Because I Love Him...

(If you are receiving this via email update, click on the title and go directly to my webpage to view the videos at the end of this post, they do not transfer via email)

I'm often asked why I chose to homeschool Sam.  I can always respond accurately that it is because of his medical needs, low immune system and inability to fight infection with typical medications.  Most people are very comfortable with that response.  I can refer to both his home program and his critical care pulmonologist that requested that I homeschool Sam. I have people to back up that claim.

But the reasons that I homeschool Sam go much further than that.  I have friends that are teachers, aides and even some in administration.  I took time to train and become a parent liaison in our school district.  I respect the role of teachers, therapists, school psychologist and those in the special education area.  As in any organization there are great, dedicated people and then there are those that are not as passionate about their vocation.  The good comes with the bad. My personal experience in the school system was pretty good, nothing major went wrong but being a logical person and looking at class size, available resources and Sam's level of need I wondered if we could do more at home.

Jeff and I decided on the day that Sam was born that we would love him, enjoy him and work with him to the best of our abilities.  Funny thing...if you would have brought up homeschooling at that time...I would have said "NO WAY". As time went on and Sam had more and more health issues including a brain injury from oxygen deprivation, I realized that our abilities were going to be tested more than I could have imagined.  While in the ICU with Sam I was told he would probably not walk due to right side weakness, his speech would be limited or he may not talk at all and his cognitive abilities would be substantially reduced. All I could think about...was where did that doctor get his crystal ball??  This was an infant, a child that had not even been worked with...to me a child who's potential was unknown.  Because God knows me best he knew that was what I needed to hear because that was the push I needed to prove them wrong.  I'm stubborn and I often question that which I don't understand and don't even get me started on how I have questioned and tested the medical community in every aspect of Sam's journey.  That same questioning has rocked my faith but over the years as more challenges have presented themselves and I have gotten through I have learned trust, trust in that which I have no control over.  I am not strong enough to make it through the challenges in this life on my own, it is only by the grace of God that I continue on.  Trusting God has become easy but trusting anything on this earth is still a challenge for me.

Due to Sam's issues beyond Down syndrome we sought out help and expertise on how to work with Sam and help him reach his full potential.  NACD (www.nacd.org) has been a driving force and friend in our journey.  I started working with Sam and NACD when he was 18 months old.  Although Sam had been in the state's "Birth to Three" program since he was 6 weeks old...I just didn't feel it was enough.  Everything I researched and read about encouraged me about the brain's plasticity and ability to make new connections but the direct input and the amount was something I felt we needed to improve on. Studies showed that children receiving early intervention were doing better than those that had not but in my mind the percentage was still too low and Sam had more than just a few issues going on.  Sam's therapists were excellent but they only saw him once or twice a week for a short period of time.  Working with NACD allowed me to work with Sam every day and give the input he needed to re-learn how to use the right side of his body, to crawl, to walk, to run, to learn to read, to improve his processing, to work on his vision issues, to strengthen the areas that were weak...to help him grow and develop.

As I worked with Sam and saw things change I began to understand and feel the joy that comes with helping another person develop on a level that I had never experienced before.  I had taken for granted my other children's development and I realized that it isn't until a child can't do something, something fundamental to their development that you can either feel powerless or dig your heels in and work on it.  Sam and I bonded on a whole different level.  It wasn't just about doing program or working the muscles it was about building trust and forming a working, loving relationship. To see Sam crawl, walk and then run (things he was never expected to do) and know the hours of deep pressure, input into his muscles, work on his gait and balance that made that possible is an accomplishment like none other. To watch Sam read and know that I taught him how to read makes my heart smile. To see Sam accomplish a set of instructions and chores and know the steps that we had to go through to get there humbles me. To hear Sam speak, to hear him communicate and know the hours of practice we have put in, the hours of oral motor and endless attempts at conversation we have gone through is...priceless.

I remember when Sam was born, he was on oxygen for the first day or so and I wasn't able to hold him. As I sat in my hospital bed...I wondered...after learning his diagnosis of Down syndrome...would he look at me or would he look right past me? Would I see something in those eyes, a light, an indication of something or would he have a blank stare.  I knew nothing about Down syndrome and that lack of knowledge scared me.  But what I do remember is the moment they brought Sam to me and placed him in my arms. I turned him upright so we could look face to face and as I held him he looked directly into my eyes, directly into my soul. I could see that there was so much inside this little man, so much he wanted to share and tell me and I decided at that moment that he and I could do this. We were going to be okay...no matter what.

I'm glad I didn't have that crystal ball...the future would have overwhelmed me. As Sam and I worked together we learned how to work together, what works and what doesn't. I sometimes think as people read my blog they think that Sam is easy to work with, compliant and a child that looks forward to his program.  Well, you would be very, very wrong (I'm sure Ellen Doman will vouch for me on this).  Sam has fought through much of  his learning but has learned despite it. Often times children with Down syndrome are thought to be gentle, loving, happy but I'm sure most parents of children with Down syndrome and teachers and therapists that work with them will tell you they have a gold medal in being stubborn.  Sam was doubly blessed with a gold medal in being stubborn along with two parents that gave him stubborn as a genetic trait.  Sam has hid program elements, fed them to the dog, ripped them, thrown them away and scattered them on the floor too many times to mention.  Sam has yelled, cried, screamed, spit and thrown books to discourage reading.  Have we had behavioral items on program, yep...too often to mention.

Now don't get me wrong, Sam has the other traits of gentle, happy and loving...when he is doing something he wants to be doing.  Very much like his older brother Ben...Sam is not fond of school.  Ben and Sam liked the social aspect of school, seeing friends, being part of a group but that is pretty much the extent of it...oh yeah...lunch and riding the bus was fun too.  As for academics these two can make any teacher's day a nightmare.  Over the years I have figured out that each of them have very specific learning styles.  With some modification I could adapt Ben's to life in the public school, not without it's challenges, but it was doable.  Sam, so far has been a whole different challenge.

So much of Sam's learning is built on trust. He will try something or work on something because he loves me and he trusts me.  Sam loves to see me get excited when he learns something, acting excited and actually being excited are two very different things for Sam.  He can read acting and he may tolerate it for a while but he really wants to see true excitement.  It is a lot to ask of any teacher everyday.  Which leads me to another reason I homeschool. I have spent years trying to figure out the best ways to work with Sam and if I am honest...I'm still trying.  Some things I have figured out and can now run with, others are still a work in progress but all require a level of patience that even I find hard to maintain.  Sam is one child and I am working with him one on one and we struggle. I often read about and know children with special needs that are doing very well in school.  Many of them appear to have fairly good speech and have learned to adapt to the classroom setting.  In my day to day work with Sam I think he would either choose to withdraw, stim and learn nothing or fight and quickly wear down anyone who is working with him so that his behavior would become the main focus and learning would still not be occurring.  I also know that if Sam were to come across someone who didn't care, wasn't passionate about teaching, chose to see his behavior as the only problem it would be detrimental to his continuing to learn.  I have had my moments with Sam when I have wanted to give up, to give in to let someone else fail at this and be able to say "It's not my fault".  But that's where I come back to my commitment to Sam, maybe the reason God chose me to be Sam's mom. I pray...and we go on.

