Padres, ¿alguna vez han mirado a su hijo pensaron: "wow, ese ser humano es una parte de mí." ¿No es una locura cómo, aunque, son una parte de usted, usted todavía tiene que aprenderlos? Usted les ayuda a construir su carácter, pero hay tantos factores que entran en qué tipo de persona se convierten. No son sus clones, pero es una cosa tan hermosa. Al igual que cuando conoce a alguien nuevo y lo conoce, también lo hace con su hijo. He aprendido que Gio es mucho más fuerte de lo que podría ser. Los desafíos que ha enfrentado y los obstáculos que ha superado pondría a alguien en una mentalidad pesimista, pero no Gio. Es una persona tan tranquila, paciente y cariñosa. En su mayor parte, es agradable y extremadamente feliz. No deja que nada le molesta. Si no es permanente, no le dará más atención de lo necesario. No es perfecto, por supuesto, pero es una inspiración. Los médicos nos dijeron que tendría un impedimento del habla. A la edad de cuatro años, comenzó a usar un dispositivo que esencialmente hablaría por él. Hacer clic en las imágenes y formar 2-3 frases de trabajo (en un buen día). Muchas veces solo hacía clic en una palabra y tendríamos que adivinar lo que quería. Algo que muchos padres dan por hecho, en mi opinión, es la comunicación con sus hijos. Es algo que pasa desapercibido porque es algo que simplemente sucede. No sucede durante la noche, pero gradualmente los niños empiezan a hablar y no tienes que vigilar a tu hijo para leer sus emociones. Usted no tiene que aprender que cuando hacen cierta cara o gesto usted tiene la tarea de saber que necesitan, pero continúan porque son impacientes para satisfacerlos. Usted no tiene que aprender cuando su hijo está entusiasmado con algo nuevo que descubrieron, pero se siente frustrado que no puede decirle a nadie. Usted no tiene que aprender a ser el lector de la mente de su hijo, así como el intérprete. No. Usted escucha a su niño quejarse, llorar, quejarse, gritar en la emoción, decirle algo nuevo, hablar con usted. La belleza de tener un niño con un retraso del habla (no un impedimento permanente del habla, de acuerdo a los médicos) es que usted aprende a leer a su hijo de una manera unica. Usted no sólo les enseña cómo ser, usted aprende quiénes son. He aprendido a leer a mi hijo. Nos comunicamos en silencio; y, aunque estoy enamorado de su voz, cabe mencionar que hemos tenido que crear un sistema para sobrevivir entre nosotros. También ha aprendido a conocerme. Él sabe lo que significan mis expresiones faciales. Gio puede leer mis emociones, así como las de cualquier otra persona. Tiene un carisma que atrae a la gente. Cualquiera que se encuentre con él ve lo especial que es, sólo por ser él, no por su discapacidad.
Gio comenzó el primer grado este año. No lloró. Caminó hasta la clase. Se emocionó cuando vio a sus amigos. Este hijo mío llegó incluso a casa hablando de cómo tenía una nueva novia. Sí, me dijo "Mamá, novia Sofía". Está hablando en frases de 2 a 3 palabras, lee cuentos y está aprendiendo inglés. Este último año ha sido el mayor año de crecimiento de Gio. Decir que ha madurado se siente como un eufemismo. Realmente se ha transformado. El niño que era antes y al principio de su diagnóstico era miserable y siempre se aislaba de la gente. Gio ahora le encanta hacer nuevos amigos, es generalmente feliz, y se expresa a lo mejor de su capacidad. Ahora puedo hacerle preguntas y él responderá verbalmente. Gio pedirá cosas sin aviso, como cuando quiere ir a comer McDonald antes de ir a casa. Él le dirá lo que hizo en la escuela o lo que quiere hacer cuando llegue a casa. "Película de Spiderman en casa, Mamá." En general, ver el crecimiento de este niño y ser parte de el ha sido increíble. Cada día me enamoro más de él. Estoy segura de que otros padres pueden relacionarse con la sensación de solo mirar a su hijo y preguntarse cómo tuvo tanta suerte de tener a este pequeño humano entrando en su vida. La paternidad es aterradora, pero siempre vale la pena. Gio usaba muchos ademanes. Siempre me encantó cuando él decia "Te amo" con sus manos. Ahora cuando le digo que lo amo, él me contesta igual. Y cuando digo "Te amo más Giovahnii", responde con, "Yo te amo, mamás!"
Tuesday, September 12, 2017
Monday, September 11, 2017
Te amo, mamás
Parents, have you ever looked at your child and just thought "wow, that human being is a part of me." Isn't crazy how, even though, they are a part of you, you still have to learn them? You help them build their character, but there are so many factors that go into what kind of person they become. They aren't your clones, but it's such a beautiful thing. Just like when you meet someone new and you get to know them, you do that with your child as well. I've learned Gio is so much stronger than I could ever be. The challenges he's faced and the obstacles he's overcome would put anyone in a pessimistic mind set, but not Gio. He's such a calm, patient, caring person. For the most part, he's easy going and extremely HAPPY. He doesn't let anything truly bother him. If it isn't permanent, he won't give it more attention than it needs. He's not perfect, of course, but he's such an inspiration.
Doctors told us he'd have a speech impediment. At the age of four, he started using a device that would essentially talk for him. He would click on pictures and form 2-3 work phrases (on a good day). A lot of times he would just click one word and we would have to guess what he wanted. Something a lot of parents take for granted, in my opinion, is communication with their children. It's something that goes unnoticed because it's something that just happens. It doesn't happen over night, but gradually kids start talking and you don't have to watch your child to read their emotions. You don't have to learn that when they make a certain face the task you gave them stresses them out, but they continue because they are eager to please. You don't have to learn when your child is excited about something new they discovered, but is frustrated that they can't tell anyone. You don't have to learn to be your child's mind reader as well as interpreter. No. You listen to your child whine, cry, complain, yell in excitement, tell you something new, speak to you. The beauty of having a child with a speech delay (not a permanent speech impediment, doctors) is that you learn your child. You don't just teach them how to be, you learn who they are. I've learned to read my child. We communicate in silence; and, although I'm in love with his voice, it doesn't take from the bond we've had to create to survive with each other. He's learned me, as well. He knows what my facial expressions mean. Gio can read my emotions, as well as anyone else's. He has a charisma that attracts people to him. Anyone who meets him sees how special he is, just for being him, not for his disability.
Gio started first grade this year. He didn't cry. He walked himself to class. He got excited when he saw his friends. This child of mine even came home talking about how he had a new girlfriend. Yes, he told me "Mamá, novia Sofia." He's talking in 2-3 word phrases, reads short stories, and is learning English. This last year has been the biggest year of growth for Gio. To say he's matured feels like an understatement. He's truly transformed. The child he was before and at the beginning of his diagnosis was miserable and always isolated himself from people. Gio now loves making new friends, is generally happy, and expresses himself to the best of his ability. I can now ask him questions and he will respond verbally. Gio will ask for things without prompt, like when he wants to go eat McDonald's before going home. He'll tell you what he did in school or what he wants to do when he gets home. "Spiderman movie en casa, Mamá."
