Tuesday Randoms

[ktstorm]

Oh no, Loco Coco I hope he recovers quickly
That's awesome on the weight loss! I gained a few pounds over the summer because ice cream, cookouts, tacos. I started back to the gym last week, but I'm having the hardest time not stuffing my face. I'm an abstainer not a moderator when it comes to food.

[Deleted]

H had his first speech appointment yesterday, I'm excited to see his (hopeful) progress. I really liked his speech therapist but man could she make him angry trying to get him to say a sound before she'd give him what he wanted. She seems to think he actually has a lot of words but his pronunciation is just really bad and he speaks too quickly so you can't understand much of anything he says.

A has off Friday so we're going to the mountains this weekend. It's supposed to rain allllll weekend I'm hoping for at least a morning of sun, theres a neat bike ride and hike I really want to do.

[Deleted]

Loco Coco, good luck on WW! I did really good for like 7 weeks and lost 12 lbs. The last few weeks I've been slacking, I haven't gained anything but I need to buckle down to lose the last 10! Snacking is what kills me too.

[blane12]

Loco Coco - I hope your dad gets out of the hospital soon and starts feeling better!!

[blane12]

Blake is still struggling with school, so therefore I am seriously struggling. I just wish I could help - I know he's so overwhelmed. I'm going to email the teacher tomorrow to see if we can meet and discuss to see if she has any ideas and to give her some background on where he started. Ugh.

[sunshineluv]

Sept 19, 2017 19:48:19 GMT -5 blane12 said:

Blake is still struggling with school, so therefore I am seriously struggling. I just wish I could help - I know he's so overwhelmed. I'm going to email the teacher tomorrow to see if we can meet and discuss to see if she has any ideas and to give her some background on where he started. Ugh.

I am really sorry. I know that is tough on you both. (Hugs)

[Deleted]

Sept 19, 2017 19:48:19 GMT -5 blane12 said:

Blake is still struggling with school, so therefore I am seriously struggling. I just wish I could help - I know he's so overwhelmed. I'm going to email the teacher tomorrow to see if we can meet and discuss to see if she has any ideas and to give her some background on where he started. Ugh.

I'm sorry . I bet talking with his teacher will help you and him!

[bean47]

Thinking of you blane12

[blane12]

Thanks guys. His sp Ed teacher is going to start a sticker chart and I'll take him shopping if he gets X stickers. He seemed to like the idea.

It's just really disheartening to get his reports back every day saying he put his head down and refused to try. I know it's because it's like 90% writing and writing is SO hard for him. We talk about how he needs to at least try, can't tell his teachers no, etc. but I feel so powerless.

I'm really mad at myself for not starting OT earlier with private therapy. I was SO focused on getting him to talk because there were days we didn't think he would ever talk that we were pushing speech, but didn't bring OT in until 3.5yrs. Or I feel like I should've had more of it, or something.

[tennisgal]

Hugs Loco Coco and blane12,

[ktstorm]

((hugs)) blane12 You are doing a great job.

Is he a perfectionist? B hates writing and coloring because he can't make it "right", and then he doesn't even want to try especially when the kids around him are doing it.

[laurack]

sorry he is struggling blane12

Loco Coco I hope your Dad is ok!

[laurack]

my H is having another Gout attack. He seems to be having bad ones more often so he's going to go on the medication for it.

He was in so much pain this time he went to the doctor twice. He was screaming from the pain and actually crying. They finally gave him some painkillers and it got him through the worst days. I feel so bad for him and also feel guilty for what a bad "carer" I am. It's just been too many things, we got back from Ireland three weeks ago and I was ready to hand the kids off after 1.5 weeks alone with them. But, he'd literally just broken his big toe and could barely walk. Then that started feeling better and he got a terrible man cold. Then, the gout started acting up in his foot and as that got better it went into his hand which was extremely agonizing and he wasn't able to do anything.

Basically I just feel a bit tired but I know I'm lucky as I'm feeling well.

Also I had a large cake to make last weekend and was stressed about that, then I got emailed from this charity that I signed up with months ago and forgot about, looking for a cake for this coming weekend for a sick boy (the charity is cake donations for critically ill kids). Normally I like to just make one cake every couple of months but I felt I couldn't say no. It will be fine, I'm excited to provide a cool cake (hopefully!) for this child.

I'm 7lbs heavier than where I like to be but I literally appear to be unable to stop eating. I just ate half a bag of chocolate covered cashews! aaaaah. I have successfully cut down on my beer consumption (I suspect a couple weeks ago I was actually 10lbs above my good weight) but, until I stop eating chocolate my clothes will not feel comfortable. I refuse to buy new clothes lol

Anyway end of complaints! haha

[laurack]

The boy is turning 10 and requested a military cake so I'm going to make the whole cake a tank! It has the potential to look really cool, or embarrassingly bad. lol!

they are aware I am a recreational baker, not a professional so hopefully their expectations will be reasonable

[bean47]

blane12 if he's not ready for handwriting (if he hasn't mastered prewriting stokes, has a strong enough grasp, sufficient shoulder stability, etc) can he be provided with alternative work at writing time that matches his skill level? I can imagine how frustrating it is for him. His OT could set that up for him, especially if there is an aide available to help him with his writing work. For example, I have this little first grader who has a physical disability and has never received services or gone to school. She's struggling because her peers are doing math and she doesn't even know numbers yet. She hasn't mastered prewriting and is not ready to write yet. So, I set up a fine motor and prewriting bin for her assistant to work on with her when the class is doing something she's not ready for. No point in her becoming upset because she's expected to do something she hasn't even been exposed to the precursor skills. We are trying to reduce her frustration, increase her participation and fill those gaps when we can. I put prewriting worksheets, a salt tray to practice lines, shapes and letters and some fine motor practice activities in there. so far, so good. Maybe you could talk to his special Ed teacher and OT about modifying the work for him. Or maybe he needs a different handwriting program. If what the class is doing isn't meeting his needs they can use a different (maybe something more multi sensory) to teach him the same skills. I hope things get a little better for B soon.

[blane12]

Sept 20, 2017 9:05:16 GMT -5 ktstorm said:

((hugs)) blane12 You are doing a great job.

Is he a perfectionist? B hates writing and coloring because he can't make it "right", and then he doesn't even want to try especially when the kids around him are doing it.

I think that's a lot of it. He knows it's hard and he knows he can't do it well. We struggled through homework last night, and when he was done, I told he he did such a good job and I was proud of him, and he smiled so big. We were writing numbers, and wrote like 5 2's in a row, and the he was asking 'is that a good one? Is that a good one?' I try to making up things to say about each number so he can focus on it - like for 2, 'go around and down and then back' and he seems to like that.

It just seems like kindergarten is 90% of his weak points so I totally understand why he's frustrated and overwhelmed. I don't think there's a huge answer other than he's going to be slower at it than his peers and it's going to be an adjustment, and he just needs to keep plugging away.

I told him I know it's hard, but he has to try, and he can't tell his teachers no. A lot of the time from what I'm reading on the feedback, he just puts his head down and says 'no' and just refuses.

[blane12]

That stinks laurack!! I totally get you on having the kids for X days and then wanting to hand them off and not being able to. I hope your H gets healed up quick and can give you a rest. I'm sure the cake you do for this kid will be awesome!

[blane12]

He had a fabulous day today!! Yay! I needed this!!!

[ktstorm]

yay, that's awesome blane12!