Kindergarten

January 29, 2007

I don't know if any of you have been in this position, but if you have, we can

use your advice. We have an IEP meeting for Adam on February 20th and they are

going to be discussing kindergarten. Adam will turn 5 on July 11th and the cut

off for kindergarten is August 1st, so he will have been 5 for only a couple of

weeks. Adam is very smart academically but is lacking in social skills and has

a speech delay. We feel it will be a benefit to keep him in preschool for

another year and since he will be just turning 5 we don't see what the big deal

is. Since he is not potty trained yet (hopefully we will master that soon) and

he is only speaking in short phrases, we are afraid they will put him in a class

with kids that have more severe problems and he will get lost in the shuffle.

We are hoping to start him in a regular kindergarten with possibly an aide to

help him. The OT that works with him told us they aren't allowed to keep him

back. I find that hard to believe.

If anyone has any advice on potty training, that would be great too. We have

tried everything we can think of. Adam has a great fear of losing anything from

his body. He is terrified of hair cuts - when he sees the hair falling, he gets

hysterical. Cutting fingernails - we have to do that when he is asleep. He

knows what he is supposed to do, but he is just afraid. Once and a while he

will go for a cookie or a piece of candy. That's right - we have resorted to

bribery.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Donna gram to Adam 4 mds, Skylar 4 and Mia 2 months

January 29, 2007

Donna

With what you have said I think it would be very beneficial for Adam to wait

another year before entering Kindergarten. We did the same with Tim and it made

a difference! I know many families here have done the same too. (Please chime in

with your experiences!!!!!!!)

As for potty training...I used the book " Toilet Training in less than a day "

(no it did not happen in less than a day! lol) It was all about bribery though!

lol I think that consistancy is a big key, bribery is second, and using regular

pants is the third. (they don't care about pull ups because it still takes away

the wetness!)

Does anyone else have potty training tips??? This is such a big issue with so

many!

Kristy

Donna Spudic wrote:

I don't know if any of you have been in this position, but if you

have, we can use your advice. We have an IEP meeting for Adam on February 20th

and they are going to be discussing kindergarten. Adam will turn 5 on July 11th

and the cut off for kindergarten is August 1st, so he will have been 5 for only

a couple of weeks. Adam is very smart academically but is lacking in social

skills and has a speech delay. We feel it will be a benefit to keep him in

preschool for another year and since he will be just turning 5 we don't see what

the big deal is. Since he is not potty trained yet (hopefully we will master

that soon) and he is only speaking in short phrases, we are afraid they will put

him in a class with kids that have more severe problems and he will get lost in

the shuffle. We are hoping to start him in a regular kindergarten with possibly

an aide to help him. The OT that works with him told us they aren't allowed to

keep him back. I find that hard to believe.

If anyone has any advice on potty training, that would be great too. We have

tried everything we can think of. Adam has a great fear of losing anything from

his body. He is terrified of hair cuts - when he sees the hair falling, he gets

hysterical. Cutting fingernails - we have to do that when he is asleep. He knows

what he is supposed to do, but he is just afraid. Once and a while he will go

for a cookie or a piece of candy. That's right - we have resorted to bribery.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Donna gram to Adam 4 mds, Skylar 4 and Mia 2 months

January 29, 2007

Hey Guys,

My son will be 4 on May 6th. He is potty trained to go PEE PEE just

fine, #2 is a different story. I went to a class for potty training

children with special needs. The lady that taught it is a professor at

UT here in Austin Texas.

She said to plan on potty training for like 3 days (sat sun and a

monday.) She said that basically what you do is make it one big party.

She said that parents should think of one food item their child really

likes (for Dylan its M & M's) and not give them to them for a whole week

before the 3 days potty training.

Basically the first day, you wake the child up and they go right on the

potty. NO DIAPERS. KEEP THEM NAKED ALL DAY or in big girl or boy

underwear. If they don't go then thats fine. LOAD them up on juice.

Crackers help to make them thirsty. She even said to use SODAS if that

will get them to drink (just for this training period.) Have them sit on

the potty about every 15 to 20 minuts for about 10 minutes at the most.

BASICALLY YOU AND YOUR CHILD WILL BE SENDING ALL DAY IN THE POTTY. Once

your child actually goes on the potty, you make it a HUGE deal. Praise,

the special treat that you have not given them til this point and let

them flush the toliet. She said not to let them do those things unless

they actually go potty.

We took potty books and any other toys that he likes in with him.

Dylan wears big boy underwear at home and now tells us when he needs to

go potty. The hardest thing we have faced is going #2. Dylan will hold

it all day but now we have gotten to the point where when he wants to go

to the potty and does not do anything that we know he has to go #2. We

then have to put a diaper on him and then he will go and we clean him up

and right back into his the train underwear he goes. He thinks

he is such a big boy in those underwear. The #2 will come in time I am

not pushing it now. I just want him be ok with going pee pee first.

Cheryl

________________________________

From: MosaicDS [mailto:MosaicDS ] On

Behalf Of Kristy Colvin

Sent: Monday, January 29, 2007 10:54 AM

To: MosaicDS

Subject: Re: Kindergarten

Donna

With what you have said I think it would be very beneficial for Adam to

wait another year before entering Kindergarten. We did the same with Tim

and it made a difference! I know many families here have done the same

too. (Please chime in with your experiences!!!!!!!)

As for potty training...I used the book " Toilet Training in less than a

day " (no it did not happen in less than a day! lol) It was all about

bribery though! lol I think that consistancy is a big key, bribery is

second, and using regular pants is the third. (they don't care about

pull ups because it still takes away the wetness!)

Does anyone else have potty training tips??? This is such a big issue

with so many!

