Letter To My Daughter

Monday, 23 December 2013

Dear Kayla,

I will be the first to admit I'm not a great mom. I know I have many faults and have made many mistakes in raising you. The incident over the necklace is just one example of those parenting mistakes.

When I picked you up from school the other week and your aide told you to show me what your friend/classmate gave you I was expecting it to be another one of those rubber band bracelets you've been coming home with.

I wasn't expecting to see the dainty, silver necklace with the "K" around your neck.

I admit to having almost two simultaneous thoughts. The first being absolutely touched that your friend gave you a gift like that. I had to hold back the tears.

Immediately following that thought was a feeling of dread in the pit of my stomach as I thought to myself that this gift was going to end up broken in no time.

I was surprised to even see you wearing that necklace. You don't like to wear anything on your arms, around your neck, or in your hair. So while I was touched by the gift she gave you I also felt like it was kind of wasted on you as it would end up sitting on your dresser, or more likely, broken.

On the way to therapy I kept pointing out your necklace and how nice it was of "I" to give it to you and how important it was to take care of it. I kept mentioning that you had to be careful with your necklace so it didn't break.

You were great about keeping it on the rest of the day. That night after I finished making dinner I went upstairs to get you and noticed all the lights were off. I found you in bed with your pajamas on. You said you were tired so I cuddled up beside you and started rubbing your back.

I don't know what made me think about your necklace, must have been intuition, but I reached up to your neck and asked you where you necklace was. You said, "It broke."

I admit I reacted a bit too strongly to the news of what I figured would happen had happened so soon after receiving the gift - that it didn't even last a full day.

I jumped out of your bed and said, (ok more like yelled), "What?! Kayla where is your necklace?!"

You told me it was on your dresser and there I found it split in the middle - no way for me to fix it.

I was so upset and didn't control my feelings well at all. I yelled at you about not being responsible and taking care of your things and look at what happens you end up breaking your stuff. Then I continued in my childish ways and stomped down the stairs so frustrated.

You came down for dinner and sat at the table where I was still fuming over the broken necklace and I didn't let it go. I continued to be upset about it and harp on you about breaking a necklace that someone gave you and how this was such a special gift.

Of course it was no surprise when you left the table and I heard you in the bathroom crying.

I sat at the table and cried too.

Cried because I was ashamed at the way I just reacted and cried at the way that I treated you and cried that I yelled at you and mostly cried because my actions caused you to cry.

I heard you in the bathroom crying and saying, "It broke itself. I didn't do it, it broke itself."

And there I went again, "Kayla it didn't just break by itself! You had to have done something to cause it to break the way it broke. You did something, you weren't careful!"

More tears. From both of us.

I finally went to you and in a more calm voice asked you if you were trying to take your shirt off when you changed to your pajamas; and when you pulled your shirt over your head did the necklace get caught and break? You said yes, but it's hard to know if that's what really happened.

I pulled you in to a hug and apologized to you. I told you I was sorry for yelling at you about the necklace. I told you I still loved you. I know it didn't make everything better, but I wanted you to know I was sorry and that I still loved you despite my less-than-desirable behavior. 

I don't even know why I was so upset over the necklace. I tried to find the words to explain it to you, but I don't think we got very far.

I think it was because this necklace meant more to me than it did to you. I think I've always put a lot of importance on material things ... attached memories to them and they became my memories. Material things became important to me. I had scrapbooks filled with things from my growing up years. Things that I kept because this person or that person gave it to me, or tickets to this movie or that movie because I went with so-and-so.

I was so touched that this girl gave you a present, I think maybe for Christmas. I don't know how many other girls she might have given a gift to as well, or if you were the only one, but either way, you were one that she did chose to give a gift to. You were included. She thought of you and wanted to give you something and I wanted that to mean something to you.

And you were happy about it- I could see it in your face when you showed it to me. But I wanted you to be like me. I wanted you to be responsible like I was when I was your age. I wanted you to take care of your things. I wanted you to just know how you were supposed to take care of the necklace. I wanted you to take pride in it.