Sam's physical issues are another reason I homeschool.  Sam has limited mobility and he does need to recline at times to take pressure off his hip, not the best set up for a typical public school classroom.  Sam and I have figured out how to work together at a desk, in a recliner, laying down, inside, outside and in a body brace.  We got this.

But if you want my real answer as to why I homeschool Sam....it is because I love him.  Sometimes when a person is challenged or difficult or stubborn it just takes LOVE to get past all of it. I work hard with Sam because I love him, I believe in his abilities because I love him, I get past his behaviors because I love him, we figure out how to work together because no matter how many mistakes I make...he still loves me too.  Sometimes like the song says...all you need is love.

Here are some videos from our recent attempts at ramping up Sam's home program.  They are not the best of the best, I have always promised to be real on this blog, to show the good, the bad and the ugly...but no matter what...I LOVE THIS LITTLE BOY AND THANKFULLY HE LOVES ME TOO!

Challenges and Blessings, A Long Post To Catch Up!

Tonight I am tired, I am calm, I am humbled but most of all I am blessed. In the last two weeks we have had 6 doctor's appointments, including 4 trips to Children's Hospital. Add in 8 therapy appointments, another sick child, homeschooling, a good friend of Sam's having major surgery and the day to day things that we all face, dinners, laundry, house cleaning and oh yeah...sleep...seem to be kinda neglected. I didn't have time to return calls to friends, I didn't have time to update the blog, I didn't have time to work on Sam's next fun unit study on the human body or put his books on tape, I didn't have time to read my book for book club or work on the afghan I am making for my wonderful daughter and a lot of those things are what helps me to maintain my calm and balance. I just sorta floated through these 2 weeks, trying to stay on schedule, trying to maintain some semblance of balance...but some weeks you just trudge through. What I was amazed at...was that I didn't feel out of control, I didn't feel overwhelmed...I was tired but at peace. So often people will leave comments on my blog about me being a super mom but honestly I'm just a regular person put into some challenging circumstances and doing the best I can to make it through. I am often asked how I make it through...I have only one answer...through faith alone.

If I would have sat and thought about these two weeks and all that has transpired it would be so very easy to fall into depression, bouts of anxiety or wasted time worrying or asking why?? All the stressful stuff I put in God's hands and I look for the blessings...because they are always there....sometimes you just have to look harder than others.

We began with a follow up visit to Sam's orthopedic surgeon. Sam is walking less, putting himself in traction or laying down more and we seem to be sliding backwards instead of making forward progress. His x-ray didn't seem to show any new bone growth. Sam's surgery was in December and by this time his doctor would have hoped to see some progress made in regrowing Sam's missing ball for his hip socket. He couldn't tell by the x-ray why Sam was having more pain and discomfort so he asked us to do a CT scan. I was hoping that Sam could do this without sedation...hope is good but sometimes reality wins out. Sam laid down on the CT table after yelling at it a couple of times and hitting it, letting everyone know that he wasn't happy to be there. We then attempted to get him settled but in true Sam style every time I told him to keep his feet still...he had to move them...he just had to. I tried reverse psychology and told him to move them, hoping he would stay still but that backfired too. We left with a return trip scheduled for the next day for a sedated CT.

I drove away with a heavy sigh knowing that sedation isn't always easy on Sam but we would get through this too. We returned in the morning. I really liked our anesthesiologist. He asked me if there was anything I needed to tell him about Sam. I started my speech, "Well, you should be aware that Sam has upper airway issues, pristine lower airways, so no asthma, but scaly, narrow upper airways. He has a floppy airway, an extra esophageal fold, an anatomy anomaly of 3 bronchial tubes instead of 2. He tends to overreact to medications so less is more in Sam's case, he will go into a shallow breathing pattern when sedated, steroids make him manic so if intubation is needed he will come out of sedation manic and he may come out manic without them, if Sam begins to have respiratory issues vaponephrine is the drug of choice...but other than that he is an amazing little man and the love of my life." He looked at me and said "Wow, you are an amazing medical mom." I quickly replied "Well, he needs me to be." He continued to compliment me, something I don't really handle well because I don't feel amazing or remarkable, I feel as I often say like a regular person who has been put into difficult situations and is trying to do the best I can. I have my good days but don't even think for a moment that I don't have my bad ones too.

The anesthesiologist decided to ask the "NO" boy what fragrance of anesthesia he liked. I always lets them give it a shot in case Sam decides to answer with a yes, but each one was greeted with a strong "NO". He then looked at me and said "I'm guessing I'm going to get a NO on every thing." I told him his guess was correct and Sam knows that he is going to have to ingest or breathe in one of those and he simply doesn't want to have anything to do with that. He asked me about positioning Sam, I told him it would be best to let him sit up, have him sit behind him, bring the mask around, Sam will look to me for reassurance and I will tell him to take a deep breath and that everything is okay. If he is going to be laid down, than place a rolled blanket at the base of his neck in order to fully open his airway.

Sam again yelled at the CT table and let it know that he was not happy to see it but then he climbed on. I took off his shoes, the anesthesiologist sat behind Sam and as he brought the mask around Sam immediately looked to me with wide, panicked eyes. I smiled and told him he was alright, go ahead and take a deep breath and I am right here with you, I'm always here with you. Sam quickly drifted off to sleep and I left the room to let them finish with the CT scan. They wheeled Sam to the recovery area. Most kids with a short blast would have slept for about 5-10 minutes...45 minutes later Sam woke up as the nurse began to remove the leads on his chest. He popped up like a jack in the box and said "Mom, go home, eat." I told him to relax until we brought the table down and I offered him some water to drink. Now for the real test...I asked him "Sam, have I told you lately...", he answered immediately "I love you" and I told him "I love you too". "Let's go home and get something to eat."

We also visited the dentist and Sam's pulmonologist, she looked almost giddy as I told her Sam was being homeschooled. Sam's pulmonologist is extremely supportive of Sam being homeschooled because he gets sick less often and she isn't required to find the magic pill that will keep Sam from going into respiratory distress. Believe me, we have tried many and I don't think she will ever forget when I brought Sam in to see his pediatrician after he had taken a preventative steroid and inhaled medication. Sam was fully manic, running around the office, pulling things off the wall, kicking, babbling incoherently...a completely different child. It took two of us to bring him there since he wouldn't keep his seat belt on and kept trying to escape from the car. I calmly explained to the pediatrician that if they wanted Sam to continue taking these medications I had his suitcase in the car and he could move in with him until they got this worked out. He quickly called Sam's pulmonologist as I waited to come up with a better plan.

