Re: Questions about Starting Pre K

[Guest guest]

Hi,

My son, , turned 3 in February (4 years ago) and we decided not to

start him until Sept. for many reasons. He only started walking in August and

was still very unsteady, couldn't express his needs or wants - was

verbal but only his family could understand him, he was used to being home with

me all day. We did take him to the school 3 times a week for his therapy -

speech and ot. I thought it was a nice transition for him and me than just

dropping him off when he turned 3!!

did half days in K0 and K1 and went full day in KII. We had him

repeat KII this year because he learned so much, repeating would reinforce those

early skills (letter and number i.d., writing letters, sounds of letters,

counting) and build on them.

It is an individual choice and I think we made the right decision(s) so far

for .

Hope this helps.

Tricia - mom to DS turns 7 on Sat., Ciara 9 and Niamh 11.

rdistinsmom <lbdistin@...> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

Haven't written in a long time, but have been reading posts.

I have a question about pre k and I know from past experience, I will

get a lot of feed back here.

My son, Ronnie, will be three in April. We are currently in the

state's early connection program a.k.a birth to three and just

recently had a informal meeting with the school's teacher at our

home. (this did seem odd to me, but it is the way the do it).

Anyway, the school's teacher was saying that since Ronnie's birthday

is the middle of April and the kids in the program are mainly older

kids that will be graduating this year she suggested that we wait

until September to put Ronnie in pre k and in the mean time she would

get together a play group of a couple of kids that will be starting

then too and his year older sister (I think she said). As far as

services in the mean time, we would need to take him to the school

two or three times a week for OT, PT and Speech. It's just an option

at this point.

I've been going back and forth on this and can't seem to make up my

mind. Ronnie is pretty easy going, but very delayed. He doesn't

walk or talk or really crawl yet, can't feed himself and it is hard

to understand his needs. I don't want to waste any essential time,

but then again I don't know if this wouldn't be a good way to ease

him in too. He does have interaction now in a play group and Sunday

school room, and he does play with his sister who is a year older.

She isn't in this pre k, but am I putting her in a lottery to see if

she can get in.

So, what does anyone think here?

Thanks for your advice.

Distin, Mom to 17, 4 and Ronnie almost 3

---------------------------------

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in 45,000 destinations on Travel to find your fit.

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

My daughter, who will soon be 17, turned 3 on March 29th. I thought

that she would not get much out of starting early childhood the

beginning of April and going for such a short time so I contacted the

school district early and she actually started that January, when she

was 2 years 9 months old. It did her more good to start early than to

wait until that fall and receive no services for such a long period of time.

Jackie

mom to , 19, and Dani, 17 (ds)

rdistinsmom wrote:

>

> Hi Everyone,

>

> Haven't written in a long time, but have been reading posts.

>

> I have a question about pre k and I know from past experience, I will

> get a lot of feed back here.

>

> My son, Ronnie, will be three in April. We are currently in the

> state's early connection program a.k.a birth to three and just

> recently had a informal meeting with the school's teacher at our

> home. (this did seem odd to me, but it is the way the do it).

>

> Anyway, the school's teacher was saying that since Ronnie's birthday

> is the middle of April and the kids in the program are mainly older

> kids that will be graduating this year she suggested that we wait

> until September to put Ronnie in pre k and in the mean time she would

> get together a play group of a couple of kids that will be starting

> then too and his year older sister (I think she said). As far as

> services in the mean time, we would need to take him to the school

> two or three times a week for OT, PT and Speech. It's just an option

> at this point.

>

> I've been going back and forth on this and can't seem to make up my

> mind. Ronnie is pretty easy going, but very delayed. He doesn't

> walk or talk or really crawl yet, can't feed himself and it is hard

> to understand his needs. I don't want to waste any essential time,

> but then again I don't know if this wouldn't be a good way to ease

> him in too. He does have interaction now in a play group and Sunday

> school room, and he does play with his sister who is a year older.

> She isn't in this pre k, but am I putting her in a lottery to see if

> she can get in.

>

> So, what does anyone think here?

>

> Thanks for your advice.