I think my anger was anger at myself that I unfairly directed at you. Anger because of my own image of you doesn't always reflect the person who you are. Anger at myself because sometimes I blame your having Down syndrome on things that frustrate me. I had the fleeting thought that if you didn't have Ds you might have cared more about the necklace, might have been more careful when changing your clothes, might have just known how to be gentle with it. I know that's not fair and that is one of my faults. I never said I was perfect. I know I'm far from it.

I know there was no reason to be so upset over a $5 necklace from Claire's. The "K" charm on it was still intact; all I had to do was replace the chain. I did apologize to you, but I'm saying it again that I'm sorry I went overboard. I was just hoping the gift of this necklace would last longer than an afternoon.

I did go to Claire's and get a new chain. But by then I had traumatized you about the necklace because you refused to wear it. I convinced you it would be ok to wear it to school and that your friend would be happy to see you wearing the gift she gave you. You finally relented and I've been able to get you to wear it a few times now.

It looks so pretty on you.

I'm not the best mom, but I am trying to be better. Thank you for forgiving me for my faults.

Love, your Mom.

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You What? uKloo!

Friday, 6 December 2013

uKloo (pronounced You-Clue) is a fun, engaging, early reader treasure hunt game for kids ages 4+. It was created by Doreen Dotto who has 2 boys that were reluctant readers and tried to avoid doing reading homework. She wanted to create a fun way to get them engaged in reading with a bonus of being active while doing it!

So what exactly is uKloo and how do you play it? The game comes with 4 sets of cards (3 reading levels and a set of blank dry-erase cards). You set the cards up in various locations throughout the house according to what is on the card. Once they find one card it will tell them where to find the next card and so on. The last hiding spot reveals their surprise.

The surprise can be anything you want it to be. A dollar store toy, a certificate to get ice cream, a sticker, a card from mom or dad, a lollipop, etc. It doesn't have to be complicated at all!

Examples of each level of the reading cards from early readers to more detailed readers:
1) Look beside the milk
2) Find it in your helmet
3) Search on the bed under your dad's pillow

For early readers there is also a poster of all the words that are used on the card. If a child gets stuck on a word they can refer to the poster that has a picture with each word to help them figure it out. The poster is also sorted by verbs, preposition, helper words, and nouns. The words in each category are also listed alphabetically.

My kids love this game and frequently ask to play it. Sometimes I use it as an incentive when Kayla is a bit slow getting ready for school. I'll ask her if she wants to play uKloo when she gets home and that usually perks her up! She even tried telling her aide as school about a game she was going to play at home, but he had no idea what she was talking about.

They both enjoy running around to the next spot and seeing where that card is going to take them ... and wondering when they are going to find their surprise!

Here are 2 quick videos of each of them playing the game.

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A short clip of Kayla. I had a couple more video clips of her reading her cards and finding her surprise, but they've mysteriously disappeared from my phone ... coincidentally after Kayla was looking through the videos!

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uKloo has won 9 awards (3 from Dr Toy categories), is available in Canada, US, and International, and available as a free app.

uKloo2 - Riddle Edition Treasure Hunt Game for ages 7+ was recently released and that is on my to-get list for Lucas's birthday. While Lucas does have fun with the Early Reader game, the Riddle Edition will be more challenging for him and I'm sure he would enjoy figuring out the riddles to find the next clue.

Disclaimer: I received a uKloo game for free to review, but all opinions on the game are mine and my children's!

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3 on the 21st: A Blog Hop

Friday, 22 November 2013

This post is part of the monthly 3 on the 21st Down syndrome blog hop.

The blog hop is simple: Post 1 tip, 1 truth, and 1 picture about Down syndrome/disability.