Sam's dentist was wonderful again...see another blessing!! He got more done with Sam than he hoped and Sam gave him a hug when he left.

We finished all the home test kits but need to take Sam to the hospital for the lab work next week. Sam is obviously in pain since he won't walk far, asks for his wheelchair and puts himself into traction but Sam doesn't complain, he rarely cries and he faces each day with a smile. His frustration level is lower but with that said he continues to plug away at his NACD program and his academics. This is a blessing!! I remember a time when Sam would have been more than happy to throw a complete fit because he felt rushed or our time frames were shorter. It used to take me a long time just getting him interested in doing something. The level of intensity to teach Sam was often beyond my ability...but now he just jumped in, complained at times...but that wouldn't be Sam if he didn't complain and we completed as much as we could in between all the appointments.

So what is Sam working on??? He is writing his letters with www.thetvteacher.com and he absolutely loves this program. Sam was recently found to be cross dominant. NACD does not like to use the word dyslexic because it groups many different learning disabilities under one umbrella. I have always felt that Sam exhibited many of the same issues that Ben has so I wasn't surprised. With that said, like Ben...Sam will struggle with reading and writing. Sam is also working on his writing with his Ipad using the Pocket Phonics app and the Letter Writer app. Sam is writing notes to his Dad, brother and sister and he is writing sentences about pictures of him. Sam at this point is tracing dotted letters. He is not at the point of writing a requested letter freehand. When he tries we often see him starting in the wrong area or making the letter in the wrong direction.

I determine many of Sam's fun unit studies using www.brainpopjr.com. These are short animated videos that teach the educational elements covered in a 1st-3rd grade curriculum. If Sam is interested in the topic, he is engaged in the video. Here is Sam watching the BrainPop video Exercise. I look for eye contact, acknowledgement of auditory cues and his overall attention span.

When I see Sam is interested in a topic we go to the library for books. We look up videos on Netflix or www.cosmeo.com. We do projects related to the topic and we have fun expanding on what the BrainPop video covered. We are finishing animal classifications and habitats and will be working on the Human Body next.

Math has always been a challenge with Sam. For the longest time he didn't like to count, didn't like to identify numbers and certainly didn't want to work with numbers. I worked with a lot of manipulatives, finding math in everyday situations (like # of plates needed to set the table) (how many grapes do you want to eat?) (Give Buddy 3 treats, he only ate 2, how many are left?) You get the idea. We then used large manipulatives and magnets for beginning addition. Sam has a one to one correspondence issue. His finger moves faster than his brain. So using something large to move or the resistance of the magnet allowed his brain to catch up. We now use the Kid Calc app on the Ipad and we do what NACD refers to as modular math. Here is a sample page and a couple of videos showing Sam doing his math.

We have a lot of work to do on math yet but I'm encouraged that he is making progress. Wait...that's another blessing!

To begin working on Sam's cross dominance issue we are working on his visual processing and also eye exercises such as hitting a ball extended on a string. Sam likes to hit it forward and back but struggles when the ball goes from side to side. We also use targets for the nerf gun and have him play basketball.

I use a button schedule for Sam to help guide him through his day. I put the buttons in a container, shake them up and then have him choose it and match it to the activity. The buttons are also part of a work box system to help organize Sam's materials.

For reading I use a variety of books and approaches. Due to Sam's cross dominance he requires a larger font and fewer words on a page in order to be successful at reading. Soooo...that made finding the right books difficult. Sam likes Arthur chapter books but the font is smaller and I need to blow these up on a copier to make them work for Sam. I have found a couple series of Scholastic books that work very well for Sam. The first is Discovering My World which corresponds nicely with the BrainPop videos.

I like these books because they have a single line of text on each page in a large font. The pictures are large and well done. The topics are interesting and engaging without going overboard. The books are written at about a second-third grade level and they teach the child about 5 major points on each topic.

My next favorite is the Welcome Books. These books also have large and interesting photos. The text is large and there is only a couple of sentences on each page.

I was recently excited to find another line of books at our library that also correspond well with the BrainPop video series. These are Lightening Bolt books.

They have vivid pictures, large font and just a few sentences per page. These are great books to also work on speech/language as you talk about the pictures shown.

I also record books on tape for Sam, again I Sammy-ize it. I use Henry and Mudge books and change the characters to Sam and Buddy. This way I don't need to make up stories I can just use the Henry and Mudge stories but peak Sam's interest by bringing him into the story.

Sam's absolute favorite books continue to be...books about Sam, go figure. NACD refers to these as Experience Books. The Experience Book pictured below is part of a series of books I put together regarding Sam's road trip this summer. I also use this same format to put review books together for Sam. Right now I am working on his animal classification and habitat book, using a single page for each animal and 5 good points to know about that animal. These books require some computer savy but they are relatively inexpensive to put together. I use 65 lb. cover stock, print the pictures and text from my computer and then put the pages into 8x8 scrapbook filler sheets. You can often buy these in lots inexpensively on Ebay. I laminate the front and back cover, punch holes and secure the pages together with pipe cleaners. Sam loves to read books about himself and his adventures. These books also allow him to share with his friends and family details about his trips. He reads the text and then can talk about the pictures. It has always been difficult for Sam to share because of his delayed speech.

To check Sam's reading comprehension we often play a treasure hunt game. I use old containers and hide messages through out the house. In Sam's case the treasure hunt normally leads him to a favorite snack. We work on Sam's fine motor skills as he opens the different types of containers (jars, toothbrush holder, travel soap dish, travel shampoo bottle...). He then reads the clue and has to follow the instruction. I try not to assist with the reading beyond pointing to the words or having him read it a 2nd or 3rd time. Doing something like this makes reading go from word identification to something more functional. He needs to read, think about it, remember it and act on it. Some days our treasure hunt goes quickly and others he struggles with comprehension and memory but he always loves to play.

I tend to use a variety of grade level books to get ideas. Sam isn't a huge fan of worksheets so I try to incorporate the ideas in ways that are more Sam friendly. Here are some of the books I browse for ideas.

Here is one of the reading ideas from the book. They had a printed story and questions.

I then take this idea and Sammy-ize it. Yep, that's my technical terminology. So I take the same story but make it about Sam and Buddy, which Sam would rather read about. I write it out on a white board (much more Sam friendly than paper and it allows me to increase the text size and spacing) and I make the questions multiple choice, circle the answer and verbal. Even though Sam struggles with writing it doesn't mean he is unable to do this type of work, it just has to be modified to work for him. So here is Sam's version of the same thing.

Here is another example of working with the beginning sounds of words. The book showed this idea.