> Distin, Mom to 17, 4 and Ronnie almost 3

>

>

[Guest guest]

Hi-

My daughter is 3 (DS) and we are not doing to send her to preschool until she

is older and she is communicating better. There is a school of thought that

putting a child in a school setting before they are ready will make them shut

down more. I feel no rush to put her in preschool. Her sister who is 4 does go

to a parttime play based preschool and so in a few years, (2 because of the way

the birthday falls), I will put her in a part-time program. We have a therapist

team that is working now...yes we have to pay for some of it but I feel that my

daughter is doing so well that I have no reason to put her in school program.

Actually at school we would get less services that she is getting now ..crazy.

The gains that children make in preschool are usually lost by 3rd grade. As

long as the child is getting any therapy or medical needs met and that the child

does have some times to see other children once in a while, I see nothing wrong

with keeping a preschooler home

and I think that this is true for typical as well as specail needs children.

I know that these days, this is not a popular view but I wanted to write in to

let you know that some children who have DS are not in preschool and are doing

great. There is nothing wrong with preschool but I do get upset when people

push to put a child in a preschool just because the child has a disbility. and

btw- keeping your preschooler home is NOT homeschooling. In most states the age

that you have to send a child to school or to register as a homeschooler is 6.

Good luck,

Dawn

rdistinsmom <lbdistin@...> wrote:

Hi Everyone,

Haven't written in a long time, but have been reading posts.

I have a question about pre k and I know from past experience, I will

get a lot of feed back here.

My son, Ronnie, will be three in April. We are currently in the

state's early connection program a.k.a birth to three and just

recently had a informal meeting with the school's teacher at our

home. (this did seem odd to me, but it is the way the do it).

Anyway, the school's teacher was saying that since Ronnie's birthday

is the middle of April and the kids in the program are mainly older

kids that will be graduating this year she suggested that we wait

until September to put Ronnie in pre k and in the mean time she would

get together a play group of a couple of kids that will be starting

then too and his year older sister (I think she said). As far as

services in the mean time, we would need to take him to the school

two or three times a week for OT, PT and Speech. It's just an option

at this point.

I've been going back and forth on this and can't seem to make up my

mind. Ronnie is pretty easy going, but very delayed. He doesn't

walk or talk or really crawl yet, can't feed himself and it is hard

to understand his needs. I don't want to waste any essential time,

but then again I don't know if this wouldn't be a good way to ease

him in too. He does have interaction now in a play group and Sunday

school room, and he does play with his sister who is a year older.

She isn't in this pre k, but am I putting her in a lottery to see if

she can get in.

So, what does anyone think here?

Thanks for your advice.

Distin, Mom to 17, 4 and Ronnie almost 3

---------------------------------

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[Guest guest]

I would hope that they are giving him a summer program as well as starting

him in April. This needs to be set up ASAP. The fact that he will regress if

not given services is used to prove he needs summer services. Don't let them

off the hook.

Jeannette

[Guest guest]

My daughter started the preschool summer session just after her third

birthday (June 1st).. She did fine. Now Speech was and still is one of her

greatest delays but I chose a class that was a mix of both special needs and

typical children so that she had a greater amount of peer role models for

speech.. was always very social and when she was 2 years old

participated in a 2 year old class at the YMCA.. (2 hours a day twice a

week) where she was the only child with special needs. while this may not

have worked with every child, it was the best fit for . She is

currently in Kindergarten (for the second time - our decision) in a regular

ed class with an one on one aide with a couple pull outs for extra work..

Sometimes our children can surprise us and do things when it is introduced

by others that we may not have thought they could do. also being around a

lot of mobile children his own age may do more to encourage his walking or

mobility then all the therapy out there..

ann

_____

From: [mailto: ] On Behalf

Of rdistinsmom

Sent: Tuesday, February 06, 2007 6:55 AM

Subject: Questions about Starting Pre K

Hi Everyone,

Haven't written in a long time, but have been reading posts.

I have a question about pre k and I know from past experience, I will

get a lot of feed back here.

My son, Ronnie, will be three in April. We are currently in the

state's early connection program a.k.a birth to three and just

recently had a informal meeting with the school's teacher at our

home. (this did seem odd to me, but it is the way the do it).