1 Tip: Whenever the opportunity arises, like when you're with another family who has a child with Down syndrome, or reading a book about Ds, or participating in a Buddy Walk, simply point out to your child that they have Down syndrome. "You know your friend over there has Down syndrome? Just like you do." "See the boy in this book? He has Down syndrome, like you." "We're walking in the Buddy Walk because of you - because you have Down syndrome." That way your child will hear it in a straight-forward way, become used to the term Down syndrome and come to realize it's just a natural part of who they are.
Then one day you might have this conversation with your child, like I had with Kayla.

Me, "Kayla do you know what Down syndrome is?"
K, "My eyes."
Me, "What about your eyes?"
Kayla, "So beautiful."

1 Truth: Kids with Down syndrome can and do participate in extra-curricular school activities. Kayla was just notified that she she was accepted in to the drama club at school. I'm so excited for her because she had such a fun time this summer participating in Missoula Children's Theater production of Snow White.

1 Picture: She looks so grown up to me in this photo!

 

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Put Some Wiggle in That Ziggle

Saturday, 16 November 2013

Thanks to House Party's Chatterbox feature my kids received an early Christmas present.

The Radio Flyer Ziggle is the fun way to get the wiggles out and provides for outdoor (and even indoor!) fun activities. 

When I first pulled it out of the box I sighed thinking it was going to be cumbersome to put together. By the time Joe got off the couch to help me, I pretty much had it all done. It really was pretty easy to assemble! The seat is adjustable to grow with your child, but unless I missed something, the only way I could see to adjust it was to unscrew it and put it on the next setting. It would be nice if there was something you could click together to move the seat forward/backward instead of having to unscrew it ... but other than that ... no complaints!

The suggested age is 3-8, but since Kayla is a little on the smaller size for a 10 year old she is able to comfortably use this too. Her legs are a little bit long for it, but for now she can still fit without her knees hitting the handlebars.

It doesn't take much for kids to figure out how to use it - you just move the handlebars back and forth and just wiggle!

It glides smoothly and easily and when you can gain some speed you can drift into 360 degree spins.

Joe and I both commented, as we were watching Kayla and Lucas try this out, that we wished there was one for bigger 'kids' because we wanted to try it out too!

Lucas' review, "That was amazing!" Kayla thought it was pretty easy to use and she liked it too.

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The Day After

Friday, 1 November 2013

Another October has come and gone. Another 31 for 21 finished.

Thanks to everyone for participating in the annual blogging challenge for Down Syndrome Awareness Month.

I know some people express that it gets harder every year to blog every single day in the month of October; especially about Down syndrome specifically. I know it feels like you've come to a point where you've said (blogged) all there is to say about Down syndrome.

But please don't be discouraged. From the beginning (Tricia) said that every single day didn't have to be a post that was Down-syndrome related; and that still stands today. The point of the challenge is just that - a challenge to yourself to blog every day. If you miss a few days - it's ok! - the blog police are not going to come get you!

And even if you feel like you've said all there is to say - just remember, you never know who all is reading  your blog. Every day there is a possibility of a new family getting a Down syndrome diagnosis and they might stumble across your blog. You never know who you are reaching. You never know who might come away from your blog that day with a better understanding of life with a child with Down syndrome.

Maybe it's time to change the name to National Down Syndrome Awareness and Acceptance Month. I know there is some consensus in the Down syndrome community that awareness has been raised and we don't need to raise anymore awareness; that people are aware and what we need to be advocating for is acceptance.

I agree about acceptance, but I'm not so sure the intentions behind awareness have been fully met. Yes people are aware of Down syndrome. They know of Down syndrome, but there are still stereotypes. There are still misconceptions. There are still negative and false assumptions about people with Down syndrome.

For the new parent receiving the diagnosis of Down syndrome are they really aware of what that means today? Or do they still have an outdated image in their mind of what Down syndrome was years ago?

Has the right kind of awareness been raised outside of the community? The kind of awareness that paints a more accurate picture of the capabilities of people with Down syndrome? Or are people still not aware about Down syndrome until they have a reason to be - until they have a loved one with Down syndrome in their lives.

