Starting Fresh

As most should know by now I separated in November 2011 after being married since Dec 21, 2001.

 The divorce was final in Feb 2012.

It has been an adjustment, but I had to make a decision for the best life going forward for my 3 children, and the best environment for them as well.

The kids have been in therapy since May 2012, they enjoyed the month of June with me, and then were with their dad the month of July, August was a low key month as we hurried to get all things in order for the new school year fast approaching.

~The Back to School Rush~ 

• ·         Meet the Teacher at Andre’ Elementary in Cy-Fair ISD – Aug 24 from 3-4:30pm
• ·         First day back at school in Cy-Fair ISD - August 27, 2012

My Pride and Joys, they are doing well!

• ·         Dylan turned 10 on May 24, 2012
• ·         Amber turned 8 on June 7, 2012

My Lil Man – My Angel, Dylan:

 Dylan is repeating 4^th grade this year instead of moving onto 5^th grade.

Dylan started Tutoring at Sylvan Learning Center in November 2011 after an assessment proved he was 2 yrs behind in reading and writing, his was on a 2ns grade level, instead of a 4^th grade level. 

• I came to learn that Cy-Fair ISD doesn’t teach Phonics in 1^st grade, so Dylan was behind from the time they focused solely on the site words for vocabulary and not breaking don’t the rules of reading and vocabulary. When you don’t get the basic phonics, then you don’t know how to break down the words when you read, so you get lost especially reading paragraphs, stories, and during tests.

Dylan was assessed by a Pediatric Psychiatrist in May 2012 and we found he couldn’t retain information, he would read something under a stressful environment (school tests), but then not remember what he read 5 mins later when it was time to answer the test questions. He has issues with memory loss, so that diverts his attention.

The simple diagnosis is easily called ADD to the public, but it’s really an OHI (Other Health Issue/Other Health Impairment) since it is a neurological issue, with Memory Loss. 

He is taking a 10mg pill of Adderall each morning before I take the kids’ to school. 

He started it in mid May and so far is doing well.

We await working with the School either under the 504 Umbrella or directly into Special Education so back with the IEP’s which we didn’t have any more since he was exited out of the Speech Program at the beginning of 3^rd grade (2010-2011 school yr). Either way he needs some modifications to help him have a catch up year and continue to succeed in school and stay on level or even move past and be ahead a little!

*Good News with Sylvan – Dylan needed a program that was 200 hours to get him to a 5^th grade reading and writing level. He was assessed in Feb or March 2012 and he had improved 2 grade levels since Nov 2011. So he was on a 4^th grade level, Sylvan only promise 1 grade level of improvement after 36 hrs of tutoring, so Dylan surpassed that promise. He showed wonderful progress over the summer, mostly in July, so the tutors see that the medicine is helping. They don’t have to redirect him, they aren’t refocusing his attention, he is able to focus and sit still for longer periods of time. He is able to do work on his own (which before he felt he couldn’t do anything alone) and he is able to break down each paragraph of a story, so he can later dissect the meaning and answer the questions for quizzes and tests.

His Sylvan Tutors and Teachers hope they can help him at school through the following Modification’s:

• Reading tests questions or answers aloud to him, so he retains it better
• A quitter room for test taking
• Smaller group for Test taking or smaller groups in reading
• Copies of overhead projector class work, so he can see it in front of him and not get confused with what he needs to write on his paper at his desk, but worrying about looking back at what’s on the projector or written on the classroom board.

Dylan has been a big help to his little sister, Keira, in helping her get used to this big elementary school and helping her figure out what it’s all like in her first year in school.

My Fashion Diva – My Princess, Amber:

Amber started 3^rd Grade this 2012-2013 School Year!

She has also been a big help to his little sister, Keira, in helping her get used to this big elementary school and helping her figure out what it’s all like in her first year in school.

On Monday Amber took her backpack and school supplies bags to her 3^rd grade classroom and then came back to the cafeteria and got keira and helped her bring her school supplies bags to Keira’s KG classroom.

She’s in full mode of her Diva personality, but it is the good - smart, caring, and bossy type character because she loves to help out!

My Baby Girl – My Sunflower, Keira:

Keira is finally at the same school as her big brother and sister, and finally able to attend public school. 

Keira started Kindergarten this 2012-2013 School Year!

Her late birthday caused her to not be able to start Kinder last year and she didn’t qualify for the Public Pre-K, so she went to a Day care preschool program from Nov 2011 to May 2012.

Keira turns 6 on Sept 29, 2012, so that is an up and coming exciting event in our house right now. She keeps asking “is my birthday close yet?” :)

The 3 of them are in a before and after school child care program that was created last year in their School district, Cy-Fair, it is called Club Rewind. 

I am able to drop them off at their school cafeteria at 6:30am and get to work by 7:30am, they are there until breakfast is served about 8:25am, and then school starts at 8:45am. School ends at 3:45pm and they go to the cafeteria to play games, go to the gym to have fun, play outside, and teachers come to help them with their homework. 

They have to be picked up by 6:30pm, and this program is a set fee per child every month. 

It is a blessing to have this program since YMCA’s and daycare centers are so expensive and do weekly rate tuition.

Here they are on the First Day of School this Year!

My children change every day and it was bittersweet to see so many quick changes in Keira, it seemed she grew up before my eyes in a matter of days or months, or I just noticed things more; since it was official that she was going to school. 

I am very proud of them and love seeing them happy, laughing, smiling, playing with their toys, or outside, inside, or just relaxing and playing with our 7 month old Black Male Kitten, Chico! 

Their childhoods are short and I want them to enjoy them, I want them to be kids, I don’t want them to have to grow up too fast.

I want to limit their exposure to a constant environment of negativity, sickness, anger, doctors, hospitals, surgeries, stitches, instability, constant stress, ect.  

They have been through a major life change in just over 6 months, but I hope one day they will see why I made the decision I did, and they will understand why Mommy worked on weekdays, but still did her best to be at every school event, came to their school on some of her Fridays off to eat lunch with them, but also, may they come to appreciate the statement that:

 “quality is better than quantity”

(because they see mommy when I wake them up to get ready for school, then drop them off between 6:30-6:45am, then they see me a max of 2 and a half hours on weeknights since I pick them up at 6:30pm from their school cafeteria and they are in bed by 8:30pm to be rested for the following school day. They see me on weekends, and that time is extra special, they see me a little earlier on my every other Fridays off, and the weekends they are with their dad, I talk to them in the evening and ask them about what fun they are having!).