Overall, to see this child's growth and to be a part of it has been amazing. Each day I fall more in love with him. I'm sure other parents can relate to the feeling of just looking at your child and wondering how you got so lucky to have this tiny human come into your life. Parenthood is scary, but it's always worth it. Gio use to sign a lot. I always loved when he would sign "I love you." Now when I tell him I love him he says it back. And when I say "Te amo más Giovahnii," he replies with, "Yo te amo, mamás!"
Doctors told us he'd have a speech impediment. At the age of four, he started using a device that would essentially talk for him. He would click on pictures and form 2-3 work phrases (on a good day). A lot of times he would just click one word and we would have to guess what he wanted. Something a lot of parents take for granted, in my opinion, is communication with their children. It's something that goes unnoticed because it's something that just happens. It doesn't happen over night, but gradually kids start talking and you don't have to watch your child to read their emotions. You don't have to learn that when they make a certain face the task you gave them stresses them out, but they continue because they are eager to please. You don't have to learn when your child is excited about something new they discovered, but is frustrated that they can't tell anyone. You don't have to learn to be your child's mind reader as well as interpreter. No. You listen to your child whine, cry, complain, yell in excitement, tell you something new, speak to you. The beauty of having a child with a speech delay (not a permanent speech impediment, doctors) is that you learn your child. You don't just teach them how to be, you learn who they are. I've learned to read my child. We communicate in silence; and, although I'm in love with his voice, it doesn't take from the bond we've had to create to survive with each other. He's learned me, as well. He knows what my facial expressions mean. Gio can read my emotions, as well as anyone else's. He has a charisma that attracts people to him. Anyone who meets him sees how special he is, just for being him, not for his disability.
Gio started first grade this year. He didn't cry. He walked himself to class. He got excited when he saw his friends. This child of mine even came home talking about how he had a new girlfriend. Yes, he told me "Mamá, novia Sofia." He's talking in 2-3 word phrases, reads short stories, and is learning English. This last year has been the biggest year of growth for Gio. To say he's matured feels like an understatement. He's truly transformed. The child he was before and at the beginning of his diagnosis was miserable and always isolated himself from people. Gio now loves making new friends, is generally happy, and expresses himself to the best of his ability. I can now ask him questions and he will respond verbally. Gio will ask for things without prompt, like when he wants to go eat McDonald's before going home. He'll tell you what he did in school or what he wants to do when he gets home. "Spiderman movie en casa, Mamá."
Overall, to see this child's growth and to be a part of it has been amazing. Each day I fall more in love with him. I'm sure other parents can relate to the feeling of just looking at your child and wondering how you got so lucky to have this tiny human come into your life. Parenthood is scary, but it's always worth it. Gio use to sign a lot. I always loved when he would sign "I love you." Now when I tell him I love him he says it back. And when I say "Te amo más Giovahnii," he replies with, "Yo te amo, mamás!"
Tuesday, December 6, 2016
Minor setback.
My last post was about how Gio had made it into regular kindergarten. He is almost four months in and he's made INCREDIBLE progress. Although we've had much to celebrate, he had a minor setback in July. We went to Mexico with my dad and brother and were there for about a week and a half. Previously, Gio was saying several words and using his talker frequently. One of the last days we were in Mexico my brother noticed that Gio no longer wanted to say words he knew very well. He stopped saying "gracias" and "mas," two of his most frequent words. He would cry when he needed something which was strange for him to do. He isolated himself from the rest of the family, as well, even though he had become such a social person. I dismissed it thinking he probably just missed home. When we finally did get home, these new habits didn't go away. I became worried because old habits were seeping through. He started panicking at situations he had become comfortable with. He stopped completely verbalizing any sounds and started humming them instead. I could barely get him to use his sign language. He was starting to show less interest in being social and it worried me because school was starting soon. I made an appointment with a psychologist to see if my fear of him being dually diagnosed with Autism had come true. She commented on his growth and was very impressed with the progress he had made, but she also noticed how he had no interest in being verbal. She took away my fear by ruling Autism out, that wasn't her concern. Her concern was that he was not motivated to be verbal and that we had learned him so well that he no longer felt the need to communicate with us. She said we needed to push him to talk again, children with down syndrome, as well as any other child, will usually stop doing certain things if they feel it is unnecessary. Why put in more work than is needed? I needed to put him back in speech therapy as soon as possible to give him the extra support he needed to be motivated. Thea idea of going through speech therapy again tired me because we had struggled so much with the last therapist not speaking Spanish that I felt it was a waste of time. The psychologist assured me we would find someone who would be bilingual and could give Gio what he needed. I agreed to be put back on the waiting list and went home feeling a little hopeless.
Gio started kindergarten in August. His first day was probably more rough on me than it was on him. The first week was actually hard. Once he saw how big his class was he didn't want to go back. He cried the first two weeks of school at drop off every day. It hurt me so much to see how much he didn't want to be there, but his teachers assured me that he was fine throughout the day. As the days went by, it got easier. Now I drop him and my sister off at the front door and he walks himself to his classroom. He has many friends and everyone in his classroom looks out for him. He is an excellent student from what his teacher has told me, as well as the class clown. He loves making the other kids in class laugh. All of this has completely diminished my fears I had of him struggling in school and being anti social (and having Autism creep up on us). The first couple weeks when he was struggling, his teacher asked if I didn't think the classroom setting was too much for him. I immediately said no, that he was capable of being successful there. I had my doubts though. I felt bad for possibly giving him too much stress or anxiety. I questioned if I had done the right thing. This wasn't the case at all. Gio is making more progress than was expected out of him. Continuing to prove everyone wrong.
Four months into the school year and Gio recognizes every letter in the Spanish alphabet. He knows his numbers up to 20, and they are learning numbers up to 50. He can add single digits and he can write his name. He can make all the sounds of the letters and I'm almost positive he is starting to read. He continues to be extremely social and loves school. In speech thereapy, he is working on putting the sounds of letters together and with some help he is forming words again. Gio's confidence is shining. I believe he wouldn't have made such progress had I given into other people's opinions of my son's capability and put him in special Ed. If I had given into my fear of putting too much pressure on him, he wouldn't be where he is right now. I admit I have my doubts at time, but I haven't ever given up on him.
