your love for one another. Every child should be so lucky.
And me? We had a nice day as a family - a really nice day. We opened with waffles ala Mama for breakfast, and Ryan and I laughed to discover we'd purchased each other the same gift (a particular box of chocolates). Ryan was ready for some down time after his busy day-and-back trip to Portland, so Tessa and I went to church (which was lovely as always). shopped at the farmer's market (note: eating seasonally has me beginning to crave spring - there is only so much I can do with squash and I feel like I'm turning into a squash/potato...) and came back. We packed up a simple picnic, loaded up and headed to Lowman Beach Park for a lovely time in the sunshine - hurrah! and just soaked up the fresh air. Then we went for the loop walk through the park, with Shep sniffing every dog he could reach from his leash, and all of us pausing for Tessa to play on the beach and on the monkey bars.
Now, we're home, and Tessa is creating a treasure hunt, Ryan is (unfortunately) fighting a headache, and I've got dinner prepped. I had some extra milk and got the idea to make my Grandpa Goddard's recipe for rice pudding, which is simmering as I type. There was a sale on lobster tails at Thriftway, and Tessa and Ryan's eyes popped when I told them we'd dine on lobster! (For three of us, it was $20. Given that Ryan and I elected to not have a date for Valentine's, it's economical but luxurious.)
If every day were this simple, and this beautiful, for every person, the world would be a different place, I think.
Here's wishing you and yours a day filled with love, peace, and contentment.
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You might be parenting a twice exceptional child... very bright with learning disablilities. You may consider doing a Structures of Intellect (SOI) assessment to uncover learning style strengths and limitations. I also suggest a hearing processing evaluation (not the same as a hearing acuity assessment) and a visual processing evaluation (again, not done my the typical optometrist - you want to see a expert of developmental visual processing skills.)
Then, you will need to learn more about her particular strengths and weaknesses. I recommend: The Mislabeled Child by Dr's Eide. It's not anti-label, it's about getting the correct "label" so that intervention is specific to the child's need(s). The book lists a whole host of interventions and is fully referenced. Another good reference is works by Dr. Mel Levine (The myth of laziness, A mind at a time).
I know of several families who have gone down, or are going through, exactly what you're going through. You are not alone and something can be done. Some bright children with learning difficulties have enough awareness into the poor outcome (or lack) of their work that their behaviours changes: "I'd rather be bad than 'stupid'." It can look like avoidance, laziness, and a lack of discipline. Don't give into these labels so soon. You know your daughter. She is bright and sensitive. If she is struggling, then she can sense it. Without the ability to change her situation and struggles, she may behave "badly" or even show signs of poor self esteem, avoidance, even a wish to never have been born.
I know this from experience and have been supported by parents, educators and psychologists. Dig into her, then the resources.
Good luck. Stay on her side. Don't give up.
Corina
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