Back to Schol!

The first day of school and with it come some major stress in our household! Our oldest daughter, Chelsea, made a huge decision to change school her junior year. I have to tell you that I am so proud of her in that decision. Foster has been attending a private school since Pre-K but Chelsea would never consider 'wearing those goofy uniforms everyday' (her words, not mine). Well, toward the end of the year last year, she approached us and said she thought she wanted to give it a try! What an answer to prayer! I have long felt like it would be a much better environment for her but only if it was what she wanted. Trying to force her into it would have been a huge disaster. It was a rough year for her, loosing Shelbie, seeing her other friends making poor choices, and another less than stellar experience with a poorly qualified math teacher. I think she knew she would be better off doing something different. That all being said, it doesn't make change any easier! The first day of a new school is scary! She was nervous but I am sure by now, she has already settled in and is making tons of new friends, because that is the way Chelsea is, but that is also what the kids at the private school are like, too!

Foster is in second grade and looking forward to a great year in his class. His very best friend, G., is homeschooling this year, so there is a little sadness that he won't see G. during the school day, but I have talked with is mom and we are going to get them together as much as possible. Foster is in the same class as G.'s twin sister so I think that will help some since he can 'keep in touch' by proxy. LOL!

Faith's school situation is still a little up in the air. I thought we had everything worked out before the end of the school year last year. ARD team had met, placement had been worked out, FM system decided on... until last week when it all fell apart! The plan was for her to split time between a mainstream pre-school and a school for kiddos with hearing loss, until another child with hearing loss applied for a full-time spot and bumped her (since she was part-time, he got priority). I am being told there are compatibility issues with the FM system and the school district is proposing what I consider to be a less than acceptable solution. Of course all this is coming down the pipe days before school is starting for her after months of thinking everything was taken care of! Friday I had my fill of it and gave in to my first 'totally-loosing-it-crying-breakdown' moment of parenting a child with special needs. I am sure it won't be the last! On Monday, I pulled myself together, dived back in and started dealing with it to get my girl what she needed. We haven't given up on the hearing impaired school yet, so hopefully we can get something worked out. On a more positive note, we ordered new ear molds last week and Faith chose pink and purple swirls with purple sparkles! I can't wait to see them! LOL!!

Ella is also starting school this year! Yes, the baby is going to go one day a week to the same mainstream pre-school that Faith attends. I think she will love it; she loves being around other kids, especially ones more her size since Foster and Faith are always running over her!

Since this is our first 'new school year' as a family with children with hearing loss (at least that we knew about it), I am trying to find that balance of informing the teachers, coaches, Sunday school workers, etc. about hearing loss, hearing aids, what works and what doesn't and how it affects not only learning but behavior too. How much information is enough without giving them so much it overwhelms them? I also don't want the people who work with my girls to fall into the mindset of defining them by their hearing loss, they are so much more!

Anyway, it's almost time for the first round of pick-ups, so I gotta run! Yes, typical of the back-to-school routine, it never slows down! LOL!!