Gio isn't only excelling at school, he's growing as an individual. Gio is independent and loves to learn how to do things around the house. He and I live alone and, although he makes his messes as every child does, he helps me so much. I've had several talks with him letting him know that he needs to help around the house and he cannot be lazy. He has responsibilities and there are expectations. He has to pick up after himself and put his dishes in the sink. Although I have to remind him to do these things, he does them with no hesitation. When I'm not feeling well or if I'm tired, I just say the word and he quietly watches a movie next to me in bed. He doesn't go wild while I sleep and he will even hug me or bring me a water to make me feel better. One Saturday morning, I told him I wanted to sleep in and he went to the living room to watch a movie. A few minutes later, though, he brought me "breakfast." He got a carton of juice and a pop tart and put them next to me and tucked me in and tapped my head and went back to the living room. Gio has such a great understanding of his environment and I truly believe he has a sixth sense when it comes to how people around him are feeling and what they need from him. If you've read any of my earlier blogs you'll know how hard it was to do anything with him. He had so many misconceptions of his environment and was so miserable that it made doing anything extremely difficult. Something as simple as running to the store for milk was dreadful for me. I hated leaving the house with him because I never knew what was going to trigger an outburst from him. Now that he is older, he is actually who I lean on for many things. We've grown together. I've helped him deal with his surroundings and he helps me stay grounded and patient. Gio has taught me so many things about myself and the world in general. I can't ever repay him for all he's done for me. All I can do, is help guide him to continue being the amazing, charismatic, and happy child that he is.
Gio started kindergarten in August. His first day was probably more rough on me than it was on him. The first week was actually hard. Once he saw how big his class was he didn't want to go back. He cried the first two weeks of school at drop off every day. It hurt me so much to see how much he didn't want to be there, but his teachers assured me that he was fine throughout the day. As the days went by, it got easier. Now I drop him and my sister off at the front door and he walks himself to his classroom. He has many friends and everyone in his classroom looks out for him. He is an excellent student from what his teacher has told me, as well as the class clown. He loves making the other kids in class laugh. All of this has completely diminished my fears I had of him struggling in school and being anti social (and having Autism creep up on us). The first couple weeks when he was struggling, his teacher asked if I didn't think the classroom setting was too much for him. I immediately said no, that he was capable of being successful there. I had my doubts though. I felt bad for possibly giving him too much stress or anxiety. I questioned if I had done the right thing. This wasn't the case at all. Gio is making more progress than was expected out of him. Continuing to prove everyone wrong.
Four months into the school year and Gio recognizes every letter in the Spanish alphabet. He knows his numbers up to 20, and they are learning numbers up to 50. He can add single digits and he can write his name. He can make all the sounds of the letters and I'm almost positive he is starting to read. He continues to be extremely social and loves school. In speech thereapy, he is working on putting the sounds of letters together and with some help he is forming words again. Gio's confidence is shining. I believe he wouldn't have made such progress had I given into other people's opinions of my son's capability and put him in special Ed. If I had given into my fear of putting too much pressure on him, he wouldn't be where he is right now. I admit I have my doubts at time, but I haven't ever given up on him.
Gio isn't only excelling at school, he's growing as an individual. Gio is independent and loves to learn how to do things around the house. He and I live alone and, although he makes his messes as every child does, he helps me so much. I've had several talks with him letting him know that he needs to help around the house and he cannot be lazy. He has responsibilities and there are expectations. He has to pick up after himself and put his dishes in the sink. Although I have to remind him to do these things, he does them with no hesitation. When I'm not feeling well or if I'm tired, I just say the word and he quietly watches a movie next to me in bed. He doesn't go wild while I sleep and he will even hug me or bring me a water to make me feel better. One Saturday morning, I told him I wanted to sleep in and he went to the living room to watch a movie. A few minutes later, though, he brought me "breakfast." He got a carton of juice and a pop tart and put them next to me and tucked me in and tapped my head and went back to the living room. Gio has such a great understanding of his environment and I truly believe he has a sixth sense when it comes to how people around him are feeling and what they need from him. If you've read any of my earlier blogs you'll know how hard it was to do anything with him. He had so many misconceptions of his environment and was so miserable that it made doing anything extremely difficult. Something as simple as running to the store for milk was dreadful for me. I hated leaving the house with him because I never knew what was going to trigger an outburst from him. Now that he is older, he is actually who I lean on for many things. We've grown together. I've helped him deal with his surroundings and he helps me stay grounded and patient. Gio has taught me so many things about myself and the world in general. I can't ever repay him for all he's done for me. All I can do, is help guide him to continue being the amazing, charismatic, and happy child that he is.
Monday, May 30, 2016
"The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones."
I've always known that my son is capable of so much more than what is expected of him. This could perhaps be the cause of my unwanted denial of his diagnosis. Gio is such a friendly child and shows a lot of eager to learn new things and to grow. When you see this sort of drive in your child is impossible to accept the opinion of others just because he has a disability. Planning for Gio's education hasn't been very easy. This was his last year of preschool and, even though I thought kindergarten was a matter of choice, it wasn't that simple.
Back in January I open enrolled Gio in a bilingual school in which my mom once taught at and my sister currently goes to. There a few reasons for this choice. The first is that I have always known that Gio understands Spanish more so than English. He understands English, obviously, but his comprehension is a lot higher in Spanish. The tablet that he uses to communicate is in Spanish and for the most part it seems it is the language he is most comfortable using. I don't want him to lose his Spanish; English will be learned regardless. The other reason is that my sister goes to that school. It may be the Mama Bear in me, but knowing my sister will be around gives me a sense of security knowing Gio will have someone to sort of lean on. Despite this, I want him to be as independent as possible. At a meeting I had with his team at his new school they offered to have my sister sit in with him the first few days of school and I refused because I don't want him to fully depend on my sister doing things for him. He's smart and if you let him he'll manipulate you so that he doesn't have to do anything, just like most kids his age.
Gio is very much like kids his age. He likes to play with cars, go to the park, play catch, watch movies, jump in puddles, etc. He is so much fun to be around and loves making people laugh. He brags about his dog, Eve, any chance he gets and he will ask for Mcdonald's anytime you ask him if he's hungry. All children have similarities as do they have differences. My child's difference is that he cannot verbally communicate. We barely started using his Talking Tablet to communicate and we have seen so much progress. He's opened up so much more. Gio has been able to show everyone willing to see the little boy I've always known he was. He has stepped out of his comfort zone and shown that he is capable of so much more outside of the special ed classroom; and that is where my difficulty with the school began.
