[I'm sure glad we live in a low crime neighborhood because Fedex...]

That's nuts! I guess they just assume there can't possibly be anyone home during the day, so they don't bother ringing the bell :confused:! I know UPS gives an estimated delivery date, so I make sure to keep my eye out for a package on that day.

 

Incidentally, I always seem to have the opposite problem. I am always ordering something that I absolutely need that day, can't wait, and of course I can't be home every second on that particular day. So what happens? FedEx or UPS arrives in the 30 min. window that I'm away from home, and leaves a note, instead of the package!! One time it was a $25 silver ring, and I had given specific instructions to the shipper not to check the "signature required" box because I knew I wouldn't be home. Since it came from a jewelry store, though, the driver took it upon himself to decide not to leave it at the door. It was a gift, I needed it that day, so we ended up searching through the UPS warehouse after 9pm when the truck was back :glare:.

 

So most of the time, I prefer to have them leave items at the door and just watch the tracking very closely so I know it's there, than to have my package not arrive when it was expected.

 

Still, I would complain to FedEx about the driver not ringing the doorbell, and make sure from now on when you don't want an expensive package left outside, to tell the shipper to request a signature.

 

Glad it worked out OK!

[Piercing baby's ears]

I used to see babies with pierced ears and think it was awful to put a baby through that. Then I had my own kids and, after seeing their stages of development, decided to pierce my dd's ears as infants (3 mos. and 7 mos. respectively).

 

I had mine pierced at age 8, and it was quite traumatic. They did one ear at a time, and after enduring the pain of the first one, I didn't want to allow them to do the second. It was awful. I didn't want my daughter to go through this when she was old enough to remember.

 

I realized that babies need a lot of shots, they cry for a few minutes, and they forget about it, so I considered ear piercing to be the same type of experience. I also saw that toddlers are very fidgety, and if I didn't have them pierced as infants, I would lose that window until they were old enough to be trusted to sit perfectly still and not pick at their earrings, which is getting into the age when I had mine done.

 

So, in my mind, the choices were to get it done as infants when any pain or trauma would be forgotten and she would be used to having earrings and therefore less likely to fiddle with them, pull them out, etc. Otherwise wait until age 8 or 10, when any trauma would be remembered, or wait until even older (13+) when the pain would be less of an issue, but it just seems too old.

 

All that said, there are plenty of families who see ear piercing as a rite of passage, something done at age 10, or 13, or 16 or whenever. If you don't feel piercing your infant's ears is the right thing to do, don't do it. Your dh is way out of his league here, and has no right to push you to do this. What does he know about earrings, anyway? BTW, the ears have to be cleaned 3 times a day with cotton balls soaked in cleaning solutions over a period of 8 weeks, making sure to get both the front and back and rotating the earrings slightly. If he's willing to handle the ear care, 3x/day for 2 months, he may have a leg to stand on. Otherwise, let mom decide these things for her dds!

[Testing: Neuropsych or SLP?]

Asmaa, are you still following this thread? I'm sorry that we've taken it in such a different direction.

 

As I said, a neurodevelopmentalist and a neuropsych aren't the same things, and the neurodevelopmentalist approach is pretty controversial. I've just seen you use the terms interchangeably and wanted to be sure that you knew what you were getting into. :001_smile:

 

Thanks so much for helping me out. I have really appreciated your feedback. Yes, I do believe this NP is an NP working from a neurodevelopmentalist approach.

 

Here are her credentials:

 

Neuropsychophysiologist, Psychoeducational and Neurodevelopmental Consultant, Certified in Neurofeedback Training, Trained in the use of neurodevelopmental intervention, Trained in dyslexia testing and teaching, Certified with the Ontario Association of Consultants, Counsellors, Psychometrists and Psychotherapists (OACCPP), experience as a teacher, principal and school psychologist.

 

In any case, I think I have decided to just stick with the SLP for the time being. If $$ and time were no options, I would probably want to exhaust all avenues and do both testing. However, I only have 2 1/2 more years to prepare her for high school-level work, we have a long way to go, and I can't afford to spend time and money on unconventional therapies that may or may not get us anywhere.

