Hi there!
Wow… it’s been another two months already? I honestly can’t believe how quickly June and July flew by. I hope and pray you are all well, healthy and happy.
After Theodore graduated from Kinder with our previous homeschool provider, we took a little breather. Well… Theodore rested. 😅 I, on the other hand, went straight into research mode.
As a mom, I spent most of those weeks asking myself one question:
What’s next for my little one?
Should we continue homeschooling? Should we try a traditional school? Would he be ready?
More importantly… would the school be ready for him?
One thing I’ve been praying for was the opportunity to let Theodore experience a regular classroom, even just for a trial period. I’m so grateful because one school welcomed him to sit in a regular class while they continue to monitor and assess him. So yes… Theodore goes to school every day now for 1-2 hours each day. The first few days were exciting. He happily carried his school bag and looked forward to going to class. But after about a month, reality started to kick in. Some mornings, he immediately says, “No.” There are even days when he cries before leaving the house. We’re still giving him time because every transition takes adjustment but we’re also listening to him. We’re taking this one day at a time.
The downside? Since he’s now surrounded by many other kids, he’s already caught coughs and colds twice. Just last week, he had a fever and had to miss several days of school. As some of you readers know, he also has CHD.
As parents, we’re constantly observing. Not because we want him to quit. But we want to know if this environment is truly helping him thrive or if it’s becoming too overwhelming. One challenge is that the school doesn’t have a SPED program. So naturally, I worry. If we eventually realize this setup is doing more harm than good, we’ll make another plan. There’s no shame in changing directions if it’s what’s best for Theodore.
I’ll be honest..
Reading about the recent incidents happening in schools here in the Philippines has made me even more anxious as a parent. I don’t usually post about current events, but stories about school violence really affect me now. Maybe it’s because I have a child of my own. Every time I read the news, I can’t help but think about the parents, the teachers, and the children involved. It reminds me that choosing a school isn’t only about academics anymore. As parents, we also ask ourselves: Will my child be safe? And for families like ours, there’s another question. Will my child be understood?
I’ve realized that before choosing any school, these are the questions that matter most to me:
- Does the school understand children with communication differences?
- Is there SPED support if needed?
- How do they respond to bullying?
- How do they communicate with parents?
- Will Theodore feel accepted and safe here?
Those answers mean much more to me than any ranking or curriculum.
One of the biggest updates these past two months is that Theodore has now been clinically diagnosed with ASD. We already know that he is a Gestalt Language Processor (GLP) but now it is also official. Looking back, so many things suddenly made sense. We’ve learned that Theodore understands and processes language differently, so I started making visual supports for him.
Things like:
- How to Take a Shower
- How to Brush Teeth
- How to Wash Hands
Simple step-by-step guides with pictures that help him become more independent.
I also created something that has already been so helpful, a small laminated keychain called “Hi, I’m Theodore.” It gives teachers and caregivers a quick introduction to him in less than a minute. It explains how he communicates, what helps him regulate, and little things that make his day easier. I’ll be sharing the template here on the blog in case it might help another family too.
August is going to be a busy month for us. We’re still intentional. I’m very much intentional. I’ve prepared daily supplementary activities that combine ideas from speech therapy and occupational therapy so we can continue practicing at home. We’re also working on: daily literacy activities, cognitive foundations, independence skills, simple household chores, hygiene routines, visual schedules, etc.
Everything has a purpose.
But I also make sure Theodore still has plenty of time to simply be a kid. We still enjoy our weekly nature studies. We still read books together. We still go outside to explore. And we’re making a conscious effort to reduce screen time at home whether that’s the TV or the iPad. We recently enrolled him in Kumon twice a week too. I have this feeling that Theodore has a natural love for numbers. He genuinely understands math in a way that surprises me, and I hope we can continue nurturing that strength. We’re also back in OT and waiting for an available Speech Therapy slot. While we’re waiting, therapy continues every day at home.
On a personal note, I’m almost done with my certification in caring for children with special needs. I’m praying that I’ll pass. One day, I’d also love to earn a teaching certificate not because I want to become a classroom teacher, but because I want to be better equipped to teach and guide my own son. That has become one of my biggest prayers today.
Anyway..
If your next few weeks also feel full and overwhelming, I hope some of the new resources I’ve uploaded here on Little Dots Learning can make your days just a little easier. Maybe one printable, one activity or one visual schedule. If it helps you and your little one, then every late night I spent creating them was worth it.
To my fellow ‘ausome parents’… to the moms navigating therapies, school decisions, and everyday uncertainty… let’s keep going. One step at a time.
One little dot at a time.
With love,
