LG's New Chapter!

It has been no secret that LG has struggled with school.  

He simply just doesn't like it and while we (Buddy, the Man and M.E.) loved our little Catholic school LG has been really unhappy.  He doesn't do well working independently for more than half an hour and especially on something he doesn't like or see value it and it was something he had to do everyday, sometimes up to 90 minutes a day.  And with 30 other children in his classroom to distract him - it was a mini-nightmare for him daily.  

He has an auditory processing delay which means when hearing something for the first time or something out of context, or surprising, it takes him a while to process and store that information. This is one reason he doesn't make good eye-contact.  He often can not look at people and hear what they are saying at the same time. And often after he has heard something and stored it, his brain doesn't know where it is and it takes him awhile to recall it or do what was asked.  It is the main reason he has been speech delayed since birth.  He does not process and store information like most kids his age and it is something that he's not going to outgrow, he simply learns in a different way they most.  Give him a book or a movie and he will store every second of it, bam! But hearing it, not so much. And so at our school there was just no room to maneuver around this delay and while he was "getting by", that's not the education nor experience we wanted him to have.  LG is smart, actually very smart with a high IQ, but still things weren't working and he KNEW they weren't working and the stress level for us all grew. 

So after much prayer and research, we enrolled him in a new school, an out-of-the-box kind of school. It is similar to a Wardolf school and nicknamed a "hippie" school because its so laid back and their animals everywhere. He will spend his time developing processing to help him learn, succeed and process in new ways.   There are three groups of 2nd/3rd grade mixed classrooms and in his classroom, he is one of eleven students, all on a similar learning level. He will be encouraged to be himself, given time to think & process, and most of all not be stressed out.  His lessons are very hands-on, process based with few tests at this level.  They don't even have desks, but sit at a table together and spend a great deal of time outside.  And go on field trips nearly every week. Its definitely outside the box, just like LG.  

Playing legos before school in the 2nd grade commons area. 

Its going to challenging mentally (two school scheduled, two drop-offs, two pick-ups), physically (I can't be in two places at once) and financially (tuition is high), but we really feel he will thrive there. And for those of you who know LG, he is special and we really want to cultivate that and all his talents and gifts and will do whatever we can to do so. 

At his new table, doing morning work. (Sorry its so blurry) 

He left his old school on Friday, Oct 25 without much ado. And began his new school on Monday, Oct 28.  And I can honestly say that after only these few days of school. He is a different little boy.  

He has always been our little lover, always there with a hug, smile and pat on the back. But now it shines out of him like the sun. I honestly feel terrible about the mental and emotional exhaustion that he was experiencing everyday that it is now gone. I had no idea.  He's old teacher had once told the Man and M.E. that it took every once of energy, will and self-control for LG to get through the day and now I completely believe it.  He is so much more relaxed and happy now. 

Halloween field trip to a nursing home for an indoor parade, performing Halloween songs and visiting with residents.  (He was one of 5 Hogwarts students)

He now has a locker.  We will be decorating it with cool magnets over the next few weeks.  

The new school doesn't mean the challenges for him are over. It will always be tough for him, but he's now at a school that understands and works with students and parents to make every student as successful as can be. School should be fun! 

Circle time after the field trip. 

Thanks to everyone for their support and for all the prayers that have gone up the last few weeks. We have felt them and are blessed right now as the transition couldn't have been easier! Go, LG, Go!