Anyway, the school's teacher was saying that since Ronnie's birthday

is the middle of April and the kids in the program are mainly older

kids that will be graduating this year she suggested that we wait

until September to put Ronnie in pre k and in the mean time she would

get together a play group of a couple of kids that will be starting

then too and his year older sister (I think she said). As far as

services in the mean time, we would need to take him to the school

two or three times a week for OT, PT and Speech. It's just an option

at this point.

I've been going back and forth on this and can't seem to make up my

mind. Ronnie is pretty easy going, but very delayed. He doesn't

walk or talk or really crawl yet, can't feed himself and it is hard

to understand his needs. I don't want to waste any essential time,

but then again I don't know if this wouldn't be a good way to ease

him in too. He does have interaction now in a play group and Sunday

school room, and he does play with his sister who is a year older.

She isn't in this pre k, but am I putting her in a lottery to see if

she can get in.

So, what does anyone think here?

Thanks for your advice.

Distin, Mom to 17, 4 and Ronnie almost 3

[Guest guest]

I'm generally quiet when it comes to these issues as we've chosen to go the

unconventional route and teach Ruthie ourselves. This has worked wonderfully

for us and she's doing just great.

I think that a great disservice has been done to parents in making them

think they are unable to adequately teach/work with their special needs

children. I bought books on the subject and found most of what they

suggested to help Down Syndrome kids move from one skill to the next are

things that I did with all of my kids anyway, as are most of the things

mentioned by others on the list when speaking of their therapists.

Sue

>

> I know that these days, this is not a popular view but I wanted to write

> in to let you know that some children who have DS are not in preschool and

> are doing great. There is nothing wrong with preschool but I do get upset

> when people push to put a child in a preschool just because the child has

> a disbility. and btw- keeping your preschooler home is NOT homeschooling.

> In most states the age that you have to send a child to school or to

> register as a homeschooler is 6.

> Good luck,

>

> Dawn

[Guest guest]

I love hearing post on the different ways people chose

to do things. It can give people how are normally

lurkers ideas if they are in the same spot. I know

for me I know my limits. I think I can do a much

better job as a filler for him where the schools fail,

as I have done with my oldest.

On another list, I have learned so much on what I can

do from those who do stay home and teach. Keep

sharing

B

--- Sue Didier <didiers8@...> wrote:

> I'm generally quiet when it comes to these issues

> as we've chosen to go the

> unconventional route and teach Ruthie ourselves.

> This has worked wonderfully

> for us and she's doing just great.

>

> I think that a great disservice has been done to

> parents in making them

> think they are unable to adequately teach/work with

> their special needs

> children. I bought books on the subject and found

> most of what they

> suggested to help Down Syndrome kids move from one

> skill to the next are

> things that I did with all of my kids anyway, as are

> most of the things

> mentioned by others on the list when speaking of

> their therapists.

> Sue

> >

> > I know that these days, this is not a popular

> view but I wanted to write

> > in to let you know that some children who have DS

> are not in preschool and

> > are doing great. There is nothing wrong with

> preschool but I do get upset

> > when people push to put a child in a preschool

> just because the child has

> > a disbility. and btw- keeping your preschooler

> home is NOT homeschooling.

> > In most states the age that you have to send a

> child to school or to

> > register as a homeschooler is 6.

> > Good luck,

> >

> > Dawn

>

>

>

> Click reply to all for messages to go to the list.

> Just hit reply for messages to go to the sender of

> the message.

>

[Guest guest]

Well, I don’t write much but had to add my opinion on this one. Seems

to me the teacher just doesn’t want to interrupt her class in April.

Sorry, but to me it sounds like Ronnie is delayed enough and needs

whatever you can get him. He will only benefit by starting asap. He is

entitled to start at 3.

\JMHO

Dawn (mom to 13ds)

Questions about Starting Pre K

Hi Everyone,

Haven't written in a long time, but have been reading posts.

I have a question about pre k and I know from past experience, I will

get a lot of feed back here.

My son, Ronnie, will be three in April. We are currently in the

state's early connection program a.k.a birth to three and just

recently had a informal meeting with the school's teacher at our

home. (this did seem odd to me, but it is the way the do it).

