I was talking with a friend about times in our lives when our thoughts and emotions make us feel very un-grown up. And she asked the question, "Sometimes I wonder", she said, "do we ever really grow up?" I think she has something there because lately my life seems to be overwhelming me just a little and I can't seem to keep things in check. Little cats are scooting about and my mind whirs. I'm in one of those periods in my life where I realize that I thought I had things all figured out but the chaos inside causes me to come up short and accept that I don't. It's a bit of an emotional free fall. I am sure that this is a necessary correction - like the economy, my ego grows and grows and then events called corrections come along and take a little wind out of the sails.
The things that tie me down and keep me earthbound are Doug (especially) and our children. Doug is a saint. He is kind and funny, charming and sexy, smart and loyal (exceedingly loyal). Sometimes I think I don't deserve him.
Amidst the turmoil we play Super Mario Brothers and Smarty Pants. I can't really go batty when we have Mario and Luigi to pull me back.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Thursday, April 03, 2008
the Halstead-Reitan Neuropsychological Test Battery & the revised Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children
Emery started his battery of tests today. It was a half day of testing today. We played hooky the rest of the day and went to Nordstrom. Seemed appropriate. He did incredibly well. I don't know if it's some ploy to put parents at ease, but they praised him up and down. The purpose of this is to rule out or confirm certain learning patterns, evaluate how he learns and to re-evaluate his Intelligence Quotient.
We've been through the Wechsler before and found his verbal IQ to be very high. Today he did some 'pre-college' work. I didn't ask the diagnostician, but it occurred to me, "Isn't everything pre-college?" I mean 1st grade is arguably pre-college. I tell you what, that is the kind of thinking that rendered me completely ineffectual on objective tests.
When we did the Wechsler at age 5, his performance IQ (read: everything that isn't verbal) was average or low. So, it was something to see about later. I didn't know there were 'non-verbal learning disabilities' but I'm the wiser now.
More and more I come to the conclusion that we don't have any of those issues staring us in the face. More and more I think we are just dealing with a gifted child who sees verbal gymnastics as games worth playing. I also struggle with how to raise children in this society where we have to teach them to be somewhat distrustful of adults and authority figures, and particularly adults who have opted to work with children: coaches and teachers are child molesters. So, how do you teach them to respect authority often but to question it when necessary using a judgment sensor that they just haven't developed. How to teach them to think, hmmm, something seems odd about this interaction - what does this adult person want from me? S/He's showing an inordinate interest in me...
It's a puzzle.
We've been through the Wechsler before and found his verbal IQ to be very high. Today he did some 'pre-college' work. I didn't ask the diagnostician, but it occurred to me, "Isn't everything pre-college?" I mean 1st grade is arguably pre-college. I tell you what, that is the kind of thinking that rendered me completely ineffectual on objective tests.
When we did the Wechsler at age 5, his performance IQ (read: everything that isn't verbal) was average or low. So, it was something to see about later. I didn't know there were 'non-verbal learning disabilities' but I'm the wiser now.
More and more I come to the conclusion that we don't have any of those issues staring us in the face. More and more I think we are just dealing with a gifted child who sees verbal gymnastics as games worth playing. I also struggle with how to raise children in this society where we have to teach them to be somewhat distrustful of adults and authority figures, and particularly adults who have opted to work with children: coaches and teachers are child molesters. So, how do you teach them to respect authority often but to question it when necessary using a judgment sensor that they just haven't developed. How to teach them to think, hmmm, something seems odd about this interaction - what does this adult person want from me? S/He's showing an inordinate interest in me...
It's a puzzle.
Friday, February 15, 2008
It's OK. I hear him choking in there...
Things are KraZi at our house in the morning. It doesn't matter how early we get up, we are always rushing out the door, running late. I'm repeating everything 5 times (Wilbur get up here and eat, Wilbur get up here and eat, Wilbur get up here and eat, Wilbur get up here and eat, Wilbur get up here and eat). I'm asking the same questions again and again each day, "did you brush your teeth?" "Did you pee?" "Do you have your shoes on?" "Could you put your jacket on please?"
This morning we sent Emery in to brush his teeth, which he should have done first thing. As Wilbur was eating and getting dressed (literally at the same time), I called out to Em, "Are you brushing your teeth?" And he says, "I'll get right to it!" Now, he had been in there for 10 minutes - what was he doing in there? So, a little while later I call out again, more insistently, "Are You Brushing Your Teeth??" And Doug says, "Yes, It's ok, he's rinsing, I hear him choking in there"
Whew. Thank Goodness.
This morning we sent Emery in to brush his teeth, which he should have done first thing. As Wilbur was eating and getting dressed (literally at the same time), I called out to Em, "Are you brushing your teeth?" And he says, "I'll get right to it!" Now, he had been in there for 10 minutes - what was he doing in there? So, a little while later I call out again, more insistently, "Are You Brushing Your Teeth??" And Doug says, "Yes, It's ok, he's rinsing, I hear him choking in there"
Whew. Thank Goodness.
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