I had my first series of parent/teacher conferences last week. And they were both wonderful reports.
My Galen (2nd grade) is doing wonderful in school with all of his specialist support. He is speaking up in class and working within groups of children and basically just blossoming. He is really reading and doing math and writting with little support. (He is austistic and this is the first real positive report I have had on him).
But then his coordinator is wonderful adn the school is small and amazing is I am just thrilled to have them there this year.
My Ewan (Kindergarden) got a wonderful review. His teacher said "I don't think there could be a kid more perfect then Ewan." And then she went on to describe all of his amazing charateristics. He is kind, a hard worker, very creative, and is so sweet and gentle with the little boy in class who is in a wheel chair, often making things for him. He listens well, loves to help......the list just went on and on. She concluded the interview by saying that he has a very bright future in store for him. (of Mommy knew all this about Ewan, but loves to hear it from others).
I just love the school they are in. It is a small school, only several hunderd students from PreK-6th. Most of the staff has been working together for over 20 years. It feels quiet and peaceful and everybody is so freindly and open and not just commited to thier work, but passionate about it. The school aslo has a large percentile of at risk kids (below poverty level, and special Ed) They have lots of experience in seeing the gifts in the individuals, and not just thier weekpoints.
I was unsure baout sending my kids back to school (instead of homeschooling) but now I know that all the difference is in the school adn the staff. Moving here is working out so well for the boys.
Ian has had some major changes this week. We determined that his stomach size could be from a food intollerance and that the most likely place to start was gluten. So we put him on a gluten free diet and he no longer looks pregnant. (he is 4) He looks like any other really cute 4 year old (only cuter). And he is fussing a lot less and getting into trouble a lot more.
It turns out that because he is feeling better he has more energy to spare for other pursuits, like jumping on my bed and climbing up closet shelves. This is a major change for us. A couple years ago my father dubbed Ian as "mostly harmless" because he wouldn't do any of that. Well, now he is acting like the other ultra curious and physically capable kids I have raised. His appatite has also increased enormously. Now we just got to teach him what he can eat vs what he can't and then also to potty train him. He hasn't been potty trained because he had watery bowel movements every few minutes before this diet change.
Ian has also been singing. All he has to do is hear some lyrics once and he will sing them over and over. He must have a pretty good ear. The other day in the car he was singing "O O OOO, O R G (got his letters confussed) O What's in the middle? The white stuff." He heard that song play once that day on Daddy's Weird Al CD.
Clay is matching Ian, trouble for trouble. He loves getting into the fridge, climbing everything. (born climber, climbed to the top of the picnic table this summer at 11 months) and enjoys playing with the cat. He is mimicing a few words, but doesn't often wait for mommy to get what he wants. Clay has been ovening every door and going through the garage to play outside by himself. Last week it was 25 degrees and he crawled through the house and outside (opening all 4 doors in between) and out to the playground in nothing but his PJ. We have started locking a few of the key doors and feel that we may have to add a couple of chain locks up high to keep him safe.
Clay reminds me alot of how Galen was. Galen didn't realise there were things he shouldn't (or even shouldn't be able to) do. Clay doent realise either, but at least Clay has learned how to charm himself out of every situation.
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