Time to relax......sorta

The end of the school year ..ahhhh.  The end of the year at school is always brutal.  You have to tie up all of the loose ends, make sure everyone and everything is going to where it is supposed to be going for the summer.

Then I have all of my doctor visits that I have put off until the summer, finishing that root canal (oh joy!) my neuro appointment, for my migraines and other various parts of my body that need to be checked :)  No rest for the wicked, evidently.

Today, however, I have decided to take it easy and enjoy my "9 weeks of vacation" that my husband keeps telling me about.  I don't know why, but that doesn't sound like the infinite summers I used to have as a child, the number 9 is pretty darn finite :).  However we are planning a week long vacation to the beach with my daughters and their familys, plus two days at the beginning for my husband and I to have some alone time.

Father's Day is coming.  I know there are a lot of wonderful fathers out there.  I didn't happen to have one, but I did have a loving grandfather for part of my childhood, so I was lucky on that count.  That man up there, in the picture, the one I married 12 years ago, well he is learning to be a grandfather.  And unfortunately for him, he has to do it surrounded by others who have either been life long parents, new parents and other relations.  But I have to say he is doing a wonderful job.  He plays with Jack at the park, makes him a pirate's booty chest, filled with beautiful jewels and seashells (courtesy of Michaels) and rides a bee at the park with him :)  I am very proud of him and happy that Jack gets to grow up with him around. I think he deserves a "Happy Fathers Day" for that, don't you?

Normal

"Normal is a setting on a washing machine", normal has nothing to do with people.  People come in every variety, more than we can ever imagine, greater than we will ever know.  Unfortunately people who are different make other people uncomfortable and even afraid.  Why are they afraid?  We are often afraid of things we do not understand or who do not fit our definitions.  Unfortunately, we don't like to be afraid and so we see these things/ people as abnormal, different, wrong.  If people were allowed/ exposed to others who were different from themselves, they would gain knowledge and comfort.  This sounds like a good reason for inclusion doesn't it?

Not a Downs syndrome kid

I truly hate when I hear someone say, "he is a Downs Syndrome child".  First of all, it is Down Syndrome and most importantly, he is a child first and he just happens to have Down Syndrome.  People, especially educators really need to remember that they are dealing with a child.  A child with parents who love them and siblings who care for them.  When we look at a child as a syndrome, we forget they are a human being.  We forget to treat them as we would want our child treated.  We forget that they have their own special talents and traits.  That their family has much more to do with who they are than does a rearrangement of chromosomes or metabolic issues.  Yes, it is important to know about medical, behavioral and educational issues that are associated with specific syndromes, conditions and disabilities, but that is only a gross picture of a person, each is an individual and must be experienced as such and cherished as such.

End of the year

I am sorry I haven't posted lately.  When I am feeling stressed, I find I don't feel like writing.  Anyway it's almost the end of the school year.  Although I am glad to be getting a break, I am always afraid I won't get everything done.  I always do, but it always weirds me out. 

I will miss the kids, especially the ones who will be going on to a kindergarten program next year (all of my girls :( ).  And I will see all of them at least twice this summer to check on them when they are in the extended school year program.  I check to make sure that they get to the right classes and that the teachers know as much about them as I can throw at them. 

Chris and I had a great weekend.  It was my birthday on Friday and Chris made me an angel food cake and brought it and a balloon to school to celebrate my birthday with my class.  He also invited my daughter Krista and Jack which was lovely.  Then we went to Pittsburgh to visit Holly and Kane.  They showed us an example of the new apartment they will be getting in August, Ikea and then took us out to dinner at The Melting Pot, extremely good :)  We left the next morning after brunch and came home and enjoyed our pool.  The next morning Chris had a 5K in Brambleton.  I went over and picked up Jack and we went back so that he could bounce in the bounce house and watched his Pop Pop run.  Then he had his face painted like Spiderman (he did it very shyly).  After he went home and showed him Mommy and Daddy and promptly wanted it washed off, he said it itched :)

The Flight of our Hummingbird: This morning

 I read this blog Saturday afternoon.  I can't imagine how it must feel as a parent who has to go through this, although as a teacher it happened to me too many times, but I know it cannot be the same thing.  I may care, even love, but my heart doesn't hurt nearly as much as that parents' does.  I tell parents that this is what makes me a good teacher.  I don't have the Mommy/Daddy heart when it comes to their child, although I have had experienced it with my own children.  Because I am more emotionally detached, I can expect their children to do more, more often and more consistently.  I remember how awful it feels when you expect your own child to do something, and then you worry that you asking too much and what will it do to their feeling of self worth.  I remember feeling frustrated with them and then angry with myself.

I suppose children need to encounter people who love them in all sorts of different ways in order to grow up into healthy adults.
Lisa









The Flight of our Hummingbird: This morning

Grand Opening!

Today was the opening of our new playground at school.  Accessible to all students, encouraging inclusion and most importantly friendships.  I took my grandson, Jack and my husband played the part of "Mario" (unfortunately a very hot and sweaty job :).  There was also a "Hello Kitty" and an "Elmo", all big hits with the kids.  A music man, balloon animals and a choo choo train ride rounded out the activities along with the piece de resistance, playing on the amazing playground.

Special thank you's go out to a Mother with a vision.  I believe a good time was had by all :)

I have linked to a post to a blog called "Flight Platform Living".  In it a Mother blogs about her life, her family and about one of her daughters who has a genetic disability called Smith Magenis Syndrome.  Smith Magenis Syndrome is caused by a deletion on the 18th chromosome.  Some of the characteristics of SMS are;  issues with sleep, engaging personalities, varying degrees of intellectual delay, impulsivity, aggressiveness and attention seeking behavior.  They also often self injure, which is a very difficult thing for a parent to see.  I had a student in one of my classes with SMS and found him to be a very challenging child to teach, but yet couldn't help but love him.  I ended up taking him home with me one weekend, because his Mother had never had the chance to be away from him for 9 years.  Many people have never heard of SMS, even doctors I have spoken to have not often heard of it.  But if you read this blog, you will see what wonderful people they can be.