And then I Sammy-ize it by putting it on a white board and using magnets that Sam can move to complete the words. So it looks like this:

Sam loves magnets and we remove the task of writing by using the magnetic letters instead.

In spelling we work on spelling things that are important to Sam, like his name. I now use a magnetic picture holder to attach pictures of family members, our house (so Sam can do our address), and items he would like to buy at the store so he can work on a shopping list.

One of my favorite science books because of all the cool projects and the fact that I can usually Sammy-ize them is this one:

We also do fun unit study's like "From Grub to Ladybug". Sam liked watching his ladybugs go from a grub to a chrysalis to a ladybug. We have also done the same with butterflies and will work on creating and observing an ant farm next.

I picked up these kits on sale at Shopko, all of them were less than $5.00 each. The really cool part of Ladybug land was that the top was a magnifying glass so you could see the grubs and lady bugs up close and personal.

I struggled for a long time with art projects for Sam because of his sensory issues he didn't like anything that got him dirty or was sticky or required glue or a scissors. I now found a cool little device called the Crayola Cutter which allows Sam to cut much the same way he would use a pencil or marker. After much work on sensory issues Sam has now become comfortable with paint and play dough. He enjoys creating his own masterpieces, telling me what they are and then displaying them on the refrigerator. Here is Sam creating.

And here is Sam showing his wonderful creation called "Beautiful Waterfall".

Now we also do field trips. Since September we have gone to Discovery World museum in Milwaukee. Sam loved how the water entered into the aquarium area.

He also loved to watch the jellyfish and didn't seem to appreciate my asking him where SpongeBob and Patrick were?

He really liked the same exact area that Ben was always fascinated by...the pulley and lever area. He got a pretty good workout lifting himself up in this chair. Not easy with Sam's low tone.

He also liked the atomic reactor area. I was so excited to see him listen to the computer and press the button when they told him to. Listening is a skill we are still working on.

Sam's absolute favorite part was of course eating lunch at the top of the museum on the deck overlooking Milwaukee and Lake Michigan.

Through our family support program we have a membership to the Milwaukee County Zoo so Sam can see his beloved otters. Of all the animals at the zoo, Sam is fascinated by the otters. Considering how much they move, swim and dive...I can understand his fascination.

He could sit there all day if you let him...

but we had other things to see, animals to classify and habitats to check out. Another fun area for Sam was of course...the zoo train ride.

He smiled from ear to ear again on this ride.

Sam loved the seal and sea lion show.

The show is entertaining and they keep things moving which helps to keep Sam interested.

Sam took this picture, he might just be a budding photographer.

Our final stop was at the butterfly pavilion. Unfortunately by this time Sam's hip was beginning to hurt and we had to end our day, head out to the car and allow Sam about 15 minutes to stretch out in the back seat before he was able to sit upright, put on his seatbelt and head back home.

We also purchased season tickets through our homeschool group to see the theater productions put on by First Stage Children's Theater. Our first play was Seussical and Sam loved it.

So...in between the medical stuff we have been keeping busy. Another blessing that has come our way through our Family Support program is a respite provider hired through College Nannies and Tutors. A couple of weeks ago a wonderful UWM student named Makenzie began taking Sam out and about around the community to give both he and I a much needed break. The break allows me to prepare Sam's homeschool program, run errands or just relax and it allows Sam to engage and have fun with someone besides Mom. Makenzie is studying to be a school psychologist and loves spending time with children with special needs. Sam really likes Makenzie and always looks forward to when she is coming. They have gone to the playground, on a hike, bowling, playing basketball and swimming at the YMCA, to the library and enjoyed the Port Washington marina. Makenzie comes 3 days a week for about 3 hours each time. I am so thankful that our wonderful case manager arranged this for us and that College Nannies and Tutors was able to find a perfect match for Sam and our family.

Sooooo, I have to say again...yes we have challenges and more than I thought we ever would but we also have blessings and for that I am thankful. Just the fact that after so many years Sam is finally working with me and we are enjoying his journey in learning together...that is a huge blessing for both of us. For my friends with children with special needs I hope I have given you some ideas and please, please feel free to ask me questions. I enjoy hearing from everyone!!

A few years' experience will convince us that those things which at the time they happened we regarded as our greatest misfortunes have proved our greatest blessings.
George Mason

Homeschooling With Sam!!

I didn't go into homeschooling because it is something I always wanted to do...it wasn't my passion. Sam had medical issues and immune system issues that made attending school very difficult. So after much pushing Ellen Doman, our NACD evaluator finally convinced me I could do it. First hurdle completed.

But then came the hurdle of Sam and I working together. This was more of a wall than a hurdle...and it was a really big wall. Sam is a great guy if you let him do what he wants to do and what he likes to do. Academics were not on Sam's top 20 list of things to do. Sam's inherent personality is pleasant but when asked to do something his response is simply "NO". Now let's take a "NO" boy and add in a mother that is not passionate about homeschooling and things can get ugly quickly.

I was comfortable going through the areas of Sam's NACD program that had to do with movement and I even quickly embraced flashcards...mainly because Sam liked them. But the academics presented so many difficulties for both Sam and I.

When I started homeschooling Sam was non-verbal. I found it really hard to continue to talk to, show, demonstrate things to a child that couldn't tell me if he understood any part of what I was saying. I had to rely on Sam's eyes, did he have that "I'm with you" look or was he somewhere far away. I had to rely on Sam's actions, was he moving toward me or away from me. Often times Sam would just move away. But that movement was communication...what you're doing doesn't interest me.

Another issue for me was when I thought about schooling I tended to refer to my public schooling experience. So I tried to create that in my home. Big mistake!!! Sam has never liked worksheets, he never has liked to sit at a table (unless he is eating) which now as I reflect back could have been an early indication of his hip issues. He is a hands on, make it fun and interesting type of guy. Oh yeah, and remember my auditory channel doesn't work all that well so I'm pretty much a visual kind of guy.

But as much as I failed in my early years of homeschooling...it really wasn't failure...because I was learning how to work with Sam. He was showing me what was going to work and what wasn't going to work.

Now add in Sam's hearing issues and the puzzle of working with Sam becomes even more complicated. Sam didn't respond to questions appropriately. Hmmm let me refer back to my school days. Teacher asks question, student responds inappropriately...teacher assumes the student doesn't know the answer. That would normally be the case...but then along comes Sam. Sam's auditory processing has been a struggle, add a hearing issue and the struggle becomes more intense. For the first 6 years of Sam's life, before he got his hearing aid, he attempted to guess at what people were saying. He maybe picked up on the last couple of words in a sentence but often his ability to hear and then understand was pretty much hit n miss. Now along with the hearing issue which affected his receptive speech abilities, Sam also struggled with expressive speech. Sam often knows an answer but can't pull out the right word or any word for that matter. I figured this out when NACD asked me to use word banks with stories and suddenly by glancing at the words Sam's ability to answer correctly went up significantly.

