We are making strides...and unexpected ones at that! Isn't that the way it goes...unexpectedly?! Just when you feel as if you have run out of ideas and options, you realize there is yet another corner to turn! There IS progress to be made...and know that the ONLY way you will progress is if you make it happen! Giving up isn't an option.
These past few weeks I have been down...no...actually REALLY DOWN about Logan being so far behind all of his classmates. It is impossible not to compare him to other kids. It is impossible to look past the developmental delays that I witness. I try not to stress myself too much, but it does make me sad. I know Logan is smart. I just sometimes put so much stress on myself thinking that I have to figure out a way to keep him on track. I don't want him falling too far behind. My biggest fear at the moment is for him to have to repeat Kindergarten. We waited an extra year to send Logan, so he is already a 6 1/2 year old Kindergartner. I am going to try everything in my power to get him through this year successfully. I want him to be with kids his own age - I don't want him singled out.
He has been struggling with his sight words. These are the words that he should be able to look at and recognize them immediately without having to sound them out. His current sight words are: Red, Purple, Pink, Black, Brown, Blue, Gray, Yellow, Orange, and White. We have had these words to practice since October. Honestly up until this past weekend - he only recognized red and white. My mother-in-law came over Saturday night and we were discussing ways we could get him to learn/practice them. We decided to take them off of the ring, lay them word side down, and have Logan pick one, flip it over, and try reading the word. The first few times he would see a "B" at the beginning and just guess. We worked on covering up part of the word so that he could see that black started with "bl" and blue also started with "bl." Then we had him uncover the next letter. After only about 20 mins - something clicked - and he was recognizing ALL 10 of his sight words! We jumbled them up and kept going and every time he would get them right on.
It's times like this I wonder why in the heck I didn't think to take the words off of the key ring provided and try this sooner. Honestly, I know why - we were instructed to flip through the words on the key ring - because that is the way they do it at school. I wanted to keep things as repetitive and consistent at home as they are at school. I didn't want to throw him off. Lesson learned. I will adjust my teaching/instructing to fit him.
After this MAJOR celebration - We decided to really hit his numbers with him. It gave me hope that we could conquer yet another one of his challenges. Make it a game, reward him with a treat, etc. He mastered counting by tens Sunday morning. This was the key to him counting to 100. He didn't know the transitions - from 39 to 40, from 49 to 50, etc. He practiced that with Grandma for probably a half an hour and had it. He was so proud of himself. You could just see his face beaming with self confidence!
I can't tell you why all of a sudden these things "clicked" for him. I can't even tell you if when he comes home from school today he will still have retained all of it. However, I do know that he is capable of it and he did accomplish it this weekend and that makes me one super happy momma!
Logan did have a play date with his friend Saturday, too. I wasn't sure how he was going to do because that morning when he woke up he was grouchy with his sisters. I decided to give it a go anyway because I feel like he really needs one-on-one interaction with a boy of his own age. At school there is just too much stimulation and he gets carried away. I was a little worried that he would be grouchy with his friend or unable to keep his hands to himself...but he surprised me yet again! The boys played perfectly. Logan kept his hands to himself, communicated with his words, and kept himself under control. It was fabulous to supervise the way they were interacting and make-believing. I think that this may have encouraged Logan to want to learn his words and numbers. The boys were practicing counting and writing on the chalkboard. It was so sweet. Sometimes all we need is encouragement from a friend. :)
I almost forgot to tell you one last important thing - Logan finally lost his top tooth that has been loose since October! Daddy helped him to loosen it on Saturday night and Logan pulled it himself! He had a huge meltdown when he saw all of the blood. He definitely didn't get his dads genes when it comes to that kind of thing. Guessing he will not be following in my husbands- the paramedic -footsteps. Ha!
Today Logan will be restarting his occupational therapy. Tomorrow he restarts his speech therapy. Wednesday we have another appointment with the pediatric ear, nose, and throat specialist. Then on Friday we have the Iridology reading for him. Busy week ahead.