For children with special needs, (a.k.a. those who have an IEP) it is necessary to discuss where they will go when they transition from preschool to kindergarten. There is a meeting parents have with the child's teachers as well as the special education team of that school district. We come together to discuss the child's needs and where he will be placed so that those needs are met and the child is most successful. According to my son's IEP that was done Sept. 2015 my son belonged in a classroom with intense support. After choice enrolling Gio at the bilingual school, the principal called me telling me I could not put Gio in that school because the school could not accommodate his needs as far as his IEP was concerned. I was so shocked and disappointed. What did they mean my son couldn't go to that school? Just because he has a disability? Seriously? I wanted to tell the principal that she was wrong, that my son was more than capable of being in a regular classroom. I called my mom and she explained the way things work in schools. Having a disability label on a child meant the school could really push their own educational agenda. Thankfully my mom knows how all this works and she knew the ins and outs. I studied my rights as a parent of a child with special needs and we asked for a meeting to discuss his kindergarten options. The first meeting was horrible. The special ed team pushed the fact that he needed to stay in a special ed classroom because his test results were so low, "severely below average" to be exact, that there wasn't any way he could function in a regular classroom. I did not accept this. I was not going to allow someone to dictate where my child would go without proving that that is where he would truly be successful. I asked for evaluations to be done in Spanish because that was a strongest language. Aside from that I mentioned that he used a device to communicate and part of the reason he failed the test that determines how ready he is for kindergarten is because he is not verbal. They had to find ways to evaluate Gio in a way that he could show his full potential. The potential I, as his mother, see day in and day out. I was not about to let them place my child in a classroom where he would not be challenged. The special ed director seemed to be annoyed and our persistence, but as is our right to ask for additional information, he had to provide this. He had to find a way for Gio to be evaluated on our terms. We scheduled a second meeting about a month out to give them time to test him and gather more evidence to support MY idea that he could function and be successful in a regular classroom. One day, after one of his evaluations his speech therapist called me and asked if I could go a little earlier to pick him up to speak with the bilingual SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) who evaluated Gio that day. I rushed over as soon as I could because the suspense was killing me. The SLP said Gio had done an amazing job. She expressed her joy at his excitement to work with her. Both the SLP and his speech therapist saw how eager he was to work with her when he heard her speak Spanish. He even went and grabbed his tablet from his backpack, even though he did not like using it at school. He scored higher in this test than he did in the English version and they were so happy to see the results.
Finally the day came for the second meeting. I was very excited about all the support his teachers showed, as well as a few people my mom had worked with in the past who knew us and Gio. The results of the evaluations spoke for themselves. The main evaluation proved Gio's greatest improvement. In the original test he scored a "severely below average" where as in the new one he was "just below average." This was so exciting to hear! To have your child's progress acknowledged and for his potential to be seen is indescribable. They were finally accepting what I already knew. My son was capable of learning next to his "normal" peers. There would be small accommodations needed of course, but he was accepted. I expressed to the team that I didn't mean to be a pain, but I know my son's potential and I want to kind of throw him out there so that he can truly grow. I feel like a classroom with too much support makes him lazy and I have very high expectations for Gio. I'm so grateful for the time his teachers took to make the evaluations happen on such short notice. My mom's aggressive persistence is also a big part of why this all was able to unravel the way it did. Her knowledge of the system really helped when it came to knowing what steps needed to be taken in order for this to happen. I truly believe Gio will be up to speed with his peers in time. I have no doubt in my heart that he will be successful. I have the mentality of raising my son to be a hard working, independent individual. Sure I could use his disability as an excuse to give him the easy path, a short cut, but what good would that do him? Is the goal not to raise our children to be full functioning adults of society? To be good people who contribute good things? What would a lazy child who depends on his mom and uses his disability as an excuse to have people do things for him contribute to society? And what's worse, what would this child do without his mom or anyone, for that matter, if he wasn't independent? This isn't about proving Gio is equal to a "regular" kid. This is to show Gio that if he wants something he can achieve it and I will always see his fullest potential. This is so that he knows nothing worth having comes easy. He will learn to be a hard worker and most importantly, if the time were to come that I am no longer around, Gio will know he can handle anything that comes his way independently. And what more could a parent give their child? Like the saying goes, "GIVE a man a fish and he will eat for a day, but TEACH a man to fish, and he will eat a lifetime." Some may think I put too much pressure on my son to do things for himself, but that is the greatest gift I could give him, independence and the will to want to work your hardest to earn what you want. Gio will know to believe in himself.
Back in January I open enrolled Gio in a bilingual school in which my mom once taught at and my sister currently goes to. There a few reasons for this choice. The first is that I have always known that Gio understands Spanish more so than English. He understands English, obviously, but his comprehension is a lot higher in Spanish. The tablet that he uses to communicate is in Spanish and for the most part it seems it is the language he is most comfortable using. I don't want him to lose his Spanish; English will be learned regardless. The other reason is that my sister goes to that school. It may be the Mama Bear in me, but knowing my sister will be around gives me a sense of security knowing Gio will have someone to sort of lean on. Despite this, I want him to be as independent as possible. At a meeting I had with his team at his new school they offered to have my sister sit in with him the first few days of school and I refused because I don't want him to fully depend on my sister doing things for him. He's smart and if you let him he'll manipulate you so that he doesn't have to do anything, just like most kids his age.
Gio is very much like kids his age. He likes to play with cars, go to the park, play catch, watch movies, jump in puddles, etc. He is so much fun to be around and loves making people laugh. He brags about his dog, Eve, any chance he gets and he will ask for Mcdonald's anytime you ask him if he's hungry. All children have similarities as do they have differences. My child's difference is that he cannot verbally communicate. We barely started using his Talking Tablet to communicate and we have seen so much progress. He's opened up so much more. Gio has been able to show everyone willing to see the little boy I've always known he was. He has stepped out of his comfort zone and shown that he is capable of so much more outside of the special ed classroom; and that is where my difficulty with the school began.
For children with special needs, (a.k.a. those who have an IEP) it is necessary to discuss where they will go when they transition from preschool to kindergarten. There is a meeting parents have with the child's teachers as well as the special education team of that school district. We come together to discuss the child's needs and where he will be placed so that those needs are met and the child is most successful. According to my son's IEP that was done Sept. 2015 my son belonged in a classroom with intense support. After choice enrolling Gio at the bilingual school, the principal called me telling me I could not put Gio in that school because the school could not accommodate his needs as far as his IEP was concerned. I was so shocked and disappointed. What did they mean my son couldn't go to that school? Just because he has a disability? Seriously? I wanted to tell the principal that she was wrong, that my son was more than capable of being in a regular classroom. I called my mom and she explained the way things work in schools. Having a disability label on a child meant the school could really push their own educational agenda. Thankfully my mom knows how all this works and she knew the ins and outs. I studied my rights as a parent of a child with special needs and we asked for a meeting to discuss his kindergarten options. The first meeting was horrible. The special ed team pushed the fact that he needed to stay in a special ed classroom because his test results were so low, "severely below average" to be exact, that there wasn't any way he could function in a regular classroom. I did not accept this. I was not going to allow someone to dictate where my child would go without proving that that is where he would truly be successful. I asked for evaluations to be done in Spanish because that was a strongest language. Aside from that I mentioned that he used a device to communicate and part of the reason he failed the test that determines how ready he is for kindergarten is because he is not verbal. They had to find ways to evaluate Gio in a way that he could show his full potential. The potential I, as his mother, see day in and day out. I was not about to let them place my child in a classroom where he would not be challenged. The special ed director seemed to be annoyed and our persistence, but as is our right to ask for additional information, he had to provide this. He had to find a way for Gio to be evaluated on our terms. We scheduled a second meeting about a month out to give them time to test him and gather more evidence to support MY idea that he could function and be successful in a regular classroom. One day, after one of his evaluations his speech therapist called me and asked if I could go a little earlier to pick him up to speak with the bilingual SLP (Speech Language Pathologist) who evaluated Gio that day. I rushed over as soon as I could because the suspense was killing me. The SLP said Gio had done an amazing job. She expressed her joy at his excitement to work with her. Both the SLP and his speech therapist saw how eager he was to work with her when he heard her speak Spanish. He even went and grabbed his tablet from his backpack, even though he did not like using it at school. He scored higher in this test than he did in the English version and they were so happy to see the results.