I don't claim to have all the answers, but I don't think we can totally stop the campaign to raise awareness either. I think we need to expand that campaign from awareness to include acceptance though. Hmm... should I start a change.org petition to get "Acceptance" added on to that monthly designation?

Since today is also the day after Halloween here are a few Halloween pictures of The Supergirl, The Pirate, The (not-so-bandwagon) Red Sox fan, and The Civilian!

 

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Politely Cutting the Line

Wednesday, 30 October 2013

About a month and a half after school started we had a special-review IEP meeting. We discussed how the accommodations and modifications were working out, went over her progress thus far, and in general see if there was anything else the school team could be doing to help make sure Kayla would have a successful year.

During this meeting her teacher told us how all the kids really like Kayla and she gets along with everyone.

She said the kids all like Kayla so much, that when she goes up to sharpen her pencil she cuts in line and they let her. They don't say anything to her, but she knows if another classmate cut in line the students wouldn't let it happen.

Her teacher has been making sure it doesn't happen either and reminds Kayla she has to go to the end of the line.

I talked with Kayla about this when I got home.

Me, "Kayla when you go sharpen your pencil in class are the other kids sometimes in line already?"
Kayla, "Yes."
Me, "And you just go to the front of the line?"
Kayla, "Yes, I sharpen my pencil."
Me, "But Kayla you're not supposed to cut in front of the line. You need to wait at the end of the line."
Kayla, "I say excuse me!"

Well there you go. Maybe the other kids aren't being polite when they cut in line.


 

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21 Life Experiences

Monday, 28 October 2013

21 life experiences that Kayla has had. Some of them are big life experiences (becoming a sister! flying to another country!) and some of them are little things (going sledding after a blizzard!) but they all add up to enjoying life, living life, and experiencing life.

1. Putting her feet in the ocean for the first time.
2. Flying to Denmark. Twice.
3. Taking a ferry to Sweden.
4. Enjoying the aftermath of a blizzard.
5. Going to an NFL game.
6. Having fun at the Boston Children's Museum.
7. Hiking a mountain.
8. Throwing out the first pitch at a Charleston RiverDogs game.
9. Going to Disney. And Sea World. And Sesame Place.
10. States Kayla's been to, or through: NM, AZ, TX, OK, WI, MO, IL, IN, OH, WV, VA, MD, DE, NJ, NY, PA, CT, MA, NC, SC, GA, FL.
11. Roller skating and ice skating.
12. Sledding at White Sands National Park.
13. Visiting a pumpkin patch and jumping in to a pile of hay.
14. Spending a weekend at Victory Junction camp.
15. Mastering the monkey bars.
16. Climbing a tree.
17. Participating in a dance recital.
18. Tea Party/Slumber party birthday.
19. Becoming a big sister. 
20. Giving yourself an oatmeal facial.
21. First job experience as a hostess at a restaurant.

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Royal Fairytale Ball

Sunday, 27 October 2013

We have taken the kids to a few plays at Creative Spark Center For the Arts and they have really enjoyed them. They are close to the action and the cast involves the crowd in parts of the play.

I saw they were having a Royal Fairytale Ball and the whole family was encouraged to dress up. I knew this was something my kids would enjoy so I signed us up. I only had to buy one item to complete our Royal Family transformation.

I was a queen. I wore the red bridesmaid dress from my sister's wedding and pinned my kids' dress up king/queen robe to my dress and wore the red headband crown from Kayla's outfit.

Kayla was a princess in a red and gold gown that my mom got her last year for Christmas. My dress matched hers almost perfectly. She wore the tiara that she wore when she was a flower girl in the above-mentioned wedding.

Lucas wore the knight cape with his shield and sword that he got for his birthday last year. He thought it was pretty cool that he was the only knight. (considering there were only 2 other boys, one a toddler and one a little older, odds were in his favor!)

