T’s first big assignment of middle school is to create a presentation about six songs he likes. Although there were tantrums – including a massive meltdown Saturday night – to get the work done, T did a great job with his slideshow. The hubby said that T is better at using PowerPoint than him. 😊Continue reading “In His Own Words: Six Songs on T’s Playlist”
Category Archives: school
The Bicycle Dad
As I biked past the boys playing soccer on the field, one of them said, “Here comes Bicycle Dad.” I was amused by the comment, as I parked my bike by a bench and T biked around the playground. Like a soccer mom, the only identity that matters at home is not my work norContinue reading “The Bicycle Dad”
Closing One Door and Opening Another
Our 11-year old starts middle school tomorrow and I feel both optimism and trepidation. Middle school means increased demands, less breaks and changing social dynamics. For a child with FASD and ADHD like T, I worry about how seemingly small changes will impact him: no recess, managing items in a locker with a combination lock,Continue reading “Closing One Door and Opening Another”
I See Your True Colours Shining Through
It’s a wrap. 7 years flew by and we have a grade school graduate. Middle school, here we come! As we sat in the gym waiting for T’s Grade 5 graduation ceremony to begin, I thought about how he had spent 2/3 of his life inside this building. A building that became a home awayContinue reading “I See Your True Colours Shining Through”
Get Your Child What They Need at an IPRC Meeting
We recently attended an IPRC meeting and took another step in readying T for middle school. IPRC stands for Identification Placement Review Committee and it is made up of at least three school board staff, including a principal and psychologist. The meeting has three functions: Following an IPRC decision, the school is legally required toContinue reading “Get Your Child What They Need at an IPRC Meeting”
Creating Space for Something New
“The park is fading away,” T said with sadness during a recent bedtime, as I was tucking him in. He said that several mulberry trees had been chopped off over the late summer. Earlier in the summer, the trees provided great enjoyment, after the hubby and T noticed a group of seniors picking wild mulberriesContinue reading “Creating Space for Something New”
Regrouping: Finding Resilience in the Caregiving Journey
A subtraction worksheet drove me into a meltdown with our neurodiverse 10-year-old. I had an early start to a typical Tuesday work day, followed by a two-hour evening meeting of a Family Advisory Council that I volunteer with. After the meeting, I was hungry, brain-dead and just wanted to crawl into bed. But math homeworkContinue reading “Regrouping: Finding Resilience in the Caregiving Journey”
Building a Child’s Confidence
With less than a handful of days of school left, I’m leaving with one key takeaway: confidence is built and nurtured. T’s Grade 4 year flew by. Many things clicked this year. With his CYW’s continued support, T has grown academically, personally and socially. Even daycare staff have noted how far he has come. ThereContinue reading “Building a Child’s Confidence”
Teaching Kids Personal Life Management
My friends and I, now in our 40s, think fondly about a class that we took 30 years ago in Grade 9, which remains one of the most useful classes ever. “Personal Life Management,” or PLM for short, covered practical life skills, including financial literacy, through reflective discussions, journaling and assignments. I thought about PLMContinue reading “Teaching Kids Personal Life Management”
Meeting a Karen
“Aren’t Karens mean?” T asked when I let him know we found him a tutor. It was not the first time he’s made such a comment. The other time was directly at a grocery cashier named Karen. Thankfully, in the case of his new academic support, she has been wonderful and kind so far. FindingContinue reading “Meeting a Karen”
It’s All in the Details
An important lesson that school teaches kids is that details and presentation matter; and they help move average towards excellent. Two weeks ago, we learned that T had to complete a diorama about a Canadian region of his choice and accompanied by a research report and presentation. My first thought was “What fresh hell isContinue reading “It’s All in the Details”
Lost in Translation
Learning a new language is hard. Having a laugh with it, intentional or not, makes it fun. Like other Grade 4 public school students, T started French class this year. It’s a good thing the hubby is fluent, so he can help T with the work, as needed. His CYW shared photos of T’s presentationContinue reading “Lost in Translation”
The Deadly Walk
Writing helps me process my world. Reading T’s school writing work, I see he might’ve done the same. As an ice storm descended in our city, I settled into my Friday evening and noticed an artwork that T had created in his school folder. Upon closer inspection, it was an image of what looked likeContinue reading “The Deadly Walk”
Awards Season
We all need recognition sometimes, as it boosts confidence, motivation and self esteem. It’s Sunday night and T is taking a bath while I’m relaxing with the Oscars. They just handed the first award to Kieran Culkin for Supporting Actor and he gave a joyful speech. Oscars night has changed since my 20s when friendsContinue reading “Awards Season”
Full STEAM Ahead: Nurturing Creativity and Curiosity in Neurodiverse Kids
It turns out our sweet T has burgeoning skills other than driving me batshit crazy. I say this with love and fondness. 😇 I recently watched the documentary “I’m Tim,” about the rise and tragic loss of EDM artist Avicii, whose upbeat music T and I enjoy. It struck me how supportive his parents wereContinue reading “Full STEAM Ahead: Nurturing Creativity and Curiosity in Neurodiverse Kids”
Window to His Soul
Art is healing, inspiring, a form of self expression and for caregivers, a glimpse inside their children’s thoughts. Before Christmas break, T’s teacher sent home his fall school work, which included his journal. This past week, I started reading his daily journal entries and they are a delight. I remember my very first journal, aContinue reading “Window to His Soul”
Story of My Life
I made it home just in time for a special unexpected bedtime routine with T. With thanks to the hubby, I had a rare weeknight out to support colleagues at an event. As I texted the hubby on the subway ride home, he let me know it was a rougher night; T was very disregulatedContinue reading “Story of My Life”
“Up My Butt!”
This is a wholesome and positive post, I promise. Two weeks into the new school year 4, T and our family are settling into more structured days. Some good news, T still has his Child and Youth Worker support for academic subjects. It is very rare for a 4th grader to have this support andContinue reading ““Up My Butt!””
Goal Posts
Grade 3 is in the history books and we’re kicking summer off with soccer. T has recently developed a love for soccer. Thanks to his CYW, he had his own soccer ball and played soccer at recess with a group of boys. There were bumps along the way, as T gets upset when he doesn’tContinue reading “Goal Posts”
Open to Feedback
Being able to receive and apply feedback, as hard as it can be to hear sometimes, is key to growth. In February, halfway past the Grade 3 school year, the hubby and I had our teacher conference with T’s teacher, CYW and the school’s special education coordinator. We discussed T’s areas for improvement: reading, writingContinue reading “Open to Feedback”