 

Any opinions on this decision would be appreciated!

[PSA-Do not ask people if they are pregnant if you aren't sure!]

I concluded it must be an American thing...

 

I definitely agree with Nadia. We Americans are very reserved about a lot of things that are just not a big deal in other cultures. We don't typically discuss money, weight or personal appearance in general with anyone, and religion and politics are often off-limits as well. These are all fair-game topics in most Mediterranean cultures, where the definition of "private" or "personal" are fuzzy to non-existent.

 

I would absolutely never ask someone if they were pregnant, unless it was a very close friend or relative who would be more offended if I didn't "notice"! Either she's fat or pregnant, and neither is any of my business. My foreign in-laws, however, thought nothing of stating matter-of-factly that I needed to start working out as soon as the baby got old enough that I could manage it. I know that, but I don't want anyone telling me, you know? Still, I was expecting it from them, since discussing people's weight is typical in their family (a family of skinny people, BTW, but I'm not bitter :tongue_smilie:.

 

When I was pregnant, an acquaintance asked me, at least discreetly, and I answered in the affirmative, but I wasn't really telling people yet. I wanted to keep this special secret private for a little longer, and it was a bit of an invasion of my privacy.

 

Recently, I was talking to another acquaintance whom I hadn't seen in a year or two, and I mentioned something about the baby, and she interrupted to say, "Oh, yes, I should have known by the way you look", meaning she thought I was still pregnant. I just continued with my story as if I didn't really hear her or catch what she meant, and mentioned that the baby was home with my dh and kids. She looked a bit embarrassed, so I just kept on talking unfazed. In reality, I thought the dress I was wearing concealed my size, so it was a bit of a wake-up call, but I didn't want to make her feel bad.

 

I also recall a time when my SIL was visiting us, it was spring, and we went out for a walk. My neighbor a few doors down, who is very, very chatty, stopped us and I made the introductions. At some point in our conversation she looked at SIL and said, "Oh, are you...?", and then almost immediately realized what she had done. SIL was great about it, and replied, "Oh no, I just eat too much!" The neighbor was mortified, started apologizing profusely, commenting on talking too much and putting her foot in her mouth, and I tried to gloss over it by joking that I had fed them too much during their visit, etc. Still, SIL has never been able to conceive and ended up adopting a couple of years later, so it certainly could have been a very sensitive issue.

 

So yes, at least in America, in most cases it is safer to keep a bit of distance, leaving private things private, than to risk hurt or offense.

 

Sorry, Nadia!

[Are you still a "land line" person?]

I can't imagine not having a land line, because the alternative would be for us to have at least 3 cell phones, maybe even 4, to make sure everyone would be reachable, and we just can't afford that.

 

Dh and I each have a cell. His is on a plan through work, so he tries to limit personal calls on it. Mine is a pay-as-you-go Tracfone, used only for brief, necessary calls. The kids and I share it, so whichever one of us leaves the house is the one to use it. In this scenario, we always need a land land in order for those outside the home to reach "home base". Our landline is part of a bundle along with our internet and satellite service, so it only costs about as much as a single cell plan. Cells are also too unpredictable: Is it charged? Is there signal?

 

Speaking of age, My 85 year old grandfather was sick of paying for his landline and has had only a cell now for several years. It is convenient that he can take his phone with him when he goes to Florida for the winter, but when he's at home, alone, at the top of a mountain up a bumpy dirt road, he only has signal if he stands in front of a west-facing window in his living room:confused:. He also uses hearing aides, so he often does not hear people calling him, which gives us quite a scare until he finally notices and calls us back. I would strongly advise an elderly person living alone in a rural area to have a landline :tongue_smilie:.

 

I believe cells are important, even essential while traveling, in case of car trouble, etc., for the convenience of being able to check on the kids that are home alone while you're out and for meeting up with people when you are both away from home. It is also very handy when the power goes out and the cordless landline won't work, or if the cable service (and therefore the landline) goes out.

 

Bottom line, it is best to have both, but I'm not ready to give up my landline.

