CST's

So much to write, so little time. First I want to CONGRATULATE my J on doing a GREAT, GREAT job this weekend for baseball!! He got the game ball. He pitched two great innings, made a great play off the mound to first, and a great play on Third to first.  GOOD JOB J!

Today at his school they start their CST testing.  What is it about these testings? Am I the only parent out there that feels they are putting too much pressure on these kids at too young of an age. J already is fluent in two languages he can read, write and speak in English and Spanish.  For only being in Second grad he is doing math that I remember doing in 4th grade, giving full classroom presentations.  S is on the english side and she is at the same level of math as her brother with reading at a 4th grade level for 1st grade!!!

M had to be tested last week for Kindergarten next year - TESTED?! Remember when kindergarten was finger-paints, coloring, shapes and friends.  All the toys are out of the classroom and its all about achieving a high test score. Yes, I looked at the CST scores when I chose my kids school, it did influence my choice however, I hate watching them worry about it like the SAT's.  

The fun of school I feel has been lost to all this great academics. Yes, my kids are 10x smarter then I was at their age and I am very proud of them.  Society is moving at a greater speed and dual languages is a necessity.  I just wish you could have your cake and eat it too with a little teaspoon of FUN added in.  

I am such that lacker mom when it comes to homework, yes we always get it done and turned in on time. But I like the weekends for them just to be kids and I give them a day during the weekdays to not do homework, and that does mean we are cramming a little more on certain days but to let them play, why not.

I understand now how important it is, to grab onto your childhood. It's going to fly right past them.

Trying to understand

We've been weighing the pros and cons with homeschooling S.  These last two weeks of spring break were actually very peaceful. Or as peaceful as we can imagine it to be.  Once school started everything re-started with it.  The whining, complaining, etc... I believe it's the anxiety that S gets before and after school. I don't think I'm the best for her academically.  For the anxiety?

Hubby and I are both on the same page with believing that it is Aspergers.  I've been reading this book called Aspergirls by Rudy Simone.  It's really interesting, the stims and habits that it describes are S's stims and habits.  It really is helping us understand S. It talks about how the chart of diagnosis mostly diagnosis's girls based on the same traits of boys.  However there traits are the same but different.  They are more socially acceptable.  Example: reading, math, etc...  is more of their obsession verses dinosaurs, trains.  When you look at it S loves reading but she is reading the same book for the last couple of months over and over.  Her teacher mentions that she can't describe how she maintained the answer to her math problems, and this is what they want.  Isn't that a gift though? I wish I could do that.  S's response "I did it in my head."

It's great being on the same page with the hubby.  He reminds me to have patience with S.  That she is different.   The hardest thing to watch lately is her school social life is changing.  She is losing friends because of her difference's and habits.  Girls can be mean and unfortunately it's rare that it gets better first they usually get meaner with age. 

Lately her literally translation of the world is becoming more so .  A little girl fell over S the other day and as usual she did not respond correctly to it.  When the teacher asked her if she did anything S response was No. The teacher took it as a lie but I after talking with S she didn't mean to do anything it was an accident therefore she didn't do it.  The teacher pointed out the girls crying.  "BLANK is tough, look you made her cry." S's response "Why is she crying then?"  S wasn't trying to be rude, she was asking the question.

Also she is having a HUGE, problem with staying in her seat.  She wants to touch the other kids, instruct, help the others.  She knows the rules to ask before getting out of her seat.  She's not done with her work so it's not boredom.  We are at wits end to how to handle it.  Her teacher spoke to her on Monday we spoke to her on the weekend.  When Wednesday rolled around I asked S "Didn't Mrs. BLANK speak to you about this on Monday?"  S - "Yes, she said don't get out of your seat today, but she didn't mention tomorrow or the day after."  AGGGHHH!!!! Can't someone see this?!!! It's not her fault, it's who she is.  And as a parent I have to watch the world move away from her while were trying to fight for her to understand it.