Schools diagnosis but no direction

 Here is my handsome son in Grade 3. 

 He loves swimming, and smiling for mommy.  He loves video games, action cartoons, and legos.

In kindergarten he was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Integration Disorder.  He got some  therapy at school with time in sensory room; swinging in a cocoon swing, getting squished through a pressure contraption.  I was quite impressed with the room and the resources there.  Well, after kindergarten it was a fight for him to get any time in this therapy room.  In grade 1 I was told by the special needs coordinator at his school that he needs to just deal with it.  That as he gets into the older grades he just needs to learn how to cope on his own. 

I was upset with that response when it was the school who did the testing and diagnosis then simply says he will need to just deal with it as he grows up.  He is expected to function and learn like any other child in class that hasn't got any sensory issues.  And his report card shows that he is struggling. 

Last year we sought some answers from our pediatrician.  We had his teachers at school fill out some questionnaires from a neuro pediatrician, and they all came back that he was in the hyperactive category.  We filled out our questionnaires and sent them away.  The lady in charge of the special needs aids, and therapy was very opposed to us doing this testing, stating that he was fine and didn't need this.  I wasn't quite sure her qualification for making such an uneducated diagnosis and am still wondering if she stopped any further testing. 

Now we are here in Grade 4.  He is a very smart kid and is doing well academically.  All his issues are with behavior; with listening, focus and working well with others.   He is our oldest and is great with his younger siblings.  He has responsibilities like his chores that he does efficiently.  He is a very friendly outgoing kid.  So, school is a very negative place for him. An environment that demands he sit at a table with 5 other kids and still focus to do his work.  A place where he is  bullied for wearing glasses, but when I talk to his teacher she refuses to admit he is being bullied.  Public school system that makes diagnosis but fail to provide any help past kindergarten.  And with people who are there to help our kids standing against further testing when he is having a hard time focusing. 

My husband has severe ADD and is still needs medication to function productively.  He sees a lot of himself in our Meatball.  He understands the difficulties that he is having in the classroom.  I have been seriously considering home schooling. 

Well, parent teacher interviews are next week and we will be taking a team effort to get through to his teacher about our concerns. 

The fall months

I haven't blogged in a long time and I think of so many things to write.  I missed a blog about our trip to Ontario.  Maybe because I miss my family so much and maybe, just a little, I wish we lived there.  But I've been out west now for nearly as long as I lived in Ontario. 

Things are busy these days with three growing kids.  I looked at my youngest today and thought where has the last three years gone!... 

We are in the blows of winter already and so I'm going to reminisce on our beautiful we had.

The kids were back to school in September.   Meatball in grade 4 (Wow!!!) and sweat pea in grade 2.

We grew a vegetable garden this year and it was a great joy planting and harvesting with the kids.  We grew broccoli (big hit), kale, tomatoes, green beans, carrots, lettuce and strawberries. It  was a good learning curve for me.  I really enjoyed it.  The fall came the end of it.

Along the way I gave away lots of tomatoes.  I bought some tomatoes from a local farmer and made a really really big batch of spaghetti sauce(or 3 large ziplocs full)!

While the big kids are gone to school all day I get to (entertain) I mean play with bubby.  He is really into doing puzzles, and building his big legos.  I think lego may be on the list this Christmas for all kids. 

Halloween was fun.  We did pumpkins and roasted seeds to eat and of course went out for 1hr and a half in the rain to get candy.  Bubby loved getting candy this year.  We were all tired at the end.

Now winter is blowing outside and I am trying and I'm trying to make some plans for myself to keep the crazies away.  I foresee more painting, scrapbooking and sewing in the near future.  

Today we all went and got our flu vaccines since Grandma and Grandpa are coming for Christmas.  The kids got a simple nose spray but daddy and I got the needle.  Not so bad after all.  Hoping the kids are not to whiny and achy this weekend from it.  But we want to make sure we don't get Grandpa sick while he is here. 

Painting such joy

My latest painting I finished in August.  My daughter asked me years ago, when I picked up a paint brush again, if I would paint her a fairy painting.  So, I've been thinking what I would paint, grand schemes of a fairy filled jungle with intricate flowers and vines came to mind.  These seemed unreachable as I am not that talented.  So I decided to draw one day and this is what I came up with. Several months later I was taking care of a friends house for them and got 5 hours away from the house/kids to paint at her empty quiet house.  It was pure joy, a refilling of me time I needed.  I am happy with the painting and my daughter loved it! 

I know I need more time for me away being creative, being something other then a mother.  Even if it is painting for my daughter...

I love being a mommy and a wife but lately I have been thinking I need just me doing what I want time alone!!!

It is Fall

I love fall, the change, the colour, the crisp air.  However this year to me it prelude to misery, cold, isolation, winter.  I haven't dreaded winter so much before that I can't enjoy fall.  I know that through exercise, healthy eating and prayer I have been certainly finding my way out of depression.

So today Ill take a deep breath, thank God for my blessings and live for today.   Here are some fun camping pictures from  our last summer hooray the week before school started!  We had lots of fun at the beach, going on a scavenger hunt, painting rocks, making a nature mobile and of course roasting marshmallows over the fire!

Meatball turned 9 in July

Our oldest turned 9 in July.  We had just gotten back from vacation the day before so daddy and him went out and picked a new video game and ice cream cake for his birthday! He keeps saying he is a preteen now... I disagree he is 9 now.  lol he wants to grow up way to fast. 

I love his smile, his sense of humor (maybe not so much of the sarcastic humor), and his sensitiveness.  He is a big helper and loves biking.  I can't believe the years have flown bye so fast. 

Sweet pea is 7 in March, and Bubby turned 3 in May

Sweet pea is 7

 She wanted a bunny cake!

 And a dance party

My monkey is 3!
 Hot dog supper!

 Loved his monkey cake, and dinos!

Into the spring of things!!!

We are certainly into spring now!  Sunny days, or rainy days I'm just happy its not winter.  The kids seem to be growing an inch every night.  I'm actually sitting here in peace and quiet because the kids are playing so nice downstairs (sweatpea and bubby are playing loud enough to hear, and meatball is probably creating something with lego or watching cartoons).  The years are flying bye.

 

Here they are posing for a picture so nice on our walk home from school.  My princess, knight in shining armor and baby prince.  I am so blessed beyond my understanding.  Being a stay at home mom can be so draining and even exhausting some days but most days are a blessing.  The smiles and giggles I experience are my pay.  I get the spontaneous hug or told they love me..

Here is bubby, he was so excited daddy bought him home a strider bike.  So fun!  Sigh...He thinks he can ride on the road like his big brother.  He is having a hard time realizing he can't do or is not allowed to do all the things big brother can. He loves being outside whenever he can.  I am looking forward to camping this summer with the kids. 

Another thing I love about the spring is gardening.  I picked up some basket stuffers (with the help of sweetpea which I loved that she wanted to pick) and some vegetable plants.  I'm excited to expand my front garden for some vegetable plants.  I'm going to grow tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, carrots, beans and garlic.  Now if the rain will just stop for an afternoon so I can get in the garden. 

Well better get these kids to bed.  What has God blessed you with today?