[Testing: Neuropsych or SLP?]

Does this SLP office only do evaluations without providing any of the therapy themselves? So do they only make recommendations to school districts for services? Who is performing the therapies that they recommend? Another SLP? Wouldn't that person want to do their own evals?

 

Sorry I didn't make that clear. Yes, the SLP office does provide therapy following the evaluation, although they have made it clear that my dd, at age 11.5, might be too old for the services they provide (they mostly work with younger kids), so if her abilities are beyond what they can address, they will give an outside referral. Personally, I want to avoid outside therapy unless it is absolutely essential, mainly due to the cost (nothing is covered by insurance), the inconvenience of travel and the disruption to our homeschooling. I mainly want a diagnosis that I can bring here and get specific program recommendations (IdeaChain, Dianne Craft, whatever) that I can do myself at home.

 

And I'm struck by what the psychologist is telling you. Our neuropsychological eval included both cognitive and achievement testing (presumably "brain stem, middle-brain and cortex" level issues). The brain development language that this psychologist is using sounds like he is coming from a neurodevelopmentalist angle. I don't know much about the folks who do neurodevelopmental therapies, but it's not the neuropsychological evaluation that most folks on this board are talking about. Also, I don't think most neuropsychologists treat any of the disorders that they diagnose. What is the psychologist's background?

 

If we were to do a full neuropsych. eval., she would include the typical cognitive and achievement testing, in addition to the neurodevelopmental aspects. Since dd had the psycho-ed. eval. done 2 years ago, the neuropsych. said we didn't need to redo that portion, she would only evaluate her neurological development to see if dd has issues that need to be addressed at the brain-stem or mid-brain level, or if she should move on to the SLP for cortex-level therapy. The neuropsych. does the cognitive training herself, and would teach me what to do at home to address dd's issues. She has told me that she is somewhat unique in her field, and that while there are SLPs who work from her neurodevelopmental approach, they are swamped and can't possibly take new patients.

 

It makes sense to me that sometimes kids are displaying symptoms of something wrong at a more basic level, and that years of remediating the symptoms won't fix the problem. I like the idea of trying to "treat her brain" at a basic level, progressing to higher functioning levels over time, so she is better prepared to accept the "cortex-level" therapy at that point. The only problem is, I don't know if this is really necessary, and at her age, I don't want to wait another year or two to address her specific learning issues.

 

The safest thing is probably to do both testing, to get recommendations from SLP to treat her symptoms, and if the neuropsych. says she needs more basic cognitive training, we can do that first. I just hate to spend more $$ on evals. that could be used to purchase these training programs!!

[Poll: If you fast for religious reasons, which is worse is your opinion?]

I haven't read all the posts but, did anyone think to check with the kitchen as to whether or not the bacon bits were real or imitation? It is quite rare (except in fine dining establishments) to have "real" bacon bits on a salad bar.

 

I am not Catholic, but based on my knowledge that the Friday fast from meat is voluntary, and assuming there are no specific prohibitions on eating anything that has even touched meat, I would have done my best to eat as much salad as possible while removing the bacon bits.

 

Another option would have been to explain the situation to the server, and ask for take-out boxes for the salad, so everyone could eat it on Saturday!

[Testing: Neuropsych or SLP?]

Thanks for the replies.

 

I just spoke with the psychologist on the phone, and she has explained what she does more clearly. Basically, I am comparing apples to oranges. She focuses on testing the child's neurological development. If everything is fine at the brain stem and mid-brain level, she would refer me to the SLP for language testing and therapy at the "cortex level." If she finds an underlying neurological development issue that could be at the heart of dd's difficulties, she would work on those first. So, her recommendation would be to do her testing first to rule out any lower-level brain function issues before moving on to the SLP to treat the symptoms. Based on our previous psycho-ed. testing, she would only do the neurological component, which would cost $500 (2 hours of testing plus eval.)