Now add in Sam's health and physical issues and Sam quickly becomes a very interesting child to educate. But if you have followed my blog you already know...I'm not one to back away from a challenge. We recently went to our NACD evaluation and I was thrilled that Sam's auditory processing was at a five but I also knew that it meant Ellen would check his dominance. I have always felt that Sam was cross dominant like his brother Ben since he exhibited many of the same struggles in reading and writing. Sam and Ellen quickly confirmed my suspicions. Yee Ha, another challenge. My signature for my email previously read, Sue Mayer, Mom to Sam (10) with Down syndrome, Brain Injury, Apraxia, Dysphagia, Respiratory/Immune Issues, Bi-Lateral Conductive Hearing Loss and now Hip Dysplasia & Perthes or as I like to say "Yada, Yada, Yada". It was my way of saying that Sam's labels do not define who Sam is...but I just couldn't add another one, so instead I changed my signature to Sue Mayer, Mom to Sam (10) who is genuine, unique and perfectly "Sam". I like that better.

My homeschooling over the years has become scheduled but not rigid. I changed out paper for white boards and magnets until Sam showed me he was ready for paper again. I have dealt with behavior issues, including complete non-compliance, hiding program items, tears, temper tantrums, choosing time out and an intentional lack of focus. I have struggled with my own demons of procrastination, lack of interest, lack of energy...just plain lacking. I am guilty of trying to find the perfect curriculum only to find that Sam will lead the pace, Sam will determine the interest and the curriculum that works for him will have to be tailored to him. I have tried the approach of "it's my way or the highway"...Sam quickly chose the highway.

And all along Sam was trying to tell me, show me, demonstrate to me that I needed to follow his lead...I needed to listen to him...I needed to understand him. If you would have asked me two years ago how Sam is doing with math, I would have told you it is non-existent and there is not enough medication in the world for me to tackle that subject with him. I bought the coolest manipulatives in the world and watched him hide them, shove them down a hole to the basement, feed them to the dog and throw them in the garbage. Sam hated numbers, he didn't want to count, he didn't want to recognize that a number was a quantity...he drew a line in the sand and dared me each and every day to cross it. But I just kept crossing that line. I tried new things, I tried old things, I used videos, sand, chalk, clay, magnets but each and every day we counted something, we tried something and gradually the light came on and Sam began to embrace this math concept. It's still slow but we are making progress...we didn't give up.

It isn't until I have a day like I did a couple of weeks ago that I finally realize the progress we have made. My love for and interaction with NACD often shows me the superstar kids. The ones that began speaking in full sentences when they were toddlers, the boys and girls that are having complete conversations by the time they are 7, the boys that are playing in Little League and competing on teams with their peers. I am happy for each of them but at the same time my heart still hurts for Sam.

And then he surprises me. The other week Sam and I were both sick. Now in the past Sam would have been happy to lay in bed and watch TV all day, he would have complained...no he would have staged a revolt if I suggested we do any program. But this time, Sam felt better before I did and as I lay in bed trying to get rid of a fever Sam pulled my blanket down and said "Mom, come here...come here now!" I just wanted to curl up in a little ball with my warm blankets around me and sleep but I've never been able to ignore Sam. We walked into our parlor where Sam now sleeps and I thought we were going to snuggle and watch a movie but Sam had different plans. Sam handed me his handwriting sheets and his DVD and said "Mom, Sam make better B's". You could have knocked me over with a feather. I put in the DVD and Sam said "Thank you Mom, Bye now". I walked out of the room thinking "Who was that child", maybe my fever is high enough that I'm hallucinating. I crawled back in bed only to be awakened a few moments later by Sam with more letters he felt he needed to work on. When he was done with his letters he called me again asking for his BrainPop movies. I was now sure my fever was getting the best of me. After his movie Sam was back in my room, pulling on my covers and demanding me to go with him. I shuffled through the front room and kitchen and followed him into the laundry room. Sam said, "Mom, Sam fold". As I got the clothes out of the dryer Sam laid out his Flip N Fold on the living room floor. I piled the laundry next to him and he told me to "Go bed, Mom". I was happy to comply.

A short time later Sam was back and wanting to do his words on PowerPoint. I began to say out loud "Who are you and what have you done with my child?" When he showed up with his math notebook I was sure my child had been abducted by aliens. At noon Sam plopped his gluten free bread and the peanut butter and jelly on to my bed. He came within inches of my face and said "Mom, sandwich please". I dragged myself out of bed yet again, shuffled to the kitchen and began to make his lunch. Sam suddenly whistled and said "Mom, listen", I said "Okay, I'm listening". Sam said "cow, dog, horse", "now you say". I began to chuckle, my little man, my dear, sweet, precious little man was now giving me sequences. I replied "cow, dog, horse". Sam smiled and said "Good job". I handed him his lunch, he smiled, said his prayer and then yelled "Everyone eating!" I walked back to my room, crawled into bed, folded my hands and thanked God for showing me just how far we have come.

"The difficulties you meet will resolve themselves as you advance. Proceed, and light will dawn, and shine with increasing clearness on your path."
Jim Rohn

All Play and No Work...I Don't Think So & The Amazing Ipad

If you read my last post you know Sam and I were chilling in Winneconne. With such a peaceful environment and no interruptions I just couldn't resist working on a few things with Sam. The first video shows a typical conversation between Sam and I. He's definitely talking more and getting better at staying on topic but active listening still eludes him.

You'll notice he begins the video with a beautiful 5 word sentence. However, we have worked with Sam on the "I want" sentence for a long time. It is a memorized block of information. As he goes further along you will see his spontaneous conversation drop to 1 to 3 words. He then attempts the word refrigerator which I don't get on the first try and ask him to repeat, he adds a few more syllables and points allowing me to figure out what he is saying. He then speaks something that we would normally think but not verbalize as he walks himself through getting the orange juice out of the refrigerator. This happens quite often with Sam as he replays the steps of what he needs to do out loud.

The bump on the head does not stop him from his mission. I was surprised he did not yell at the refrigerator and hit it for bumping him in the head, (yep, that happens alot). He will yell at and hit a chair, or a curb, or a wall that somehow jumps out in front of him and causes him some type of injury. I can remember when he tripped over Ben's shoe and went after the shoe and the owner with a vengeance. He did yell at the soda to stay, so I guess that made up for it.

Sam is not wearing his hearing aid in this sequence because it was hot and I was cleaning and changing the battery. He hears the siren and immediately decides it's a police car. He then switches the conversation to Daddy and pizza, Daddy at work, Daddy, McDonalds. Please understand Sam has an obsession with fast food restaurants that he likes to visit and have a bottle of water or diet soda, since he can't eat much at them. When you drive by he always tells you what restaurant he sees, usually can connect an appropriate food item and always tells you "Yummy". I am convinced that 90% of Sam's conversations center around food.