Anyway, the school's teacher was saying that since Ronnie's birthday

is the middle of April and the kids in the program are mainly older

kids that will be graduating this year she suggested that we wait

until September to put Ronnie in pre k and in the mean time she would

get together a play group of a couple of kids that will be starting

then too and his year older sister (I think she said). As far as

services in the mean time, we would need to take him to the school

two or three times a week for OT, PT and Speech. It's just an option

at this point.

I've been going back and forth on this and can't seem to make up my

mind. Ronnie is pretty easy going, but very delayed. He doesn't

walk or talk or really crawl yet, can't feed himself and it is hard

to understand his needs. I don't want to waste any essential time,

but then again I don't know if this wouldn't be a good way to ease

him in too. He does have interaction now in a play group and Sunday

school room, and he does play with his sister who is a year older.

She isn't in this pre k, but am I putting her in a lottery to see if

she can get in.

So, what does anyone think here?

Thanks for your advice.

Distin, Mom to 17, 4 and Ronnie almost 3

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2/6/2007 5:52 PM

[Guest guest]

This is where we're at, too. As long as Ruthie keeps making progress (and she

is, by leaps and bounds right now) we'll keep on keeping on.

Sue

Sue-

I agree with you that many the people in the system make parents think that

they can not help their child. Just the other day, a well meaning speech

therapist from the schools kept telling me that Elise is ready to go to

preschool. She dosent even know us but she just assumed that Elise needed to go

into their program because she has DS. I always feel that I have to keep

justifying not putting her in the county program. But, as long as my Elise is

doing great I am happy doing what we are doing.

Dawn

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 2/6/2007 4:58:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,

didiers8@... writes:

I think that a great disservice has been done to parents in making them

think they are unable to adequately teach/work with their special needs

children. I bought books on the subject and found most of what they

suggested to help Down Syndrome kids move from one skill to the next are

things that I did with all of my kids anyway, as are most of the things

mentioned by others on the list when speaking of their therapists.

You are absolutely 100% right and if I had it to do all over again I would

not have had early intervention. Everything that was done with Micah was

stuff I had done for all my previous 4 children and then some. If I had been a

first time mother it might have been different but really, all early

intervention is...is glorified playing with your children which for most mothers

should be natural instinct. Besides the early intervention was very disruptive

and poor Micah never got to be a normal baby with normal naps etc. Someone was

always showing up when he would fall asleep. I remember going to a support

group and one poor mother was told two different ways of doing something and

she was beside herself. I told her to do what her gut told her that everyone

did things differently just like mothers do and that her response would be

the best one. Sometimes therapists undermine mom's into thinking that they

don't know what they are doing. Mom's know best!

Loree

[Guest guest]

At the time Ruthie was born we had acquaintances with a dd with severe cerebral

palsy. They had 8 therapy sessions a week and she was pushing me to call right

away and sign Ruthie up.

During the sessions, they were often given exercises or activities to do with

the child, which they rarely did. I wondered how on earth a new skill was

learned when there was no reinforcement during the week. There were a lot of

other things about how she was being cared for that seemed off to me, but I

realized that this woman really had little maternal instinct.

Don't get me wrong, I think that early intervention can be a GREAT thing.

Especially for kids who are having trouble progressing from one skill to

another, or who are more severely affected. I would never presume to say that

anyone shouldn't do it, it's for each parent/family to decide for themselves.

I just get tired of the attitude I get when asked what we're doing for Ruthie

and I answer we work with her ourselves.

Sue

You are absolutely 100% right and if I had it to do all over again I would not

have had early intervention. Everything that was done with Micah was stuff I

had done for all my previous 4 children and then some. If I had been a first

time mother it might have been different but really, all early intervention

is...is glorified playing with your children which for most mothers should be

natural instinct. Besides the early intervention was very disruptive and poor

Micah never got to be a normal baby with normal naps etc. Someone was always

showing up when he would fall asleep. I remember going to a support group and

one poor mother was told two different ways of doing something and she was

beside herself. I told her to do what her gut told her that everyone did things

differently just like mothers do and that her response would be the best one.

Sometimes therapists undermine mom's into thinking that they don't know what

they are doing. Mom's know best!

Loree

[Guest guest]

We are another family that did not do therapy with our child. She was our 4th,

and we chose to keep her home and be a normal kid doing normal routines. I think

that this works well for some families, and not so well for others. Being our

4th, Ciarra was old hat by then. We played " developmentally " with her by nature.