 

Yes, the SLP testing does sound like a lot of $, but this is THE place to go for language issues, very well-known, the 1st place anyone would recommend for SLP services. We have been on a waiting list since May, so they need a small deposit ($50) to be fair to the others on the waiting list. FWIW, they are doing both a reading and a language assessment (4 hours), since her reading testing is 2 years old. I really wanted them to base their evaluation on current data, and I personally wanted to see what progress has been made, particularly since we have completed an OG-based program in the interim. The psycho-educational evaluation we did 2 years ago, which included IQ, working memory, etc. plus reading was only $400 because it was done by PhD students in training (which is why we went with the psycho-ed. rather than neuro-psych. at the time).

 

So, I have the option now to do both. I would have to lose my current SLP appointment at the end of Oct., and have the neurological testing done in November. If she finds any neurological development issues, we will address those first, and move on to the SLP once they have been remedied. If nothing is found, we take the next SLP appt. in Dec. or Jan. Doing both test would cost about $1300. Either that, or I stick with the SLP and forget the psych. with her "brain stem, middle-brain" development theory (although I find a lot of truth in it).

 

NOW what do I do??? Thanks, everyone, for your helpful comments. Keep 'em comin'!

[Testing: Neuropsych or SLP?]

**UPDATE ON POST 6**

 

A brief background: My dd was given a psychoeducational assessment at our local university 2 years ago. She was diagnosed with a "specific learning disorder in the area of reading and writing", which means she's dyslexic. I knew that.

 

After receiving the diagnosis and expressing my desire to know the root cause of and appropriate interventions for her receptive and expressive language difficulties (LPD maybe?), I was told this was beyond the scope of the psycho-ed assessment, and referred us to a SLP for further testing.

 

Her name has finally come up on the waiting list for a reading and language assessment with the SLP, and now I'm getting cold feet. I am afraid of a repeat of the last eval. which, although shedding some valuable insight, basically told us what we already knew. Most importantly, they were not able to give us any specific curriculum recommendations for us to implement at home, since they are accustomed to working with PS kids. I have already been told by the SLP office that they will provide a diagnosis and recommend the types of therapies she needs, but will not be able to name specific programs I can use at home since, again, they are making a referral for outside services, not for HSing moms. However, she may be severe enough that she needs outside therapy anyway, and I can always ask you guys for curriculum recommendations based on the therapies they suggest.

 

There is a local psychologist who is HSing-friendly and in fact highly recommends HSing for LD kids. She could do a full neuropsych. eval. and then help me to implement interventions for dd at home. She would conduct a quantitative electroencephalogram and neurodevelopment testing in addition to the routine language tests.

 

So where is the dilemma?

 

The SLP office comes highly recommended by many parents of dyslexic kids. I also know that they specialize in reading and language issues, whereas the psych. addresses attention and behavior issues as well, so her expertise isn't quite as focused. The cost for the SLP eval. is $800.

 

The psych., being homeschool-friendly, is in the best position to guide me through interventions to use at home, which is what I really want to come out of this (the SLP office doesn't seem to know what to do with a mom who wants to do the therapy herself!), assuming she has knowledge of the full spectrum of programs and approaches for dd's language issues. The cost of a full neuropsych. eval. is $1200.

 

So, what do I do? I have to put a deposit down on the SLP eval. by next week if I want to keep the appt., so I have to make a decision.

 

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Adult who never learned multiplication facts]

I never learned my facts, but not for lack of trying. I remember being required to eat lunch at the teacher's table in 4th grade so I would practice the times tables during lunch :confused:. The teachers didn't help me or anything, they just kept on eating and chatting as I sat there starting at the multiplication chart.

 

From then on, I just stumbled along, counting up on my fingers from the facts I did know (mostly doubles). Of course, I had a terrible time reducing fractions, and was really lost in Algebra (no calculators).

 

I have finally learned my facts along with my dd using mnemonics. The stories were just what I needed to have something to attach the random numbers to. Simply chanting the numbers over and over did no good, because they could be any numbers. If I draw a blank, that's it, there's nowhere to search for the answer in my brain other than counting up from a known fact. Now I just think of the story. It works for division also.