In Sam's next sentence he talks about his sister Danielle going to Erin's, no a movie. We then piece together that Danielle and Erin are going to a movie.

After this you will notice how Sam has to be stopped to listen, otherwise he will continue to talk at you. Do you want to even try to guess how often I hear the word "Mom" in a day, or how about in 5 minutes??

I ask Sam where he is which kind of throws him off, so he repeats what I say a common "Sam" reaction. He goes with house and then correctly tells me it's grandma's house so I introduce the word cottage to him. We then have a nice exchange about Aunt Wendy and the pool. He then trys to tell me that it's Wendy's turn to go on the slide but comes out with Yay Yay instead of Wendy, since that name isn't in his everyday vocabulary. Sam changes the conversation to a lifeguard which still keeps him in the pool conversation.

He then becomes distracted by a commercial, a common occurrence. Sam can sing 1-800-588-2300, E m p i r e, he will let you know when a Walmart commercial is on, he commonly sings the beginning songs to shows like ICarly, SpongeBob, 2 1/2 Men.

Sam also lives to knock on doors and have people tell him to "come in". Sam will say everyday that "It's good to be home". This started shortly after I began homeschooling him, I think it was God's way to provide daily encouragement for me. This is all pretty good for a child that was labelled non-verbal early on, made only noises and 1 speech sound and has a hearing impairment. We still have a long way to go but we are definitely making progress.

The next two videos show me working with Sam on various areas. Click on the links provided to view them, they just didn't seem to want to upload to blogger so we improvise. The first one begins with Sam's money identification skills. The white incline board you see is worth it's weight in gold to work with Sam. I bought it from the Learning Store. It is made by http://www.copernicused.com/, it is magnetic and a white board and Sam loves it. The magnets I am using are from my favorite magnet resource besides Ebay, http://www.dowlingmagnets.com/ they have everything magnetic.

Sam struggles a little with the next area which is phonics. Sam often confuses the letters d, b, p, q which as my older son informs me is all the same letter it just depends on which way you flip it. He will also say "was" when reading "saw", and yawns and repositions himself a lot when reading. These were all the same signs we saw with Ben when he was diagnosed Dyslexic or cross dominant. This could be yet another struggle Sam will face but in my life we only take it one day at a time so we are not going to dwell on that right now. Nah, I have enough to worry about already...right God???

The letter magnets are also from Dowling Magnets and the picture magnets are from the Learning Store. Sam then works on his reading and comprehension to match the appropriate magnet with each sentence.

From there we move on to the most amazing teaching tool I have purchased to date....the Ipad. Sam learned how to master the Ipad in about 5 minutes of use. Sam has fought me tooth and nail on math from Day 1. No way, no how, ain't doing it, not even trying until........the Kid Calc app. on the Ipad. Praise the Lord!!! You can decide what math facts to work on. Sam is shown doing addition and subtraction, numbers 1-5. I want to note that Sam was not at the top of his game while doing his math, but I think it is important to show Sam's good times and bad times. I don't try to catch the best of the best on video. I think it is important for people to see what it is really like to work with Sam. On this day he decided he liked the "bong" sound of the wrong answers. I knew what he was doing because I have worked with him on this app. I know he can do these but some times that "bong" sound is just calling his name. I love this app because it has built in intensity. It shows Sam a problem, he sees a manipulative to help him figure out and then he can choose from 4 answers. The problem is then reviewed and it reveals a portion of a picture. Sam continues on because he wants to see what the picture is and the next one and the next one. I have even caught him doing math without being asked...HALLELUJAH!!! Video link: http://s737.photobucket.com/albums/xx17/suelmayer/?action=view&current=2010-07-15091152.mp4

We use the free, yes that's right I said "F R E E" ABA flash cards to work on Sam's receptive language. He hears them and repeats them. There are a lot of flash card packs which include the following topics: zoo, eat, actions, alphabet, fruits & nuts, play, vehicles, vegetables, shapes, wear, instruments, sports, science, function and packs that ask questions about items. These packs show 3 items and then ask, "Find the item you would drive" when the child taps on the motorcycle, children cheer "YEAH, you did it" and it goes on to the next set. These cards are beautifully done, just the image, not a lot of background and words I haven't necessarily already covered with Sam. He's expanding his vocabulary.

Next you see him practicing his letter writing and spelling on iWriteWords. Love this app too! The sounds, the way it shows them how to make the letter and then the built in intensity of dropping the letters down the drain. Cool!

I had difficulty uploading videos to blogger so the two apps I just talked about got cut off. Here is the remainder of Sam working with his Ipad. Link for video: http://s737.photobucket.com/albums/xx17/suelmayer/?action=view&current=Sammy2trimmed.mp4

Sam then chooses Build a Word from Word World. This is a cute app that asks him to spell a word, push it together to form the item and then shake the Ipad for the next one.

Another favorite app is Keynote because I can take the PowerPoint presentations I made on my computer and load them on the Ipad making them fully portable. Can you feel the excitement??? This rocks. I don't have to re-enter everything again. I can also make new presentations on the go. Thank heavens, I got a degree in Marketing and Communications because so much of Sam's education relies on me to be creative, resourceful and innovative. Very much like a focus group, Sam lets me know when I've done a great presentation and when I need to head back to the drawing board and try again. I think he's a tougher critic than most!!

Sam works first on an Experience Book/stories about Sam and then works on the 300 list of the 1000 most commonly used words in the English language. In order to keep his attention we put photos of his family in between the words.

Sam's favorite games are Froggy Jump, DoodleJump, Labyrinth, Skee-ball, StuntCar, Dora, Diego Snow, Animatch and the ever favorite Monkey Divin.

Sam is so quick at Animatch that we had to go with another concentration game called Memory which uses both words and pictures. I love to use Doodle Buddy for quick scripting and written directions. No need to find the magnetic board or pen and worry about erasing. You can write on Doodle Buddy and erase with a shake of the Ipad. I also purchased Utalk teaching English. This app reviews many aspects of the English language and provides Sam with some great practice words, phrases, time and numbers. We tend to chuckle when we come across things like gent's bathroom instead of men's room and cheers. It has a lot of interactive games that Sam enjoys so it works for him. Another neat app to check out is Going Places which shows pictures and social stories for going to the hairdresser, mall, doctor, playground, grocery store and restaurant. It is FREE.

I will try to do another post showing Sam working on some of the other educational apps. and some new ones we are about to try.