Finally the day came for the second meeting. I was very excited about all the support his teachers showed, as well as a few people my mom had worked with in the past who knew us and Gio. The results of the evaluations spoke for themselves. The main evaluation proved Gio's greatest improvement. In the original test he scored a "severely below average" where as in the new one he was "just below average." This was so exciting to hear! To have your child's progress acknowledged and for his potential to be seen is indescribable. They were finally accepting what I already knew. My son was capable of learning next to his "normal" peers. There would be small accommodations needed of course, but he was accepted. I expressed to the team that I didn't mean to be a pain, but I know my son's potential and I want to kind of throw him out there so that he can truly grow. I feel like a classroom with too much support makes him lazy and I have very high expectations for Gio. I'm so grateful for the time his teachers took to make the evaluations happen on such short notice. My mom's aggressive persistence is also a big part of why this all was able to unravel the way it did. Her knowledge of the system really helped when it came to knowing what steps needed to be taken in order for this to happen. I truly believe Gio will be up to speed with his peers in time. I have no doubt in my heart that he will be successful. I have the mentality of raising my son to be a hard working, independent individual. Sure I could use his disability as an excuse to give him the easy path, a short cut, but what good would that do him? Is the goal not to raise our children to be full functioning adults of society? To be good people who contribute good things? What would a lazy child who depends on his mom and uses his disability as an excuse to have people do things for him contribute to society? And what's worse, what would this child do without his mom or anyone, for that matter, if he wasn't independent? This isn't about proving Gio is equal to a "regular" kid. This is to show Gio that if he wants something he can achieve it and I will always see his fullest potential. This is so that he knows nothing worth having comes easy. He will learn to be a hard worker and most importantly, if the time were to come that I am no longer around, Gio will know he can handle anything that comes his way independently. And what more could a parent give their child? Like the saying goes, "GIVE a man a fish and he will eat for a day, but TEACH a man to fish, and he will eat a lifetime." Some may think I put too much pressure on my son to do things for himself, but that is the greatest gift I could give him, independence and the will to want to work your hardest to earn what you want. Gio will know to believe in himself.
Saturday, May 7, 2016
Happy Mother's Day
If you were to ask a mother how her labor was or what is the most painful thing about pregnancy/giving birth, she'll probably say the contractions, the pushing, the last weeks of pregnancy, the after when you're healing. Personally, what I remember the most is looking down at my stomach and seeing it hanging there all sore from how stretched out it had been and crying to my mom about how deformed I looked. But, if you ask a mom if it was worth it she will ALWAYS say yes. Regardless of how young or old we may have our children, being a mother always comes with it's challenges. The more I meet with different moms or hear of different situations mothers have been in with their children, the more I realize there's no such thing as "normal." Although my son's condition is permanent because it is genetic there are many other adversities mothers face. It may be your children suffering from allergies, from learning disabilities, from being too short, too fat, too skinny. The expectations of society put pressure on who are children should be since before they are born and we, as mothers, have to convince our children that they are perfect despite our lack of confidence in ourselves at times. A huge struggle I've noticed in mothers now a days is the lack of having a healthy relationship with our children's fathers.
Unfortunately, we as women have the bigger consequence when it comes to having a child. We not only carry our children for 9 months, but we have the bigger responsibility of raising them for the rest of their lives. I was fortunate to grow up with both my parents. My dad helped my mom with my brother and me while she went back to school. I've always been a daddy's girl, so this led to me having very high expectations for the father of my future children. My dad has always been my best friend. He played with me, fed me, clothed me. He made up bed time stories about how I was little red riding hood, but would turn into the pink power ranger when the bad wolf came around and my cousins were the other power rangers and we would save my grandma from him. My dad stayed up at night to rub my legs when I had growing pains. He was there for me whenever I had crushes on boys who didn't like me and he was there to become friends with boys who tried getting at me (I guess he was a true believer in keep your friends close and your enemies closer). My dad was always around and although him and my mom are now separated, he's very close to my younger sister as well. He's always looking out for her and if he gets off of work an hour early, instead of going to hang out with friends or going home he goes and looks for my sister to spend time with her, even if it's just for an hour. He's far from perfect, but as a dad I couldn't ask for more. I know you're probably wondering why I'm praising my dad on a Mother's Day post and the answer is this: many mothers now a days didn't get to give their children this type of father. Most moms are accused of being gold diggers when they ask for child support from their children's estranged fathers. They're accused of spending that money on themselves or maybe even on their new boyfriends. Single moms have it rough. It's the reality of today because for some reason we, as women, aren't usually so smart when it comes to choosing our partners. When we choose them, we go for looks or for how fun they are or for other superficial reasons. We don't usually think of how they will be as fathers. I've seen many videos bashing single mothers. These videos advise men not to date them for many reasons. One that caught my attention is very selfish, but, in a way, semi-understandable. It is that we as single mothers do not have all the time in the world to give to men. We are not available at all hours because of our children and even if we were to be, this is unattractive because if a women is careless with her children she isn't a very good mom therefore you cannot take her seriously. Another reason that stood out to me, is that the child is a constant reminder that she has been with someone else. Now this one blows my mind a little because there are women who have slept around and aren't mothers, but because we have physical proof that we have been with another man we aren't worth their time. It must be something their ego can't handle. One other reason, out of the many many I've heard, is that if she wasn't able to choose the right guy the first time she's probably not one to take serious. The thing that causes me the most frustration is that WE as the mothers get all the blame. We get the blame for getting knocked up by the wrong guy, we get the blame for when our children aren't acting right, we get the blame for things not working out for the father. We get accused of pretending to be victims when in reality we don't ask for anyone's pity. For the most part, the single moms that I have met are very independent and always have their children as a priority. I have a friend who had her daughter at 16 and is now graduating from University, when people didn't even think she would even get passed high school! In fact, she was finished with high school a semester early! She's an amazing woman and hasn't let anyone or anything stop her from showing her daughter that nothing is impossible. I have another friend, who is a single mom of two beautiful boys. She takes care of both and works a full time job. When they are sick, she stays up with them all night. She has given up her own personal life to give her boys everything they want, not just need. She gets absolutely no help from the fathers, never did. I admire my friends so much for being such amazing mothers and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to be a part of their beautiful lives. The only logical reason I can come up with is fear. Mothers, such as my friends, are intimidating. They are strong and independent and have done it all alone and it might be a little scary to think you might just end up being a burden to them, but the beauty of them is they know how to love so deeply because they are mothers.