We did allow one therapy with her as an infant/toddler, and that was " concept

development therapy " . It was a DT who came in with a computer program

specifically designed for her, and worked on developmental matters, cause and

effect etc. It was the BEST thing we could have done for her. I am not opposed

to therapies for our kids, but I do think that when they begin to stress

families out and make everyone feel locked into a schedule that doesnt work for

the family, then it is not necessarily a good thing. Therapy was not right for

us, it may be right for others. Ciarra did not have speech, ot, pt or any other

therapy until she hit Kindergarten. She is currently doing exceptionally well in

a fully mainstreamed classroom, reading up a storm, and happy as a lark. I think

each family should evaluate their own needs and decide what works best for them.

[Guest guest]

Our EI program was different. We saw PT, OT, ST on a quarterly basis where they

re-evaluated her, then gave us the exercises, play stuff, etc., that she needed.

She was then followed weekly at first, then every other week by a staff member

called .... well heck, can't remember her title. Anyway, she served as a

liasion, checking, answering questions, helping us with our IFSP, and then later

our first IEP. We were able to do our therapy this way, because of our family

evaluation by the program. If had stopped progressing, or it became

obvious that we weren't doing what we should, then she would have been changed

to a more traditional program.

Our weekly person came at 9 am, stayed about an hour or so. We loved the

program, and her, and were very lucky to have been in it.

Now was also our first child, so there was a definite lack of knowledge on

my part about developmental milestones, etc..

A good friend opted to do her own research, and work with her child.....he is

doing very well, will enter kindergarten next year.

Sharon H.

Mom to , (15, DS) and , (11)

South Carolina

" Be kinder than necessary, for everyone you meet is fighting some kind of

battle. "

Re: Questions about Starting Pre K

In a message dated 2/6/2007 4:58:02 PM Eastern Standard Time,

didiers8@... writes:

I think that a great disservice has been done to parents in making them

think they are unable to adequately teach/work with their special needs

children. I bought books on the subject and found most of what they

suggested to help Down Syndrome kids move from one skill to the next are

things that I did with all of my kids anyway, as are most of the things

mentioned by others on the list when speaking of their therapists.

You are absolutely 100% right and if I had it to do all over again I would

not have had early intervention. Everything that was done with Micah was

stuff I had done for all my previous 4 children and then some. If I had been a

first time mother it might have been different but really, all early

intervention is...is glorified playing with your children which for most

mothers

should be natural instinct. Besides the early intervention was very disruptive

and poor Micah never got to be a normal baby with normal naps etc. Someone was

always showing up when he would fall asleep. I remember going to a support

group and one poor mother was told two different ways of doing something and

she was beside herself. I told her to do what her gut told her that everyone

did things differently just like mothers do and that her response would be

the best one. Sometimes therapists undermine mom's into thinking that they

don't know what they are doing. Mom's know best!

Loree

[Guest guest]

I got a call from the county when Ruthie was first born, offering services.

She said they would do as much or as little as we wanted, from weekly

services to occasional evaluations. I expected to be pushed by them to do

what they thought, so was really surprised when I got more hassle from other

people.

Sue

> Our EI program was different. We saw PT, OT, ST on a quarterly basis

> where they re-evaluated her, then gave us the exercises, play stuff, etc.,

> that she needed. She was then followed weekly at first, then every other

> week by a staff member called .... well heck, can't remember her title.

> Anyway, she served as a liasion, checking, answering questions, helping us

> with our IFSP, and then later our first IEP. We were able to do our

> therapy this way, because of our family evaluation by the program. If

> had stopped progressing, or it became obvious that we weren't doing

> what we should, then she would have been changed to a more traditional

> program.

> Our weekly person came at 9 am, stayed about an hour or so. We loved the

> program, and her, and were very lucky to have been in it.

> Now was also our first child, so there was a definite lack of

> knowledge on my part about developmental milestones, etc..

>

> A good friend opted to do her own research, and work with her child.....he

> is doing very well, will enter kindergarten next year.

>

> Sharon H.

> Mom to , (15, DS) and , (11)

> South Carolina