Sam also likes to view all the photos we have loaded and he will practice his speech as he talks about them. Cool benefit I never even imagined. He can listen to music and watch movies from Netflix. We have loaded two of his favorite movies on the Ipad so he can view them without a Wifi connection. Sam loves "Like Mike" and "Wild Hogs". I can't even tell you how many DVD's I have purchased of those two that Sam has conveniently lost or wrecked. Now they are both on his Ipad for good. I just haven't shown him the video button but I'm sure he'll figure that out soon. Sam's Ipad has a protective case and because he likes it so much he takes very good care of it. In fact, we are going to be working on a behavioral issue since he seems a little territorial about the Ipad and he needs to share...especially with Mom.

I have my calendar on it, contacts and some of my own favorite games. The Ipad reduces Sam's stimming because he is more actively engaged, it removes the stimming in the car or when he is bored. It is a great incentive and motivator. Unlike some toys or electronics Sam really works on the Ipad apps, he doesn't jump from one to the next. He spends time on each one he goes on to... he is actively learning. The Ipad does not replace my teaching Sam one on one. We still need to generalize, show him, demonstrate in other ways so that his learning is not just keyed into the Ipad. I don't want him to know how to do math on an Ipad but not be able to count money, tell time, or realize that 2 apples plus 2 more apples is a total of 4 apples. On new apps or the math app I had to first sit with him, encourage, assist and let him see how to properly do the app. The cost of the Ipad seemed high to me but it is a computer with full computer capabilities along with wonderful portability. I...okay WE...LOVE THE IPAD!!!!

A Day in the Life...Continued

I'm often asked what a "Day in the Life" looks like for Sam and I. Sam is currently homeschooled due to respiratory and immune system issues. Soooooo....I was not one of those parents that had dreamed and inspired to homeschool my children, to be honest I went into it kicking and screaming. But the good news is that I am happy that I did and I like; even love many things about homeschooling which I will try to show here. I currently have one child in public school, one in private school and one homeschooled with some extra curricular in school activities.

I'm also asked many questions about supplements, the SCD diet and our NACD program. I'll see if I can hit on those too. Now, before I get started please understand that this will be a long post. I've never been a person who is short on words but hopefully I'll answer some questions and give some ideas along the way. Also keep in mind, that this is one day and that doesn't mean that this is what every day looks like. Some parts remain the same, some change due to outside therapies, sometimes I have to go to work and sometimes Sam is not feeling well which means we snuggle and he sleeps a lot.

My day usually begins at about 5:45 a.m. when my husband, Jeff gets up for work. I wake up Ben, our now 15 year old (Happy Birthday, Ben) and he eats breakfast. We do any last minute studying and he gets on the bus at about 6:45. Then it's time to get Danielle up, fed and on the bus by 7:35. Usually Sam is waking up by about this time. Now here is one of my favorite parts of homeschooling at least in regards to Sam. I let Sam wake up on his own, he's really not the kind of guy that likes to get woken up...honestly the attitude is much more cheerful when he decides it is time to get moving. I also think it is important to let him get extra sleep if he has not been feeling well. Sam wakes up and gives me my morning hug and kiss....wouldn't trade that for anything. We turn on and put on his bone conduction hearing aid hat. Sam drinks his first dose of vitamins which includes Brain Link, coconut kefir milk, distilled water and a little splash of orange juice. He will normally watch a little bit of television while I prepare his program stuff, feed the dog and take him outside, clean anything leftover in the kitchen and prepare Sam's breakfast. Sam's meals are usually based on the concept of protein, fruit and vegetable. I try to stay away from processed foods but do use some gluten free products occasionally. Sam is on a version of the Specific Carbohydrate Diet because of his immune/respiratory issues, his build up of yeast from antibiotic use and to help heal his digestive tract. I say a version, because we have added some foods back into Sam's daily diet based on his ability to tolerate them. For breakfast today Sam is having a banana, some raw green beans and carrots, a small bowl of gluten free rice cereal with goat milk and 2 minimally processed nitrate free turkey sticks. We pray before each meal and usually touch on a Bible lesson at this point. When Sam has finished breakfast he has a cup of applesauce with his 2nd set of vitamins which includes, CoQ10, Vitamin C, & D for his immune system, Prevacid for reflux, grapefruit seed extract, garlic & an enzyme for his digestive tract, gingko biloba & 3 Speak supplement capsules. Sam is very good at swallowing his supplements with apple sauce because he has learned his food tastes way better when Mom doesn't have to hide supplements in it.

Sam goes up to his room to get dressed and the TV is turned off. He and I usually touch on the calendar and talk a little about the weather outside. Because of Sam's apraxia, I sometimes script his speech for him. So for example, I say "Sam, how does the weather look today", I will then write on his board "It's cloudy, maybe it will snow", he reads this and I act as if he has said it and respond. "That would be great, we could take a walk in the snow". Always, always trying to help him pull out and use his speech appropriately.

We then start our NACD program. Now I'm going to warn you that our NACD program this round is a bit lengthy and we are in the process of figuring out what will work and not work into our day. Also keep in mind that this program is individualized to Sam's needs as are all NACD programs. When I started NACD with Sam everything was centered around play and he often didn't realize that he was working on his program he just thought we were playing. But Sam's processing has come up and a more scheduled day is necessary to help him meet his new goals. Don't get me wrong we still play a lot but we also have some structured time to help move his skills along. My NACD coach suggested I put my program activities on little sticky notes that I can move from one side of the table to the other as I complete parts of program. I like this because it allows me to quickly look at what needs to be done and to easily put physical aspects in between to break up some of the academic work.

Yep, that's a lotta sticky notes. We usually start with something physical to get us up and moving so I decided to do the deep pressure to Sam's legs and feet and then jump on the little trampoline. We are still working on getting Sam to jump, he will jump into a pool but not really just jump on a floor. Then we move over to the computer, one of Sam's favorite things. We start by working on the 1000 most commonly used words in the English language, inputting about 15 new per week and reviewing the old. To help keep Sam's attention I put pictures of his family in between and we talk about the picture...always working on that speech.

Also on this same PowerPoint presentation are his dot cards to help him identify amounts at a glance and his addition flashcards. We are currently working on inputting so I show him the dot card, tell him the amount and move to the next one. I love using PowerPoint because I never have to worry about misplacing my cards and I can make changes as needed. We tend to go through new words twice and the review words once. But this process is repeated a second time later in the day. After this we run over to the punching bag, roll our big spongy dice, read the number and punch the bag that many times.

Then it is back to the computer to work on some reading. One of our fellow NACD families had scanned in some of the stories from a Level 3 reader and added some great pictures so we read those onscreen. Sam is still not comfortable reading the Level 3 readers from the books, I think the amount of text on a page and the size of the text makes it difficult for him to track and he becomes tired and frustrated. But when the text is onscreen you can enlarge it, show one line at a time and highlight the words as you go. Sometimes with Sam it's not his inability to do something it's figuring out how to make it work for him. After reading we usually move on to Zoodles.com or Webber HearBuilder Following Directions. He loves both of these because he is playing games and doesn't seem to realize the important areas we are working on. After 10 to 15 minutes it is time to get some exercise and play WII tennis, great for hand/eye coordination. I still need to assist Sam hand over hand but each time we play he begins to participate more and more. We are also working on bowling and baseball.