Men: you need to understand that it is better to have a women who WANTS you, not NEEDS you. Women: we need to stop bashing each other just for having children and we need to stop putting such a negative aspect on being a young and/or single mother. We need to thank and appreciate the women around us, especially the mothers. I've been so fortunate to have amazing and understanding friends. While I was pregnant, my friends stuck by me and have been there for me even in the most difficult times. When I found out my son has Down Syndrome they were more than supportive, and their support has never been inconsistent. I wana thank them, even the ones who aren't biological mothers because in a way they have been a sort of mother to my son. When I told them my son was accepted to REGULAR kindergarten (which I will post about in the next blog) they were all so excited and had nothing, but great expectations for my son's future education. I want to thank my mother also on HER day because without her I wouldn't have kept pushing for more when it comes to his education, and I wouldn't see how strong I am at times. My son's other grandmother has also been so good to us and has always been there to care for my son, despite the relationship I my have with her son. Most of all I want to say thank you and Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful angels who watch me from heaven, my grandmas Petra and Carlota because I would not be the woman I am today without them to look up to, and I always try to be a percentage of the type of women they were. I pray that they are proud of what I am doing for my son. Their wisdom would be very helpful during hard times, but I know they're always around. I am not a "single mom." I am not a "special needs mom." I'm lucky enough to be just a mom to a magnificent little boy who has taught me more about myself than I could ever know. It's humbling to know a whole day (or two if your Mexican lol) is dedicated to you. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who have nothing better to do than to give their children everything they need to be great people. Who are dedicated to raising amazing people who will one day save us from ourselves. Enjoy your day to the fullest. <3
Unfortunately, we as women have the bigger consequence when it comes to having a child. We not only carry our children for 9 months, but we have the bigger responsibility of raising them for the rest of their lives. I was fortunate to grow up with both my parents. My dad helped my mom with my brother and me while she went back to school. I've always been a daddy's girl, so this led to me having very high expectations for the father of my future children. My dad has always been my best friend. He played with me, fed me, clothed me. He made up bed time stories about how I was little red riding hood, but would turn into the pink power ranger when the bad wolf came around and my cousins were the other power rangers and we would save my grandma from him. My dad stayed up at night to rub my legs when I had growing pains. He was there for me whenever I had crushes on boys who didn't like me and he was there to become friends with boys who tried getting at me (I guess he was a true believer in keep your friends close and your enemies closer). My dad was always around and although him and my mom are now separated, he's very close to my younger sister as well. He's always looking out for her and if he gets off of work an hour early, instead of going to hang out with friends or going home he goes and looks for my sister to spend time with her, even if it's just for an hour. He's far from perfect, but as a dad I couldn't ask for more. I know you're probably wondering why I'm praising my dad on a Mother's Day post and the answer is this: many mothers now a days didn't get to give their children this type of father. Most moms are accused of being gold diggers when they ask for child support from their children's estranged fathers. They're accused of spending that money on themselves or maybe even on their new boyfriends. Single moms have it rough. It's the reality of today because for some reason we, as women, aren't usually so smart when it comes to choosing our partners. When we choose them, we go for looks or for how fun they are or for other superficial reasons. We don't usually think of how they will be as fathers. I've seen many videos bashing single mothers. These videos advise men not to date them for many reasons. One that caught my attention is very selfish, but, in a way, semi-understandable. It is that we as single mothers do not have all the time in the world to give to men. We are not available at all hours because of our children and even if we were to be, this is unattractive because if a women is careless with her children she isn't a very good mom therefore you cannot take her seriously. Another reason that stood out to me, is that the child is a constant reminder that she has been with someone else. Now this one blows my mind a little because there are women who have slept around and aren't mothers, but because we have physical proof that we have been with another man we aren't worth their time. It must be something their ego can't handle. One other reason, out of the many many I've heard, is that if she wasn't able to choose the right guy the first time she's probably not one to take serious. The thing that causes me the most frustration is that WE as the mothers get all the blame. We get the blame for getting knocked up by the wrong guy, we get the blame for when our children aren't acting right, we get the blame for things not working out for the father. We get accused of pretending to be victims when in reality we don't ask for anyone's pity. For the most part, the single moms that I have met are very independent and always have their children as a priority. I have a friend who had her daughter at 16 and is now graduating from University, when people didn't even think she would even get passed high school! In fact, she was finished with high school a semester early! She's an amazing woman and hasn't let anyone or anything stop her from showing her daughter that nothing is impossible. I have another friend, who is a single mom of two beautiful boys. She takes care of both and works a full time job. When they are sick, she stays up with them all night. She has given up her own personal life to give her boys everything they want, not just need. She gets absolutely no help from the fathers, never did. I admire my friends so much for being such amazing mothers and I can't imagine why anyone wouldn't want to be a part of their beautiful lives. The only logical reason I can come up with is fear. Mothers, such as my friends, are intimidating. They are strong and independent and have done it all alone and it might be a little scary to think you might just end up being a burden to them, but the beauty of them is they know how to love so deeply because they are mothers.
Men: you need to understand that it is better to have a women who WANTS you, not NEEDS you. Women: we need to stop bashing each other just for having children and we need to stop putting such a negative aspect on being a young and/or single mother. We need to thank and appreciate the women around us, especially the mothers. I've been so fortunate to have amazing and understanding friends. While I was pregnant, my friends stuck by me and have been there for me even in the most difficult times. When I found out my son has Down Syndrome they were more than supportive, and their support has never been inconsistent. I wana thank them, even the ones who aren't biological mothers because in a way they have been a sort of mother to my son. When I told them my son was accepted to REGULAR kindergarten (which I will post about in the next blog) they were all so excited and had nothing, but great expectations for my son's future education. I want to thank my mother also on HER day because without her I wouldn't have kept pushing for more when it comes to his education, and I wouldn't see how strong I am at times. My son's other grandmother has also been so good to us and has always been there to care for my son, despite the relationship I my have with her son. Most of all I want to say thank you and Happy Mother's Day to my beautiful angels who watch me from heaven, my grandmas Petra and Carlota because I would not be the woman I am today without them to look up to, and I always try to be a percentage of the type of women they were. I pray that they are proud of what I am doing for my son. Their wisdom would be very helpful during hard times, but I know they're always around. I am not a "single mom." I am not a "special needs mom." I'm lucky enough to be just a mom to a magnificent little boy who has taught me more about myself than I could ever know. It's humbling to know a whole day (or two if your Mexican lol) is dedicated to you. Happy Mother's Day to all the mothers who have nothing better to do than to give their children everything they need to be great people. Who are dedicated to raising amazing people who will one day save us from ourselves. Enjoy your day to the fullest. <3
Friday, December 11, 2015
Special children are sent to special parents?
