Alone on a Saturday

At this moment, the washer and dryer are busily chugging along, my kitchen and living room are relatively tidy and clean, the littlest Lloyd is quiet in his crib (not asleep, I think) and the other two boys are at the barber shop. We have already had a busy weekend and it is only midday on Saturday.  I am going to take advantage and put up a few blog posts, one of them on my beautiful older son and another with some photos - here's the first.

Oh I shouldn't forget that the week started out with Harry losing his first tooth!  Here he is wearing it proudly around his neck.

Friday morning we went to a parent teacher conference at school.  It went well enough and Harry is doing fine.  Not surprisingly he is doing very well in English/reading, his strength being the inferences and nuances he picks up in books and his weakness that he sometimes has so many ideas that he has trouble keeping to the assignment at hand.  I remember my 3rd grade teacher had a special book/writing center and how much I loved the chance to sit there and read and write stories.  Apparently my son is following in my footsteps.  He also loves science and keeps up fine with math.  He has been a bit antsy in school recently, but that is probably a combination of things - he's grown so we need to adjust his ADHD medication and Christmas is approaching.  He is a very lovable child and has a wonderful group of teachers, especially his main teacher.  She seems to have a rapport with him that really works in the classroom and that is making this a much easier year for him.  

When we first decided to try the medicines we were very nervous and I have to admit I was a bit resistant, but for Harry it has been the thing that has helped him blossom.  The medicine he is on doesn't change his personality or dull him in any way.  What it has done is allowed him to be the best Harry he can be and help him to sit still and gather his thoughts in a way that he could not do before.  I read a great book called "Putting on the Brakes" and that has been the best explanation for Harry and for me too.  He has a race car brain, that is powerful and fast, but he also has bicycle breaks, which lead to difficulties sometimes.  The medicine (and simply maturing) is helping him to strengthen and put on the brakes.  One of the hardest things when we got to the point of medicines was to explain to Harry, why we were at that point, he didn't want to take something that would change his brain, because he liked his brain!  That is very logical and good reasoning, but as parents, we knew that he could possibly be happier, more productive, etc. with medication. So we tried them (on the lowest dose possible for our very skinny boy) and they work for him.  He also continues with what we call his "entourage" at school to help with his sensory issues and his social thinking.  

I never thought that I would have a child with special needs, but what I've learned and keep learning is that all children have special needs.  My son has problems with sitting still and sometimes with paying attention in the way that children need to pay attention to be in school.  The box that is "normal" is very small in most schools these days and he just lives his life, care-freely and happily outside that box.  I also have learned that as his Mom I am his advocate in school and other areas in life.  This is a role where I need to be pro-active and where I need to be more assertive that I perhaps thought I would have to be.  However, we are blessed with a great school in our town and with educators who want to help all the children excel at school.  We are also blessed with a little boy who loves learning and so far loves school and I hope that I will be able to keep this going.  Finally, I would never want to change or "dull" Harry.  He is an awesome person, he makes me laugh and most days he (along with his brother) exhausts my mind and my body.  I feel so blessed at the same time I feel challenged, but I think that is a good thing.