Well, my unintentional two week vacation is over. Back to work for me and school for Michael. And I had been really worried about Michael going back to school. While Doug and I had been super happy with the new school, Michael has not been so sure. He had still been asking to go to his old school, saying he didn't have any friends and crying every morning. But yesterday he raced into school after one little boy. And when I picked him up he went on and on about how much fun he had had that day. And he didn't cry at drop off at all.
Oh, and I forgot to mention this tiny other thing. He is trying to read. Like trying to sound out letters. Just randomly, over break, he tried to sound out a word in a book. SN I heard him say. And when I said to him, "Michael, you just read," he looked at me like I was crazy. And I could not get him to duplicate it. But I told his teacher when I dropped him off and she looked at me and said, "I know." And I said, "but he still isn't really writing." And she said, "I'm not so worried about that. Lots of boys don't write. He'll get there. I don't think that is indicative of some huge problem. I know you are doing lots of testing, but don't worry so much about that."
And I wanted to hug her. Not because it doesn't mean he doesn't have a learning disability, he might, he might not, we will figure it out. But because NOT EVERYTHING WAS AT DEAFCON LEVEL 5. You know, like some other place we used to frequent.
So he'll write. He's doing it for the OT as much as he hates it. And when I asked her if she thought he has learning disabilities she said, "I think he doesn't like to do things that are hard. Things that he is not good at." And what I wanted to say was WELCOME TO LIFE MICHAEL. (Maybe instead of working on my optimism I need to work on my sensitivity?) And this was demonstrated when he cried because he was not good at a stupid wii game. And my life of watching him lose at things and struggle flashed before my eyes.
And then yesterday, at gymnastics, he went to the monkey bars first. The thing he used to be most afraid of. He did, first.
Things really are going to be just fine. I love 2010.
{ 10 comments… read them below or add one }
My youngest hated writing and coloring when he was that age, too. I was worried about him going to K for that reason but I shouldn’t have. Once he got there he was the best writer in his class, still has better handwriting than most 2nd graders, and better than his brother who’s 2 years older. Michael will be fine, Mama.
This is awesome! I love this post!
Michael sounds like the definition of “perfectionism.” Some kids who are super-perfectionists, right before taking a cognitive leap, actually regress or act out before taking that leap. My son was beyond a nightmare when he was 17 months old…one dr wanted to test him for celiac because he just cried all.the.time. Within a month, he was talking a lot – like sentences and stuff. And the crying ceased. Now, he’s 7 and throws a complete hissy fit when he loses a tooth, and losing a game or making a mistake is a cause for major intervention. Just wait – as the reading progresses, the behavior just might improve.
And? Writing is totally different than reading. Not surprising that they are developing differently.
I am so glad that Michael is doing so well! 2010 is looking very good for you indeed.
Hi,
I have been following your blog for quite a while now (over a year!), I guess I’m a lurker! At one point we were in a forum together “The Mamas” and that’s how I started reading your blog. Many times I’ve wanted to comment, but since I didn’t have a blog of my own, it just felt strange. Well, I have a blog of my own now, so now I can comment!
I’m glad Michael is doing well at his new school. This is going to be a better year!
Happy 2010!
Reading about Michael reminds me so much of my son. My son is really smart (so says his mom) but gives up on things that are tough super easy. “I can’t!” is a constant refrain over here. He’s younger than Michael so I think I’d fall over with shock if he tried to write but he certainly isn’t remotely interested in doing any activity with a pencil. It’ll be alright. Glad to hear that Michael seems to be happier at his new school.
He sounds like my son, who is now nearly 17. I just recently learned something about my own son that I wish I had known or realized YEARS ago, so maybe this will be a tidbit you can carry with you in the future. As a gifted child, everything came easy to my son, he never had to try to do anything, it just happened for him. When he got to something he didn’t know and didn’t “get” he refused to try, so he’d do nothing. Some of this is perfectionism, but mostly, I think he does not know how to learn. It really seems like such a simple thing, but those smarter than average folks don’t ever learn how to learn because they didn’t need to and when there comes a time when they need to learn, they just don’t know how. My boy is a junior in HS and will stil, to this day, accept zeros because he refuses to learn how to learn to do anything that he can’t “just” do!
Can I tell you how GREAT it is to read this? You made my day!
Can I tell you how GREAT it is to read this? You made my day!
oh, this is awesome
2010 will be good! Michael’s getting reading and writing AND you have a school that actually understands that everything isn’t a crisis. 2010 will be good, indeed.