Usually the first "comforting" thing I hear after I tell someone my son has Down Syndrome is, "Well, God only send special children to special parents."
Really?
So let's say my son didn't have a disability, would that make him any less special? Let's say I went up to any random parent and said, "you know God gave me this child because I'M a special parent," this would probably cause this other parent to think I am arrogant. But why? Because by looking at Gio you can't really tell he has Down Syndrome. So without explaining to someone that my son has a disability they don't know. Once I explain to someone Gio's situation they might agree that I am indeed a "special parent." However, I disagree 110%. I am no better a mom than any other mom I know, including my own. I make many mistakes, but like ANY other mom, I do what I believe is best for my child. It's honestly a little bothersome that people want me to feel special. What is so special about not being able to speak to my child? What's so special about knowing my son isn't "where he's suppose to be?" If someone could tell me what is so special about that maybe I would understand. I've been on both sides of this boat. My older cousin's son has Autism. He is 4 years older than Gio and when I saw all the things him and his wife went through when their son was born and as he grew up, I didn't for one second think to say "special kids are given to special parents." I tried to understand what they were going through and I did my best to treat my nephew equally as the other kids. He didn't get "special" treatment just because he is different. My cousin always respected me for that. So when I found out about my son's condition and people wanted to treat my son differently and be more lenient on him because they think he doesn't understand, my cousin was there to tell me that he understood and that I needed to let them know they can't do that. We talked about how people think they do us favors because they think they are being sympathetic to our situations, but they're not. You aren't doing us any favors by letting our children step all over you because you're scared to be too hard on them. Our son's need as much discipline and need to know there are boundaries, just like any other child. They need to know they cannot get away with whatever just because you want to call them "special." Our children are actually VERY smart and they will learn (mine has) to manipulate situations and people who think they deserve it because in a way you feel sorry for them. Once you look passed their disability, you'll see they are just like any other kid who will find a way to get their way. I don't want my son to grow up thinking he is entitled to certain treatment just because people don't think he is capable of understanding, or because they think he is "special."
I don't agree that because I face challenging circumstances in raising my child I am entitled to being considered "special." I don't understand why some people tell me, "I don't know how you do it" or "you're such a great mom" or "I don't know what I would do if I was you." You know what you would do? The same exact thing I'm doing because any parent would do anything for their child's well-being. You would take them to therapies and doctor's appointments and you would buy special vitamins or extra learning devices for them. You would make sure that at the end of the day that child knows they are loved and supported. Just like any parent of any child would. Doing these things doesn't make me an extra great mom. Growing up, I was always in the advanced classes. I was at the top of my class for the most part. I graduated with a 4.3 GPA; 8th in my class. I remember one time one of my teachers told my mom to stop pressuring me so much. I was a straight A student and deserved to slack off a little. My mom disagreed. She didn't believe I should do any less than what I am capable of just because I was ahead. Teachers had me labeled as "Gifted and Talented" and had me in that program. Slacking off would have created bad habits in me and my mom knew that. My mom always told me not to let my ego get too big just because teachers thought I was a good student. My mom made sure I stayed discipline. This is what I want to instill in my child. I want him to ignore what anyone around him says because I know what he is capable of. Gio is so smart and understands everything around him. I won't allow for people to make him believe he is "special" because he has a disability. Gio is special because he is Gio.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate people trying to be nice and sympathize with the situation. But because of this misunderstanding, I am explaining the ignorance in this statement people so commonly use to make us "special" parents feel better. Maybe if this was something you said to EVERY parent it wouldn't feel so patronizing. I believe every parent who is willing to move mountains for their children is special. You don't have to pity a parent with a child with a disability. I know it looks hard, but it's what we know. This is normal for us. Of course there are very hard days and we ask "why" a lot. We wonder what will be of our kids as they get older. We wonder if we are making the right choices in accepting certain therapies or not. We look for any type of hope of a solution to our child's problem. Even on the worst days where everything goes wrong at the end of the day, we thank God that we were blessed with such a beautiful child that teaches us more about ourselves than we knew possible. The strength and wisdom we end up gaining can only be thanks to our children. Just like any parent who loves their child unconditionally, we hope that tomorrow will be better for them and we hope that they will earn the title of being "special" by what they accomplish in life not because of their disability.
“Motherhood is about raising and celebrating the child you have, not the child you thought you would have. It’s about understanding that he is exactly the person he is supposed to be and that, if you’re lucky, he just might be the teacher who turns you into the person you are supposed to be. – Joan Ryan”
Really?
So let's say my son didn't have a disability, would that make him any less special? Let's say I went up to any random parent and said, "you know God gave me this child because I'M a special parent," this would probably cause this other parent to think I am arrogant. But why? Because by looking at Gio you can't really tell he has Down Syndrome. So without explaining to someone that my son has a disability they don't know. Once I explain to someone Gio's situation they might agree that I am indeed a "special parent." However, I disagree 110%. I am no better a mom than any other mom I know, including my own. I make many mistakes, but like ANY other mom, I do what I believe is best for my child. It's honestly a little bothersome that people want me to feel special. What is so special about not being able to speak to my child? What's so special about knowing my son isn't "where he's suppose to be?" If someone could tell me what is so special about that maybe I would understand. I've been on both sides of this boat. My older cousin's son has Autism. He is 4 years older than Gio and when I saw all the things him and his wife went through when their son was born and as he grew up, I didn't for one second think to say "special kids are given to special parents." I tried to understand what they were going through and I did my best to treat my nephew equally as the other kids. He didn't get "special" treatment just because he is different. My cousin always respected me for that. So when I found out about my son's condition and people wanted to treat my son differently and be more lenient on him because they think he doesn't understand, my cousin was there to tell me that he understood and that I needed to let them know they can't do that. We talked about how people think they do us favors because they think they are being sympathetic to our situations, but they're not. You aren't doing us any favors by letting our children step all over you because you're scared to be too hard on them. Our son's need as much discipline and need to know there are boundaries, just like any other child. They need to know they cannot get away with whatever just because you want to call them "special." Our children are actually VERY smart and they will learn (mine has) to manipulate situations and people who think they deserve it because in a way you feel sorry for them. Once you look passed their disability, you'll see they are just like any other kid who will find a way to get their way. I don't want my son to grow up thinking he is entitled to certain treatment just because people don't think he is capable of understanding, or because they think he is "special."