Joe could have went as a king, but he opted for the jester hat that I picked up for him at the store. Every royal family needs a jester.

Joe wasn't alone in his jester-ness!

Twirling and dancing (notice she couldn't keep her tiara on as referenced in my sensory post; nor the necklace she tried on at home or the one they gave her there.)

Protecting the jester and chasing the Giant from Jack and the Beanstalk

Having her palm read.

Also, this family won the best dressed royal family award. One of my kids will be attending a free summer class next year!

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Boogie Board

Friday, 25 October 2013

I don't know what it is about this Boogie Board, (sorry, link fixed!) but Kayla loves it.

It's not electronic, it's not battery-operated (there is a sealed watch battery that never needs replacing), there are no apps for it, no cartridges for it, no on-off switch.

It's simply a writing tablet with a stylus. Kayla loves to write, or more accurately doodle. I hate to say scribble, but I've mentioned before how much she struggles with handwriting. She loves having a pen and paper but she won't (usually) spontaneously write decipherable words, much less even letters, on her own.

She likes to make lots and lots of circles all over her paper. Which is why I got her a Spirograph Design Set so she could make cool designs with all those circles (but of course she doesn't use this as much as I thought she would).

But this Boogie Board? Loves it! Maybe it's how easily the stylus glides across the board. Maybe it's the fact that with the press of the little button at the top of the frame it instantly erases everything and you have a clean slate. I don't know what it is, but she's using it to do more writing than she did previously. Oh she still does a lot of doodling with it, but she independently writes more words with it than she does with traditional pen and paper. I've caught her several times copying down the title of books, or words from pages of the book. She'll ask me how to spell things and write them down. We've practiced math on it. She likes to have it in the car when I pick her up from school to go to vision therapy.

This is not a paid ad, or review. I saw it in some magazine (can't remember which one) and suggested it to my sister to get for Kayla's birthday. Lucas likes it so much that he might be getting one for Christmas.

Maybe this writing tablet/stylus tool might be useful to someone else out there who has a child who struggles with fine motor skills and writing. Maybe they might find the stylus easy to use as it glides across the board. Or you can use your finger too!
It also comes with a magnet so it could be hung up in a locker too.

I didn't expect Kayla to like it as much as she does; I was hopeful, but not expectant ... but it's probably her most-used gift ever!

 

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Impressed With Her Flexibility

Thursday, 24 October 2013

Kids with Down syndrome can be extra-flexible. I think this is a result of having low muscle tone/loose ligaments.

When Kayla was a baby/toddler people would often comment on her flexibility. I'm talking about being able to raise your legs straight up in the air almost touching your ears.

Lucas is impressed with Kayla's skills and has commented on this several times over the past few months. If he's trying to get by her in the van she swings her legs around and up for him to go across instead of bending her knees and bringing them to her chest.

A few months ago he was trying to find the words to explain this to me and he came up with: "Disability people can do something that not disability people can do! Watch Kayla, see how far her legs go up? Wow! Mine can't do that!"

(Before anyone says anything, yes, I realize that was not People First Language; however, he's 5 years old. He was trying to figure out the words to use to explain what he was thinking. The PFL will come with time. I modeled it for him by saying, "I don't think it's necessarily that people with disabilities can do that, I think it's more likely that people with Down syn can do that because they can be more flexible.)

I thought it was cool that he thought it was cool that she could do something that he couldn't, because she has Down syndrome.

My kids humored me and re-enacted Lucas trying to get by Kayla and Kayla raising her legs, so you can see that flexibility in action.

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This doesn't have anything to do with being flexible, or having Down syndrome, but Lucas noticed something else Kayla can do that he can't (yet!). She can pick him up and carry him, but because she's still taller than him, he's not able to lift her up. He thinks that's cool too. "I can run faster than Kayla and Kayla is stronger than me!"

And since Kayla had those Shoulder Buddies I mentioned in the previous post about sensory issues, I did a quick video of what she likes about them. 