Then it is on to some speech activities. I place sticky notes on 4 items in one room, Sam has to locate them and then we talk about what the item is, who's it is, where it is and what it is used for. If Sam has difficulty answering we use our scripting again to help him along. We move on to some trigeminal stimulation and facial stimulation to wake up those muscles in the face. Then sitting in front of a mirror we practice moving both the left and right side of our mouth with a little, OOOO & EEEEE work. Because of Sam's brain injury the right side of his body is a little weaker than the left
side so we work on toning up both sides. We then move on to some oral motor exercises, he watches me move my tongue up behind my front teeth, then down behind my lower front teeth, putting my tongue into my cheeks, puckering, smiling and a few others and he trys those activities himself. We then work on our functional words and phrases with a lot of emphasis on proper articulation. This can get boring for Sam so sometimes I add my own funny faces to the oral motor part or I ask him to repeat the words into the tape recorder or to Dad on the phone or to his dog Buddy. Buddy will normally reward him with a big old wet kiss. We usually break into something physical again like a WII game, trampoline, punching bag or practicing connecting Buddy's leash and taking him for a walk around the circle.

We then return for a math computer game, one of my current favorites is Reader Rabbit Preschool through 1st Grade. Math is not one of Sam's favorite areas so we are still working on the basics. This computer game has a lot of fun activities that if I tried with Sam on paper or with manipulative's he would fight me but he will work on the different areas in this game. Again this was another area that we had to figure out what was going to work with Sam. Please don't get the idea that everyday is a smooth running operation because it's not but each day we get a little bit better at figuring out how to work together and still make it kinda fun. We also have a math game called Stomp that requires Sam to step or stomp on the button which causes the numbers to fly off and then he has to listen and replace the numbers in the right order. We have not moved to the higher functions of that game yet.

We introduce 20 new receptive language cards to Sam a week. I love printing off the free flash cards from the ESL (English as a second language) websites. Due to Sam's hearing issues he has not always picked up on the words people use around him. He needs to have new words introduced to him with good articulation and a visual or picture. When I went to a deaf and hard of hearing conference they emphasized the need to introduce common items found in a child's everyday environment in a way that they can understand. For some children it is through sign, others may need to read the word and for Sam the picture and written word seems to be the best approach. We are basically working to expand his understanding of his environment and to expand his speech. Sam understands what a table is but now we are working on coffee table, corner table, kitchen table, night stand...more advanced receptive language. Just think about the speech you use everyday, couch, sofa, love seat, chaise, davenport...all talking about the same thing but Sam needs to be introduced to each of them and realize they are different ways of talking about the same thing.

We do a lot of written directions with Sam. Here is an example of a list he reads through himself and then performs each step while we get ready for lunch. When he has completed a step we check it off, which is one of Sam's favorite parts. Sam's comprehension when reading a book is not as good as his comprehension when he is reading and doing his written instructions. I'm hoping that as we continue to work on things like written instructions, read and do, treasure hunt he will begin to improve his book comprehension. It just demonstrates that Sam's comprehension needs to be tested in other ways, ways that make sense and work for him.

An area Sam loves is fun unit studies. I've shown what those have looked like before on my blog when we were studying about animals. The idea behind a fun unit study is to take something your child is interested in and learn everything you can about it. Dive into it, explore it, enjoy it. It has always been interesting to me how we tend to work in so many different areas of learning (math, geography, social studies...) just by learning more about something Sam is already interested in. This is definately another one of the areas I love about homeschooling!!!

An area we work on each day is auditory and sequential processing. I can't stress this activity enough. Why??? Because here are the areas auditory and sequential processing help with:

Academics (students with strong processing skills demonstrate high academic skills)
Emotional maturation
Communication and language
Comprehension
Learning
Self-efficacy
Concentration
Attention span
Creativity
Decision-making
Alertness
Problem solving
Reasoning (correlates high, .8 to .9 with working memory)
Multi-tasking

Sam is currently at a 5 in processing, meaning I can name 5 things with a second in between, I then put 7 picture cards out and he has to choose those 5 things in the order that I gave them. Please find out more and check your own processing for free on NACD's The Project Website, http://www.nacdtheproject.com/. As you test your own processing you can learn how to do visual and auditory sequencing with your child.

As you may have noticed this does not cover all the sticky notes you saw, some of the activities are repeated numerous times and some of the sticky notes are reminders of behavior modifications such as redirecting all sensory play or enforcing time out for non compliance. This is the structure we try to work on. Some days Sam has therapies which alter/move and in some cases eliminate different portions of program, some days we have wonderful compliance and some days not so good compliance. When Sam is ill we slow down or don't do any program. And some days life happens and we don't get much done but by organizing and having a plan we have something to work toward each day. The sticky notes are more for me than Sam...I need a schedule, I'm too easily distracted. I also need to set short term goals to help me work into and maintain our homeschool program. The underlying structure keeps me motivated and organized, Sam's mood, interests and motivation determine the day to day.

By lunchtime the majority of our program that we are going to complete that day is done. Sam will eat a lunch of nitrate free hot dogs or some type of healthy protein, sugar free ketchup, cucumbers, dip and an orange and he will take his last set of vitamins which consists of one more Speak capsule, zinc and Longvida Curcumin. Snacks are usually turkey sticks, fresh vegetables with dip, fruit smoothie, fresh vegetable juice, Organic Coconut Bliss Ice Cream, popcorn, fruit, organic blue chips... The afternoon is spent running errands, reading a book together, house chores (Sam likes to take out the garbage, empty the dishwasher, fold clothes, gather the laundry and he works on cleaning up his toys with a little encouragement), going to the library or some field trip, sometimes we just watch some TV or take a walk. Sam will now be attending a gym class twice a week in the afternoon at the public school. I try to have everything done with Sam by the time Ben returns home so I can focus my attention on working with him and getting Danielle to whatever practice or game she may need to go to.

Soooo, this is a glimpse of a "day in the life" for Sam and I. Although we have structure we also have a lot of flexibility on what we are studying or how, games can change, fun unit studies change and it is that ability to change, to try something different when something doesn't seem to be working that I and Sam most love about homeschooling. We have no set procedure, I was not taught to teach in any particular manner and in that lies the beauty of homeschooling and why Sam and I enjoying homeschooling. I spend time watching and learning from Sam how he learns, what works for him and I don't give up. He and I are in this together, in good times and bad, crabby days and happy days but always, always moving forward.