It has been awhile since I have posted here. The past month has been so busy with fun and celebrations! Thank you Lord for fun and celebrations.Birthdays, 2 high school graduations, party to celebrate said graduation, Father's Day and of course the end of the school year celebrations for Jake and his class.
Jake graduated from Pre-K and now it is off to kindergarten for Jake in September. Doesn't seem possible at all. As many of you know he has Developmental Delays and is part of the Special Education in school. So in order for us to get him the services he needs, we have to comply with the L.A. City School District.
Jake going to Kindergarten is so scary for me because he is 4 and will not turn 5 until the end of November. That means his first semester he will be 4 NOT 5. Developmental Delays effect their level of maturity so putting him "ahead" does not make sense to me. The new teacher told me they are never to hold any back which was my request from the beginning. Because of the lack of maturity that comes with Jake's situation, I do not need him going to college at 17!
It is a very frustrating process because you are one of many but to you, it is all about your child only. They told me he could do very well and move to first grade with no problems! Really? Move to first grade at 5 years old? The school district NEEDS the money so they do not hold kids back and lowered the kindergarten entry age to 4! Push them in push them out! It is the mentality like this one that has always driven me crazy with L.A. City Schools. I took Dante out after a miserable year in Kindergarten there and started homeschooling him in the first grade. I worked in the classroom 2 days a week and all I did was test the kids. The testing worn on them and they would cry when I would try to get answers from them. I just wanted to help teach them to read. I must say that the Lord did also put it on my heart to bring Dante home because I would have NEVER done it on my own. But with Jake, Eddie and I cannot afford the services he needs so in order for him to get them he has to stay in public school.
I have decide to let him go and take it one semester at a time. The heart of a Mother is like a raging lion when her child's needs are at stake. I know I will through prayer get what Jake needs because I have faith that the Lord has his very mighty hand in this. All the signs show me that already. So for now I will continue to make peace with kindergarten in September. Take him to his speech therapy and keep a Mother's watchful eye on the class and the teacher. It is so much easier when they are little and gets a bit harder to get the services they need (even if they need them) as they get older. By the time they are 6 years old the district no longer recognizes developmental delays as a problem. NOW they start calling it "learning disabilities". UGH!!! All right? I figure they have reports hundreds of pages long that support that revelation, but to me I can't see what the difference is. And they are no longer considered the same and your child is basically just moved along unless some burning need arises.
I get very emotionally involved and resort to prayer often. I can begin to feel powerless quickly otherwise. I think the not knowing how his class will be is the biggest part right now. When your child has delayed speech and cannot tell you all of what he needs to, it becomes a situation where you have to be right there in the middle to see so you can understand what he is communicating. Jake is doing well in speech but is still a year or more behind putting him at late 3 years old in his talking ability. We have moments when he will say a sentence crystal clear. It is always a time of celebration. We celebrate every victory no matter how big or small. So we celebrated his day at Pre-K with his 2 amazing teachers who he just ADORES. I think because these 2 women are so wonderful and he truly loves them, it makes it hard for Mom to let go too. I trust these women with my son, I know they love him and have always taken very good care of him in the almost 2 years he has been with them.
Eddie and I showed Jake his new school and he cried and said "I want to go back to my school". :-( Poor guy. he asks for his teachers everyday. Thank you Lord for these 2 amazing women. They really care about these children and do everything they can to help us parents make the best choices for them. Both of them have been fighting with me to get Jake what he needs.
Thank you Father for the Special Ed Teachers, they truly are wonderful advocates for our children.
We give thanks to God and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for you,
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