I'll admit, before having children I was a little skeptical about all of the 'self help' books out there. I still am, and only read them upon high recommendations of others and their success with them. Not to mention, if we need them.
Thus far, the spectrum has been limited to child rearing, and I hope to keep it that way. In my latest read, it actually touches on children with special needs and delays. As any parent can attest to if they have been through the same, it is never easy to have your kid labeled even if you know something isn't on target developmentally. After all, labels are for soup cans, not our kids.
I should note that I am not throwing a pity party for myself, or any member of our family. We know what Jonah is going through is definitely a struggle that most will never face or understand, but we also know that is is completely 'fixable' and that he is no less of a person for it. It's just a little bump in the road. Anyway, I read this last night and it rang so true for our little man.
"Most parents and teachers find it easier to encourage and support a child who has a diagnosed condition than one who has been labeled "disruptive", "squirmy", or "a troublemaker".
Adults often must struggle with their own attitudes and expectations about children who are different or special....
In the same way, identifying a problem by way of a diagnosis does not define who a child is. It is simply a convenient word for that child's uniqueness and special abilities. If your child is diagnosed with a special need, you will undoubtedly feel some distress and will need to find ways to deal with any associated problems. But it is equally important (if not more so) to look at the assets and attributes your child possesses. Children who have ADD are often highly intelligent and creative; their brains simply process information differently. Understanding those differences can be helpful rather than hurtful.
When a child lacks one ability, growth is likely to occur in other areas. A person who cannot see often develops acute hearing. Everyone has both strengths and weaknesses. What are your child's special gifts? A gentle spirit, a lively sense of humor, or a tender heart often will outweigh the liabilities that accompany "differentness" - if you choose to let them."
We all know that Jonah is quite fond of letters in general. He knows the entire alphabet, it's order, the difference between upper and lower case, the sounds and names of each one, has recently shown us he knows how to spell his name, spelled 'mom' last night, and can easily match one letter with a corresponding name or item (ex. B is for a baby, S is for his friend Sydney, D is for Daddy, and F is for Freddy). He even has started to sight read a little bit. This is obviously where he excels over other kids his age.
But when identifying his special gifts, that's just as easy.
People regularly comment how Jonah will steal anyone's heart and make them smile within moments of meeting him. So true. I love how when we are out, especially at the grocery store, he can make the grumpy old man behind us crack a smile and put a little glimmer back in his eye. Or how he makes the frustrated, rushed parents at dayhome take that extra second to say hi back with a smile and match his exuberant wave goodbye. Or how when Joel and I are frustrated or hurt ourselves and want nothing more than to get upset, he will joyfully rush up to offer to say "Oh man!" (mah, mah! in his words), let out a giggle, and then offer hugs and kisses if need be.
And one of the most adorable things is despite his delay, you really can see how proud he is of himself and how little he takes for granted when he does get a little further over that bump. As a parent, you really learn to appreciate hearing your child saying a new word for the first time. You savour the sound of their sweet little voice when they do. And you share in their delight when you see their eyes and in them, how proud they are of themselves when they say a new word or perfect an old one. If only you all could have seen the look on his face during his testing when he got a question right. It was so special - I'll never forget it.
Thus far, the spectrum has been limited to child rearing, and I hope to keep it that way. In my latest read, it actually touches on children with special needs and delays. As any parent can attest to if they have been through the same, it is never easy to have your kid labeled even if you know something isn't on target developmentally. After all, labels are for soup cans, not our kids.
I should note that I am not throwing a pity party for myself, or any member of our family. We know what Jonah is going through is definitely a struggle that most will never face or understand, but we also know that is is completely 'fixable' and that he is no less of a person for it. It's just a little bump in the road. Anyway, I read this last night and it rang so true for our little man.
"Most parents and teachers find it easier to encourage and support a child who has a diagnosed condition than one who has been labeled "disruptive", "squirmy", or "a troublemaker".
Adults often must struggle with their own attitudes and expectations about children who are different or special....
In the same way, identifying a problem by way of a diagnosis does not define who a child is. It is simply a convenient word for that child's uniqueness and special abilities. If your child is diagnosed with a special need, you will undoubtedly feel some distress and will need to find ways to deal with any associated problems. But it is equally important (if not more so) to look at the assets and attributes your child possesses. Children who have ADD are often highly intelligent and creative; their brains simply process information differently. Understanding those differences can be helpful rather than hurtful.
When a child lacks one ability, growth is likely to occur in other areas. A person who cannot see often develops acute hearing. Everyone has both strengths and weaknesses. What are your child's special gifts? A gentle spirit, a lively sense of humor, or a tender heart often will outweigh the liabilities that accompany "differentness" - if you choose to let them."
We all know that Jonah is quite fond of letters in general. He knows the entire alphabet, it's order, the difference between upper and lower case, the sounds and names of each one, has recently shown us he knows how to spell his name, spelled 'mom' last night, and can easily match one letter with a corresponding name or item (ex. B is for a baby, S is for his friend Sydney, D is for Daddy, and F is for Freddy). He even has started to sight read a little bit. This is obviously where he excels over other kids his age.
But when identifying his special gifts, that's just as easy.
People regularly comment how Jonah will steal anyone's heart and make them smile within moments of meeting him. So true. I love how when we are out, especially at the grocery store, he can make the grumpy old man behind us crack a smile and put a little glimmer back in his eye. Or how he makes the frustrated, rushed parents at dayhome take that extra second to say hi back with a smile and match his exuberant wave goodbye. Or how when Joel and I are frustrated or hurt ourselves and want nothing more than to get upset, he will joyfully rush up to offer to say "Oh man!" (mah, mah! in his words), let out a giggle, and then offer hugs and kisses if need be.
And one of the most adorable things is despite his delay, you really can see how proud he is of himself and how little he takes for granted when he does get a little further over that bump. As a parent, you really learn to appreciate hearing your child saying a new word for the first time. You savour the sound of their sweet little voice when they do. And you share in their delight when you see their eyes and in them, how proud they are of themselves when they say a new word or perfect an old one. If only you all could have seen the look on his face during his testing when he got a question right. It was so special - I'll never forget it.
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