 

I don't know if your adult student would find the stories too juvenile, but they worked exceedingly well for me. I used "Memorize in Minutes", which is also available as an ebook for only $5 http://multiplication.com/order.htm

 

I was accepted to college (they commented that my math scores were pretty good considering I only successfully completed Pre-Algebra and Business Math) on the condition that I concurrently enroll in a CC math class. Fortunately, I had an excellent teacher who explained the concepts through multiple approaches. I was also mature enough that I was no longer shy or ashamed of asking questions as I had been in front of my peers in high school.

 

Of course, my forte and therefore my major was in the humanities, and I graduated at the top of my class (summa cum laude, spoke at graduation, etc.) We all have our strengths and weaknesses, and while PS did an excellent job of developing my strengths, it did next to nothing to address my weaknesses.

 

I guess I'm trying to say, you would do your student an enormous service by helping him to finally learn his times tables. At the same time, don't assume that he is deficient or uneducated or unskilled in other areas. He could be highly intelligent but just not have a "math brain", and no one bothered to explain math in a way he could process. I hope you can be that excellent teacher who can finally break through to him.

 

Good luck!

[Do you turn off the tap?]

I typically do not turn off the shower head, partially because I would freeze (especially in winter), but mainly due to temperature adjustment.

 

It depends how your shower works, but mine turns on and then continues to move counter-clockwise to increase the water temperature. Therefore, if I turned it off, I would have to readjust the temperature every time I turned it back on (adding to the freezing factor).

 

The few times I have used a shower that can be "paused" and therefore maintain the temperature setting when resuming the water flow, I have done so.

[is it possible to do 4 years in 2?]

http://www.americanschoolofcorr.com/

 

Many families have successfully used American School for the child to earn a diploma more quickly than traditional school. They are regionally accredited, which is the gold standard, meaning their diploma is accepted virtually anywhere.

 

It's not fancy, it's not particularly enriching, but it gets the job done efficiently. Some families use American School to earn credits while doing their "own thing" the rest of the time, enriching as they see fit. However, if your dc would prefer to just "get it done" and move on to cc, you could definitely accomplish that with American School.

 

Good luck!

[Talk to me about cloth diapering]

Oh, BTDT last summer! It can be overwhelming trying to educate yourself about cloth diapers, but it's soooo much fun too!

 

I got the majority of my info. about cloth diapers from http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/newmom.htm

 

She really answers the majority of your questions, and will answer even more if you email her.

 

Personally, I ended up going with prefolds in the newborn and small size, since they are cheap and they grow out of them within 5 months or so. Once my dd got into size medium, I am using Workhorse Fitteds as my everyday diaper, Bottom Bumpers AIOs at night, and OsoCozy fitteds for quick and easy changes.

 

I stayed away from anything synthetic, since I felt there were too many problems associated with them, so I've gone with only cotton and some bamboo liners.

 

Best of luck!

[s/o learning to cook - baking]

I love to bake because it is a voluntary effort. I do so when the mood strikes me and I have time. The end product is greeted with cheers and thankyous, because it's an unexpected treat.

 

None of these apply to "cooking", which is expected, must be done whether I feel like it or not, have time or not, and is often greeted with "Oh, we're having THAT!?"

 

Yup, baking wins hands down ;).

[Math for kids with Dysgraphia/Dyslexia]

:grouphug: I spent years being incredibly frustrated and losing my patience with dd when she just couldn't get concepts that I had explained in every conceivable fashion! Even post-diagnosis, I sometimes lose it, especially when she gives me 'attitude', getting defensive about not understanding.

 

I would be honest with your dc, tell him you didn't know what was causing his behavior, didn't know he couldn't help it, that you're sorry and you'll work together to find the best way for him to learn in the way his brain works.

 

As for math, we had been using Saxon, which worked very well, since my dd needs constant review to retain material. However, with the new baby I don't have time to read through every lesson and help her with all the word problems, so we've switched to TT.

 

She absolutely loves TT! She loves to be independent, and she can with TT because everything is read aloud for her. This is the only program I have found where a dyslexic child can learn independently. I am also having her do Daily Math Practice workbook, which gives 5 mixed problems per day, just to make sure she is getting a thorough review of different types of problems.

