<p>I admit- I can get envious reading about students who are able to handle 5 AP classes and parents who are able to live either in a community with great public schools or who have other resources.</p>
<p>Our state has just begun the required testing for graduates of the class of 2008. Although only 37% of 10th graders passed all three sections of the test last year, this years class will have it on their transcripts and it is mandatory for graduation with certain exceptions.
Last week they covered the reading and writing portion. I asked my daughter, how the writing portion went- she said it went ok- the topic was to discuss an aspect of high school. The viewpoint that she wrote about was what it was like to be in high school with learning disabilities. It about broke my heart.
I am glad that she is able to write about it, but it is especially difficult to deal with because it is not a visible disabliity,appropriate accomodations can be difficult if not impossible to recieve and oftentimes even professionals think that if she just took easier classes or “worked harder” then she wouldn’t need any accomodations.
Would they say that to someone who needed a walker? That they should just try harder to go up the stairs, that they didnt need a ramp?
But she is healthy, and we are getting better at finding resources everyday.
And then I read about this little girl and my heart broke all over again.
I don’t think she wants to be pitied, but her story does help to put in perspective all that we have, and all that which means little in the long run.</p>
<p>I know what you mean. There are few kids that don’t have “stuff” to deal with, we may not always see it, and when coming to this board, I find myself saying, gee, why aren’t my Ds doing such and such, and I have to remember, hey, they are doing great, and have big hearts and brains, and that what we can do be is be there for them and make sure they know no matter what, we love them ooddles</p>
<p>My D was going to run for school office, and decided not to,not becuase she was afraid of losing, no, because all the issues discussed at the leadership meetings were to trite and shallow. The kids meant well, but it seemed so meaningless when she thought about all the bigger issues, all the stuff kids go through, the grander picture, that debating ad naseum over the theme for spirit day just annoyed her.</p>
<p>So yeah, we need to remember to love and appreciate our kids, we forget how hard it was back then, and what goes on inside</p>
<p>emeraldkity, what a beautiful post. I was reminded of the time that I spent in the pediatric eye surgeon’s office. My son had two surgeries to correct eye alignment. Other than wearing glasses for nearsightedness, he is just fine, and it has been 14 and 16 years since his surgeries. I was almost crippled with guilt because the condition that caused his problem is genetic and present in only about 4% of the population. My first trip to the office, I observed a room full of kids for whom vision problems was just one of a long list of problems - kids with cerebral palsy, serious birth defects and even a baby with cataracts. I walked out with my little boy and looked at the beautiful sky outside and said, “I heard you loud and clear.” I had let one small problem almost cripple me. My little pity party was over from that point on. After I read the article about Nina, I sat for a minute thinking about my feelings during his first surgery and multiplied them by thousands. Only something as strong as unconditional love could keep you going.</p>
<p>My daughter has faced more struggles in school than her older brother. She doesn’t have a learning disability, but somehow, I just don’t think school is set up the way that she learns best. It’s frustrating to me, because the teachers in her school are only concerned about teaching one way, and it’s get it or don’t. Just as you said, “work harder”. They don’t wonder if changing their approach would help.</p>
<p>My daughter’s boyfriend is a very, very bright young man with a rare learning disability. The effects of it are not evident now. After years of tutoring with a wonderful woman who understood how he learned, he’s OK. His mother is a friend of mine, and to hear her tell of the struggles she faced with the teachers and the “system”. Unfortunately, there are students with disabilities whose parents don’t fight for them, and the system must swallow them up. And yes, you are right. If they needed physical assistance, they would be taken care of.</p>
<p>It can be very difficult for new parents- they see their kids as perfect or that they want them to be perfect and any little thing that is out of the ordinary gets in the way of the perfect life they want them to have- its out of love of course- but …
I remember when my oldest was born- she was 10 weeks early- weighed 2lbs 7oz and went down to 1lb9oz after surgery- but what I was worried about was that her forehead was not perfectly symmetrical.
:rolleyes:
If only I could have seen my niece who was born 6 months later- that poor kid had a conehead for months!*</p>
<p>Wow! Thanks for sharing. We are all so blessed to have families to love & cherish. No matter how tough things get for each of us, there are others who have it worse. It is true that we can see adversity & challenges as a gift because it teaches us to cherish what we have rather than taking things for granted, if we choose to recognize the silver lining rather than cursing the difficulties.</p>
<p>I missed this one scurrying around yesterday. I needed to read it today. My feelings are touched by the sadness of that cc poster who died this week and Alumom speaking about her daughter. It is tragic when they slip through the cracks, it is a blessing when something can be done about a problem, it is a struggle for some more than others. My sister’s youngest grandchild, the apple of his mother’s eye, was born with a string of problems. Everyone in the family is learning to adjust. Love doesn’t just get doled out to the high achievers! And who knows how far a lot of love will go?</p>
<p>I think the best part of parenting is being able to see all the glitches and love them anyway. That takes awhile because of course they slip out into life perfect, don’t they?</p>
<p>My son arrived in California on the weekend and I got a call from him today that he has the flu, canker sores, extremely chapped lips and a wreck. I think he just thawed out from the Wisconsin cold…and that’s what’s underneath the ice. I got the feeling he wanted to be here (on the other side of the globe) for a few days for a little tlc for the first time since he left in August. Not a pretty picture. But then flu stuff will pass in this case.</p>
<p>Good times wouldn’t exist unless we had a few bad times to compare them to. It kind of smoothes out the cockiness as well.</p>