Thanks for stopping by and catching up! Have a great week!
Autumn
These past few weeks I have been down...no...actually REALLY DOWN about Logan being so far behind all of his classmates. It is impossible not to compare him to other kids. It is impossible to look past the developmental delays that I witness. I try not to stress myself too much, but it does make me sad. I know Logan is smart. I just sometimes put so much stress on myself thinking that I have to figure out a way to keep him on track. I don't want him falling too far behind. My biggest fear at the moment is for him to have to repeat Kindergarten. We waited an extra year to send Logan, so he is already a 6 1/2 year old Kindergartner. I am going to try everything in my power to get him through this year successfully. I want him to be with kids his own age - I don't want him singled out.
He has been struggling with his sight words. These are the words that he should be able to look at and recognize them immediately without having to sound them out. His current sight words are: Red, Purple, Pink, Black, Brown, Blue, Gray, Yellow, Orange, and White. We have had these words to practice since October. Honestly up until this past weekend - he only recognized red and white. My mother-in-law came over Saturday night and we were discussing ways we could get him to learn/practice them. We decided to take them off of the ring, lay them word side down, and have Logan pick one, flip it over, and try reading the word. The first few times he would see a "B" at the beginning and just guess. We worked on covering up part of the word so that he could see that black started with "bl" and blue also started with "bl." Then we had him uncover the next letter. After only about 20 mins - something clicked - and he was recognizing ALL 10 of his sight words! We jumbled them up and kept going and every time he would get them right on.
It's times like this I wonder why in the heck I didn't think to take the words off of the key ring provided and try this sooner. Honestly, I know why - we were instructed to flip through the words on the key ring - because that is the way they do it at school. I wanted to keep things as repetitive and consistent at home as they are at school. I didn't want to throw him off. Lesson learned. I will adjust my teaching/instructing to fit him.
After this MAJOR celebration - We decided to really hit his numbers with him. It gave me hope that we could conquer yet another one of his challenges. Make it a game, reward him with a treat, etc. He mastered counting by tens Sunday morning. This was the key to him counting to 100. He didn't know the transitions - from 39 to 40, from 49 to 50, etc. He practiced that with Grandma for probably a half an hour and had it. He was so proud of himself. You could just see his face beaming with self confidence!
I can't tell you why all of a sudden these things "clicked" for him. I can't even tell you if when he comes home from school today he will still have retained all of it. However, I do know that he is capable of it and he did accomplish it this weekend and that makes me one super happy momma!
Logan did have a play date with his friend Saturday, too. I wasn't sure how he was going to do because that morning when he woke up he was grouchy with his sisters. I decided to give it a go anyway because I feel like he really needs one-on-one interaction with a boy of his own age. At school there is just too much stimulation and he gets carried away. I was a little worried that he would be grouchy with his friend or unable to keep his hands to himself...but he surprised me yet again! The boys played perfectly. Logan kept his hands to himself, communicated with his words, and kept himself under control. It was fabulous to supervise the way they were interacting and make-believing. I think that this may have encouraged Logan to want to learn his words and numbers. The boys were practicing counting and writing on the chalkboard. It was so sweet. Sometimes all we need is encouragement from a friend. :)
I almost forgot to tell you one last important thing - Logan finally lost his top tooth that has been loose since October! Daddy helped him to loosen it on Saturday night and Logan pulled it himself! He had a huge meltdown when he saw all of the blood. He definitely didn't get his dads genes when it comes to that kind of thing. Guessing he will not be following in my husbands- the paramedic -footsteps. Ha!
Today Logan will be restarting his occupational therapy. Tomorrow he restarts his speech therapy. Wednesday we have another appointment with the pediatric ear, nose, and throat specialist. Then on Friday we have the Iridology reading for him. Busy week ahead.
Thanks for stopping by and catching up! Have a great week!
Autumn