 

Best of luck!

[One more poll :)]

I don't think the "uh" sound at the end of both names sounds good together (Emm"uh" Victori"uh") and the consecutive vowel sounds of Emm"uh" "Eh"lise is a bit awkward. Sorry, but you asked :tongue_smilie:

[I want to quit...]

Oh Cleo, I feel for you. I agree with the posters who said to make a pros and cons list. Imagine 2 scenarios: "If the kids go to school, they will..., but they won't..." and the same for staying home. Really try to imagine their lives, academically, socially, and free-time in both situations, and compare them. I would also weigh the items since they will not all be equal.

 

Definitely have her take the exam to keep her options open. I know a week isn't much, but you should buy the exam prep. workbook (I've seen them at Renaud-Bray and sometimes Maxi), go through it and go over any topics you think she may be weak in, and spend the week on that.

 

I know what you mean about the social aspect, although she seems to have quite a few outlets. Didn't she have a taste of some "negative socialization" at gym? I would seriously consider how much of that she is likely to encounter at school, and weigh that against the positives.

 

As for ds, if he's bored when you teach him, won't school be worse? He won't "fit the mould" academically or socially, which he will have to deal with at some point. You have to decide if there are any benefits to school for him sooner (HS) rather than later (univ.) (a HS diploma, OK, academically, I doubt it, socially, hmm...)

 

Also, consider how much of your angst is related to your starting to work full-time. It must be overwhelming trying to schedule HSing around work, and you might feel they are missing out (especially dd) since you don't have as much one-on-one time to give her. Take that into account on your pro/con list, and see if you can come up with any solutions other than school (there may or may not be some).

 

I know you gave up a lucrative career in order to be home with your kids, and you may be feeling it was all for naught if they end up needing to go to school in the end anyway. Be confident that, no matter when they go to school, they would not have the academic foundation nor be the people they have become if not for the sacrifices you made for them and the time you devoted to them. I highly doubt they would be as fluent in English as they are if they had gone to school; that alone is a major accomplishment.

 

Take a deep breath, prepare dd for the exam, weigh the cost/benefit analysis as objectively as you can, and do what's right for each of your dc.

 

:grouphug:

[cloth diaper question]

bI agree that the prefolds should be sufficient for a newborn. However, EBF poop, while it rarely if ever leaks out, inevitably gets on the elastic of the cover, necessitating lots of handwashing of covers. I loved fitteds for that reason (they have elastic built into the diaper itself to keep messes from getting on the covers). In fact, I still use fitteds as my every-day diaper http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/workhorse.htm

They take a little longer to put on, since you snap on the diaper, then the cover, but they stay put and don't get bunches up between the legs of a crawler or walker.

 

At night, though, I use Bottom Bumpers AIOs. They are too expensive to use all the time, but I bought 4 that I use at night and occasionally for long trips. The cover is lined with organic cotton, and then has a snap-in insert topped with bamboo. They are very absorbent and comfy-looking.

 

Best of luck!

[If you would never leave a 10 year old home alone for a short time, why not?]

It's not that I don't believe in it, but it would be illegal in my state.:glare:

 

:iagree: Generally, 12 is considered "safe" (if the police showed up, they wouldn't call CPS simply because they found the child home alone), but any younger than that is playing Russian roulette.

 

In my province, before- and after-school daycare is provided up through grade 6. After that, it is OK for the kids to be home alone (according to the gov't).

 

I have a relative in the US who often leaves her kids home alone (ages 10/8/5) for a few hours. I asked a friend in law enforcement about the situation and he said, considering the 10 year old is taking care of the younger kids, he would definitely call CPS if he responded to her home.

 

I believe it depends on the maturity of the child. I feel comfortable leaving dd alone earlier than I did ds. Even now, when I leave them both to watch the baby while I do a few errands, dd says, "You know I'm the one who is really watching her; my brother is just here to be the "old enough" kid." She's basically right, although they both have different strengths that would be useful in an emergency.

 

Bottom line, we call enough attention to ourselves by homeschooling, I would not want to give CPS any other reason to investigate our family. Ready or not, the kid has to be "of age" before we'll let them stay home alone.