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School Pictures

Wednesday, 23 October 2013

I'm pretty pleased with how their school pictures came out this year.

My Kindergartener ...

 My 4th grader ...

 

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Sensory Processing or Just Her Thing?

Tuesday, 22 October 2013

Most of us have some sensory issues in some capacity. Whether it's a certain something we don't like to touch, or a certain texture of food or drink we don't like to taste. For instance Kayla likes apples and applesauce but she doesn't care for apple pie/apple crisp (or any pie for that matter). I don't think she likes the soft texture of the apples when they've been baked.

A lot of kids with a disability are sometimes also diagnosed with a sensory processing disorder.

Kayla's never been diagnosed with this and we've never had any real concern about it, but sometimes I wonder if she does have something sensory going on that maybe impacts her more than we realize. Or not. Maybe these things are just little quirks like we all have.

She does not like having her hair brushed. Sometimes it's because of little snarls or tangles, but I condition her hair and I spray it with de-tangle spray. There are times she acts like it's the most painful thing in the world to have her hair brushed.

She also will not keep anything in her hair. When she was younger I could put barrettes in (not that they'd stay in very well because of her fine hair, but I could still put them in) and put her hair in ponytails. Not anymore. No ponytails, braids, barrettes, or hairbands. Some mornings she'll tell me "yes" that I can do something with her hair, but she usually doesn't come home with her hair the same way.

Last year I bought her a few of those shirts that have the necklaces attached. She would come home with the necklaces in her backpack. She's doing somewhat better this year of leaving the necklaces alone.

Belts on her dresses? She constantly unties them and then fiddles around with the belts to the point of distraction until those, too, come off.

She won't keep on any other type of necklace, rings, bracelets or watches. She seems to like jewelery ... she'll get excited about something, pick something out of a treasure box, but she simply won't keep it on. She got a watch for Christmas last year and several times would ask for it on but less than an hour later she's asking for it to be taken off.

She has come home from school with 3 of these rubber band bracelets and 1 ring. She excitedly shows me that so-and-so gave her this one and so-and-so gave her that one. She'll wear the bracelets; briefly. Back in her backpack they go. I've tried encouraging her to wear the bracelets by saying that's what the other girls in her class are wearing (as if I was ever the fashion-conscious girl growing up - not!), and telling her how nice it was that so-and-so gave her a bracelet and she should wear it to show her she's wearing it. Some mornings she'll head off to school with it on, but it's in her backpack by the time she comes home. In other words, she doesn't like to accessorize!

She loves things like paintbrushes, leaves ... anything feathery. She likes just holding them in one hand and brushing it across the palm of her other hand. She likes pretending many things are paintbrushes and that she is painting.

Sometimes she'll get a hold of a pencil and just walk around all afternoon with it. And then there is the thing that she does with the erasers on the pencils that drive me crazy.

She absolutely loves these Shoulder Buddies. Or more specifically the hair. She'll brush their hair over and over and over on the palm of her hand. Or brush the air with them. Or shake them out and then mold the hair over and over and over again.

She also picks at her nails, and the skin around her nails. Her fingers look bad, but I can't get her to stop something she doesn't seem to be aware of doing.

What kind of sensory quirks or habits do your kids have?


 

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Sometimes You Meet Someone

Thursday, 17 October 2013

In the summer of 2012 Kayla was invited to participate in the Charleston RiverDogs' HOPE Week.

The RiverDogs is the local minor league baseball team - a Class A Affiliate of the NY Yankees. HOPE Week (Helping Others Persevere & Excel) is a Yankee organization week-long community program that all of their affiliates participate in.

Being a Boston Red Sox fan I had to totally look past the whole Yankee-connection in letting Kayla participate!

She was the guest of honor at the Lowcountry Children's Museum where several players came to hang out for a few hours.

