1st Day of 3rd Grade

1st Day of 3rd Grade

My dearest Ashlynn, Your courage amazes me daily.  It inspires me and pushes me beyond any limit real or imagined.  Today was your first day of 3rd grade.  You have been waiting for this day since the last day of 2nd grade.  Actually, quite possibly since the first day of 2nd grade when you told me,“After 2nd grade you I will be in 3rd grade!” I emphatically responded, “We need

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This school year, teach your children to be kind.

This school year, teach your children to be kind.

This year as you talk to you children about their new teacher, new classroom, and new adventures, I beg you to talk to your kids about being kind.  I beg you to explain to your child that children with disabilities are just like them, but it might take a little longer to understand or get to know them.  If nothing else though, please just teach your children to be kind.  Maybe ask about something they did that was kind alongside your questions of who they played with or what they learned.

Executive functioning home intervention

Executive functioning home intervention

Executive functioning (EF) deficits are a common comorbidity with a variety of conditions including: ADHD, OCD, ID and others just to name a few.

Visuals are AMAZINGLY helpful for children with EF dysfunction.   The problem is, most teaching involves auditory input.  The teacher (or parent) talks, children listen, and learning takes place.  For kids like my daughter, who have a language processing impairment, the teacher (or parent)  talking is basically the equivalent to the teacher in the Peanuts comic series.  All the children hear are “wah wah, wah wah wah wah.”

Apraxia as a symptom to a bigger picture

Apraxia as a symptom to a bigger picture

The problem is SLP’s and parents are so focused on the speech and not looking at the big picture in early development.  There is this thinking that if we could just overcome the apraxia, everything will be OK.

Diagnosis, Disability, and Finding your Tribe

Diagnosis, Disability, and Finding your Tribe

However, we have our people now.  We have our tribe.  We have others who understand.  They understand that sometimes you are in such a state of deep grief you can do nothing else but cry and cannot face the world that day.