[WWYD, co-op teacher used the "F" word to my daugther]

While I don't think the teacher should have actually said "f---" to your child, I think your child needs to know that for some people, the next word after "what the-" is "f---."

 

The teacher should have told you, not your child.

 

I never got into the habit of swearing, have never sworn in my life, and so no, when I hear these partial phrases, my mind does not automatically go to a swear word. In my head, "What the..." is followed by "heck", "Oh you little..." is followed by "monster" or "brat", sorry, my mind just doesn't go there.

 

However, I know many people's thoughts *do* go there, and it should have been brought to the OPs attention, advising her of the common meaning of the phrase, and suggesting that she have a discussion with her dd about not using, and that the coop teacher would not tolerate it on the playground.

 

My dd likely wouldn't even know what the "F" word is or means, never having heard it before (she doesn't watch R movies, and we don't use it at home). Therefore, this is a discussion I would want to have with her myself.

 

Using the actual swear word in front of the child was totally inappropriate.

[S/O Spongebob poll]

I used to think it was stupid, cartoon rubbish before I actually watched it. No, it certainly isn't educational, but I was impressed with the level of the humor (which would go over most kids' heads), which teen ds and I thoroughly enjoy.

 

We watch occasionally for some good, clean fun and laughter.

[S/O Caillou poll]

I haven't watched it in years, since my kids have outgrown it :), but my ds watched it daily when it first came on (I'm thinking about 12 years ago?) and I thought it was a cute, beneficial and appropriate show for preschoolers. I remember him being so excited when he had a birthday and was "4" just like Caillou!

 

I am expecting it will be on again in our house in another year or so, assuming the content hasn't changed over the years. I am actually surprised to see some don't like it (although I can see his high-pitched voice becoming annoying, I suppose).

[Mixed Receptive-Expressive Language Disorder]

:bigear:

 

I am on a waiting list to have my dd11 tested by an SLP for the same disorder (she has already been diagnosed with severe dyslexia).

 

I have been able to find plenty of resources to improve her reading and fluency, but am eagerly awaiting testing and (hopefully) recommendations for how to help her comprehend the material I read aloud to her, the dialogue in movies and documentaries, and to increase her vocabulary as well as recall.

 

So, I am hoping other members of the Hive will have experience in this area and have some useful recommendations.

 

In the meatime, :grouphug:.

[I have a question that no one seems to know the exact answer for...]

I keep all loose papers in a large 3-ring binder as they are completed throughout the year, divided by subject. At the end of the year, I go through everything and keep what I believe is a good representative sample of the child's progress, a few pages from the beginning, middle and end of the year, for each subject, including workbooks. The rest gets tossed into recycling (I try to do this when the kids aren't around to see their hard work getting tossed out!)

 

I put these samples into a duotang folder, you know the ones like a pocket folder, but with brads (metal tabs) that 3-hole punched pages slide onto so the papers are tightly secured inside the folder. I usually end up with 2 folders per kid per year, labeled with the child's name, grade, school year, and the subjects included in the folder.

 

I am keeping a portfolio for every year from K-12, just in case. They also take the CAT test every year, so I have those in my records as well. These skinny folders don't take up much space, so it isn't a burden to keep a record for every year, and it is nice to have, for posterity as well as "proof" if needed at some point.

 

Incidentally, I had a psychoeducational assessment done for both of my dc a couple of years ago at the local university. Guess what they asked for? Work samples, and standardized test scores, preferrably for several years to see their progress or lack thereof in certain areas.

 

You never know when or why you might need a portfolio of a year's work, or for how many years. So, keep a representative sample, and toss the rest.

[acronym instead of "school"]

I didn't like the term "school" either when my kids were little, so I used "learning". I guess I felt "learning" described what we were actually trying to accomplish, as opposed to school, which, for me, represented a contrived series of hoops to jump through which may or may not involve any real learning.

 

As the kids have gotten older, they have started using the term "work", so that is what is mostly used these days. Somehow it never occurred to them to call what we do "school".