I don't agree that because I face challenging circumstances in raising my child I am entitled to being considered "special." I don't understand why some people tell me, "I don't know how you do it" or "you're such a great mom" or "I don't know what I would do if I was you." You know what you would do? The same exact thing I'm doing because any parent would do anything for their child's well-being. You would take them to therapies and doctor's appointments and you would buy special vitamins or extra learning devices for them. You would make sure that at the end of the day that child knows they are loved and supported. Just like any parent of any child would. Doing these things doesn't make me an extra great mom. Growing up, I was always in the advanced classes. I was at the top of my class for the most part. I graduated with a 4.3 GPA; 8th in my class. I remember one time one of my teachers told my mom to stop pressuring me so much. I was a straight A student and deserved to slack off a little. My mom disagreed. She didn't believe I should do any less than what I am capable of just because I was ahead. Teachers had me labeled as "Gifted and Talented" and had me in that program. Slacking off would have created bad habits in me and my mom knew that. My mom always told me not to let my ego get too big just because teachers thought I was a good student. My mom made sure I stayed discipline. This is what I want to instill in my child. I want him to ignore what anyone around him says because I know what he is capable of. Gio is so smart and understands everything around him. I won't allow for people to make him believe he is "special" because he has a disability. Gio is special because he is Gio.
Don't get me wrong. I appreciate people trying to be nice and sympathize with the situation. But because of this misunderstanding, I am explaining the ignorance in this statement people so commonly use to make us "special" parents feel better. Maybe if this was something you said to EVERY parent it wouldn't feel so patronizing. I believe every parent who is willing to move mountains for their children is special. You don't have to pity a parent with a child with a disability. I know it looks hard, but it's what we know. This is normal for us. Of course there are very hard days and we ask "why" a lot. We wonder what will be of our kids as they get older. We wonder if we are making the right choices in accepting certain therapies or not. We look for any type of hope of a solution to our child's problem. Even on the worst days where everything goes wrong at the end of the day, we thank God that we were blessed with such a beautiful child that teaches us more about ourselves than we knew possible. The strength and wisdom we end up gaining can only be thanks to our children. Just like any parent who loves their child unconditionally, we hope that tomorrow will be better for them and we hope that they will earn the title of being "special" by what they accomplish in life not because of their disability.
“Motherhood is about raising and celebrating the child you have, not the child you thought you would have. It’s about understanding that he is exactly the person he is supposed to be and that, if you’re lucky, he just might be the teacher who turns you into the person you are supposed to be. – Joan Ryan”
Friday, November 27, 2015
"I am a slow walker, but I never walk back" - Abe Lincoln
Gio has been making so much progress lately. I like to think of it as a little developmental "growth spurt." He's trying to talk more and he is a lot more social. We've had a couple of family parties and instead of locking himself up in a room, he comes out and tries to mingle with our relatives. He still isolates himself a little, but he is more willing to be a part of the crowd versus shutting everyone out. He now tries to say ojos, nariz, boca, orejas while pointing to the corresponding body part. He also says rojo, verde, Azul, and zapatos. A long with words he already knew like all done and mas. Gio doesn't wait to be prompted as much anymore. During his speech therapies, he gets to use a device, which we are waiting on our own to use at home, and he can express what he is feeling when asked. He is a lot more loving with people he may not see everyday where as before he didn't pay them any mind.
Gio has also learned to ask for things. He sees commercials on TV or movies of toys or other movies and he points and says "this?" That's his way of saying he wants it and can he have it. One morning, my cousin Ana and I were sitting at the kitchen table when Gio comes up to me with an Ad booklet from Walmart. It had all the Black Friday sales, and Gio was trying to choose what he wanted. So he turns to the page with the toys and he points to a Hot Wheels race car set that cost $89.99 and said "this?" My cousin and I laughed and I said in Spanish "No! You're crazy that's too expensive." I didn't think he would really put two and two together, but he did. So he turned to another page with a smaller race care set that only cost $39.99 and said "this?" My cousin and I were both shocked, but laughed at how he had a back up plan. I couldn't say no to his witty comeback so I said, "Si mi amor. I'll get you that one." He sighed and said, "okay," put the booklet on the table, pushed it towards me so to say "don't forget mom," and walked away. We both laughed and were just amazed at how serious he was and how understanding he was of the situation.
A couple days ago, I told Gio his dad was going to pick him up in a little while and if that was okay and he said "okay." He ran to our room and I assumed he forgot because he didn't come out for a while. Eventually, he came up to me and pointed to his feet and told me "zapatos" (shoes). He wanted me to put his shoes on so he could be ready for his dad to pick him up. Things like this show me how much he is maturing and progressing. He asked for a "naranja" at my moms this morning and when I couldn't figure out what he was trying to say he ran up to the fruit basket and pointed saying "this." Gio uses "this" for a lot of things, but recently he has been trying to say more words. I also recently noticed that if a movie isn't in Spanish he will only watch the first 10 min or so of it, unless it's a favorite like Mater's Tales. He also loves watching silent cartoons, for example Tom & Jerry. I'm assuming it's because he can relate. His teachers have been very good at learning Spanish words in order to work with Gio at school because I did explain that that is what he seems to understand the most.
Gio is so independent and clever. He never fails to make me laugh. I'm enjoying his little growth spurt so much! Everyone around us is too. They comment on the things he is doing and the changes they've noticed in him. Our family especially enjoys how social he is becoming. I am excited to see what the next few months will bring. (:
Gio has also learned to ask for things. He sees commercials on TV or movies of toys or other movies and he points and says "this?" That's his way of saying he wants it and can he have it. One morning, my cousin Ana and I were sitting at the kitchen table when Gio comes up to me with an Ad booklet from Walmart. It had all the Black Friday sales, and Gio was trying to choose what he wanted. So he turns to the page with the toys and he points to a Hot Wheels race car set that cost $89.99 and said "this?" My cousin and I laughed and I said in Spanish "No! You're crazy that's too expensive." I didn't think he would really put two and two together, but he did. So he turned to another page with a smaller race care set that only cost $39.99 and said "this?" My cousin and I were both shocked, but laughed at how he had a back up plan. I couldn't say no to his witty comeback so I said, "Si mi amor. I'll get you that one." He sighed and said, "okay," put the booklet on the table, pushed it towards me so to say "don't forget mom," and walked away. We both laughed and were just amazed at how serious he was and how understanding he was of the situation.
A couple days ago, I told Gio his dad was going to pick him up in a little while and if that was okay and he said "okay." He ran to our room and I assumed he forgot because he didn't come out for a while. Eventually, he came up to me and pointed to his feet and told me "zapatos" (shoes). He wanted me to put his shoes on so he could be ready for his dad to pick him up. Things like this show me how much he is maturing and progressing. He asked for a "naranja" at my moms this morning and when I couldn't figure out what he was trying to say he ran up to the fruit basket and pointed saying "this." Gio uses "this" for a lot of things, but recently he has been trying to say more words. I also recently noticed that if a movie isn't in Spanish he will only watch the first 10 min or so of it, unless it's a favorite like Mater's Tales. He also loves watching silent cartoons, for example Tom & Jerry. I'm assuming it's because he can relate. His teachers have been very good at learning Spanish words in order to work with Gio at school because I did explain that that is what he seems to understand the most.
Gio is so independent and clever. He never fails to make me laugh. I'm enjoying his little growth spurt so much! Everyone around us is too. They comment on the things he is doing and the changes they've noticed in him. Our family especially enjoys how social he is becoming. I am excited to see what the next few months will bring. (:
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