During her time at the museum Kayla connected with (now former) pitcher Dan Mahoney. When she was done with an activity she wanted to make sure he was following her to the next exhibit! They spent a fair amount of time together at the museum and he was a good sport at going along with what she wanted to do.

Getting pitching tips from Dan before she threw out the first pitch for the game that night.

A couple of months later we were at another game for Military Night and the kids both got to throw out a 'first pitch' ball. During the game Kayla kept looking for Dan and saying, "That my friend! He's my buddy!" After the game he came out of the locker room to meet with us for several minutes.

Before long the season ended and Dan headed home for the off-season; and to prepare for his wedding a few months later. He kept in touch with us via Facebook and I was floored when I received a message from him and his soon-to-be-wife letting me know of their plans.

In lieu of giving out wedding favors for their guests they were going to be making a donation to an organization and asked for our input on organizations that we support. I can't even tell you how touched I was by that gesture.

They used this picture of Kayla and Dan (I have to admit I cringed, cringed, when the RiverDogs gave Kayla this HOPE Week shirt at the game. Cringed that I was putting clothing on my daughter with a Yankee logo! Ha!)

They had this letter explaining their reasons for not having wedding favors and what they were doing instead. (Ultimately the donation ended up going to Research Down Syndrome when Joe ran in the Disney Half Marathon).

Sometimes you meet someone ...and you don't know how you'll make an impact on them, or how they will make an impact on you.

Thank you Dan and Laura!


 

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The Sibling Age Gap

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

When Joe and I started talking about when to try for a second child we envisioned having them relatively close in age. While the age gap between them isn't that large (4 years 7 months to be exact), there are times I wish they were closer in age; like now that Lucas has started school.

I thought it would be nice for them to grow up going to school together, but that's likely not to happen beyond elementary school.

Because Lucas was born in February he didn't start school until this year; because Kayla repeated Kindergarten she is in 4th grade this year, otherwise she would be in 5th and this would be their only year in the same school.

I know that students with disabilities can stay in school until they are 21, or maybe 23 in some states, but I don't know exactly how that looks and I know each state does things differently.

Does that mean when they are 18 and a senior they walk across the stage w/the classmates they've been with for 4 years and then return back to their high school to do it all again with the next group of seniors? And then do it again after that? Or do they just walk across the stage the one time with their classmates but keep going back to school for the next 3 years? To do what? Take all the same classes? Go to another separate part of the school to work on life skills? Take 3 more years for a job-type class? I have no idea and I haven't looked too much in to it since things could be different by the time Kayla is in high school.

But right now I don't want that for her. I don't know what it will be like when she's in high school, but I don't want her to go through the motions of walking with her class at age 18 and then just continue to go back to the school for the next 3 years. I don't know what all the answers are though.

IF she does do something like that, then I guess it would be possible for she and Lucas to be at the same high school at the same time.


But as of right now they'll only have one more year of being at the same school together and riding the same bus together. (Unless we hold her back to give her another year in elementary school before transferring to middle school - but I'm not sure I want to do that either given that she's already repeated a grade and would then be 2 years older than her classmates).


When she starts middle school he'll only be in 2nd grade. And when she's finishing high school he'll be finishing middle school.

I don't know why this feels so important to me, but it does make me somewhat sad. I wish that she would have her brother with her through the school years. Just to have that familiar face and someone on her side. And there's probably a part of me that was hoping he would be there to 'watch over her' - keep an eye out for her.


Overall I just wish all this school stuff and decisions and placements and transitions didn't have to be so hard.

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Girl Scout Fun

Tuesday, 15 October 2013

I recently signed Kayla up for Girl Scouts (as if we don't have enough going on!) but a friend of mine convinced me to give it a try. Her 2 daughters are in this troop and Kayla knows them too.

Another opportunity for Kayla to get out, be social, and make new friends.

Last weekend we had our first event/outing with the troop (pumpkin patch) and Kayla had a great time. Looking forward to next month's trip to go ice skating!

 

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