Forward Thinking

Many of the blogs and facebook posts that I've seen this month have been talking about how having a child with special needs isn't really any different than having a typical child, but I for one have to disagree.  For some people that might be true and I'm very happy and proud of those people, but they are not me.  My brain is constantly thinking about what I need to be working on, researching, planning next.  For Angel, aside from her not talking at all by our 9 month check up so I got a bit nervous when our pediatrician wanted us to get her hearing tested, I just let things come as they will.  I know that she will figure things out, get hurt, have fun and just live her life.  However for Sweet Pea I am always trying to plan 10 steps ahead because I function much better in a known world.  Many times it is ridiculous how far ahead I'm looking, but it's just the way I work.  I feel like I have a little more control and can help Sweet Pea better if I know what is ahead.

Just today I was trying to figure out if she would be able to attend our developmental kindergarten in 2 years.  I have to laugh that we are just 6 weeks into our first full year of preschool and I'm thinking about kindergarten, but that is just how I do things.  When I was told that she probably wouldn't be able to attend developmental kindergarten because of her birthday being in March, I started to really worry.  I had always assumed that she would go into that class and that it would be wonderful for her.  Well, now I need to think about and prepare for her to go into regular kindergarten in two years.  That really freaked me out because I...yet again...didn't give Sweet Pea the credit that she deserves.  Seriously...blogging this month is really starting to make me mad about how often I don't give her the benefit and set my goals high enough.  How can I expect others to if I don't do it myself!  Grrr!!!!  Anyway...

Instead of freaking out, I called up Grandma who used to be a kindergarten teacher and talked through what the curriculum looked like for kindergarten, what most kids come in knowing, what many still have issues with, etc.  That conversation calmed me down and made me realize that Sweet Pea just might be ready for kindergarten in two years.  I mean...it's TWO years from now!  She can already do a couple of the things that are on the initial assessment and is working on a number of additional ones that I have no doubt that she will have mastered in two years.  Seriously...TWO years!  She wasn't walking and hardly speaking two years ago.  Now she is starting to read, write, jump, participate in pretend play, and so much more!  If she continues on the path that she is on now I don't see any reason why she won't be ready for kindergarten with her peers.  She may need a little help in terms of accommodations and modifications to make the curriculum accessible to her, but she will be able to do it!  And she is going to have lots of help to get her there every step of the way.

Thank you to all of you that I pester for information and for not making me feel like I'm completely insane.  I appreciate it more than you know!

And so you have something fun to watch on Friday, here is a short video of Sweet Pea doing her frog jumps during OT.