Kristy

Donna Spudic <djspudic@... <mailto:djspudic%40yahoo.com> > wrote:

I don't know if any of you have been in this position, but if you have,

we can use your advice. We have an IEP meeting for Adam on February 20th

and they are going to be discussing kindergarten. Adam will turn 5 on

July 11th and the cut off for kindergarten is August 1st, so he will

have been 5 for only a couple of weeks. Adam is very smart academically

but is lacking in social skills and has a speech delay. We feel it will

be a benefit to keep him in preschool for another year and since he will

be just turning 5 we don't see what the big deal is. Since he is not

potty trained yet (hopefully we will master that soon) and he is only

speaking in short phrases, we are afraid they will put him in a class

with kids that have more severe problems and he will get lost in the

shuffle. We are hoping to start him in a regular kindergarten with

possibly an aide to help him. The OT that works with him told us they

aren't allowed to keep him back. I find that hard to believe.

If anyone has any advice on potty training, that would be great too. We

have tried everything we can think of. Adam has a great fear of losing

anything from his body. He is terrified of hair cuts - when he sees the

hair falling, he gets hysterical. Cutting fingernails - we have to do

that when he is asleep. He knows what he is supposed to do, but he is

just afraid. Once and a while he will go for a cookie or a piece of

candy. That's right - we have resorted to bribery.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Donna gram to Adam 4 mds, Skylar 4 and Mia 2 months

January 29, 2007

Donna -

I have to say from experiance - I held back another year in the IU

and I wish I hadn't mainly because I think she needed the extra year but I

wish she had done 2 years of Kindergarten rather than the extra year in the

IU. There were 3 other children who did Kindergarten for 2 years in her

class. So you are the one who decides whether they go to Kindergarten or

first grade - It is just in Kindergarten they are learning so much and

is still trying to master what she should have mastered in

Kindergarten. (Numbers 1 - 20, Lowercase ABCs, and writing all of the

above) - If Adam has those down already then I would say keep him at home -

if not I would suggest you send him as he can only learn the behaviors of

the class when he is in the class. Our Kindergarten was only a half day as

well.

I held her back in the IU believing that Speech would come and it did not

until she was in with other kids who talked more than she did. She is still

behind in Speech but she is light years ahead of where she was 2 years ago.

When you say put him in a class with children with more severe problems than

he has isn't he going to the " Regular " Kindergarten? You can also ask for

an aide for him - I did for , her teacher was overwhelmed with her and

23 other kids.

As far as potty training - something as simple as making a potty chart with

Favorite types of stickers worked for us (both kids) and also concentrate on

#1 first then worry about #2. We spent one or two months just tossing out

underwear when they had a BM.

Darlene - Mom to (10) and (7.11) turns 8 in 10 days on

2/8/07!

>

> I don't know if any of you have been in this position, but if you have,

> we can use your advice. We have an IEP meeting for Adam on February 20th and

> they are going to be discussing kindergarten. Adam will turn 5 on July 11th

> and the cut off for kindergarten is August 1st, so he will have been 5 for

> only a couple of weeks. Adam is very smart academically but is lacking in

> social skills and has a speech delay. We feel it will be a benefit to keep

> him in preschool for another year and since he will be just turning 5 we

> don't see what the big deal is. Since he is not potty trained yet (hopefully

> we will master that soon) and he is only speaking in short phrases, we are

> afraid they will put him in a class with kids that have more severe problems

> and he will get lost in the shuffle. We are hoping to start him in a regular

> kindergarten with possibly an aide to help him. The OT that works with him

> told us they aren't allowed to keep him back. I find that hard to believe.

>

> If anyone has any advice on potty training, that would be great too. We

> have tried everything we can think of. Adam has a great fear of losing

> anything from his body. He is terrified of hair cuts - when he sees the hair

> falling, he gets hysterical. Cutting fingernails - we have to do that when

> he is asleep. He knows what he is supposed to do, but he is just afraid.

> Once and a while he will go for a cookie or a piece of candy. That's right -

> we have resorted to bribery.

>

> Thanks for any advice you can give.

> Donna gram to Adam 4 mds, Skylar 4 and Mia 2 months

>

January 29, 2007

Donna,

Can Adam watch Skylar? I was so worried about Caden and potty

training and he was actually trained a little after he was 2. I think

it helped so much that he came into the bathroom with all of us - I

know we have 0 privacy in our house. He actually preferred Ella

taking him to the bathroom at first. I have done no pull ups for

both of my children. They had to where underwear the whole time - it

is rough especially at night, but it helps them be so aware of what is

happening. I do believe they have to be ready and Adam sounds like he

likes to keep every part of his body, that is why I suggested him

seeing others do it especially kids may make him feel more

comfortable. Hang in there - it will happen.

- Ella (6) and Caden (3)MDS

Quoting Kristy Colvin :

> Donna

> With what you have said I think it would be very beneficial for

> Adam to wait another year before entering Kindergarten. We did the

> same with Tim and it made a difference! I know many families here

> have done the same too. (Please chime in with your experiences!!!!!!!)

>

> As for potty training...I used the book " Toilet Training in less

> than a day " (no it did not happen in less than a day! lol) It was

> all about bribery though! lol I think that consistancy is a big

> key, bribery is second, and using regular pants is the third. (they

> don't care about pull ups because it still takes away the wetness!)

> Does anyone else have potty training tips??? This is such a big

> issue with so many!

>

> Kristy

>

> Donna Spudic wrote:

> I don't know if any of you have been in this position,

> but if you have, we can use your advice. We have an IEP meeting for

> Adam on February 20th and they are going to be discussing

> kindergarten. Adam will turn 5 on July 11th and the cut off for

> kindergarten is August 1st, so he will have been 5 for only a

> couple of weeks. Adam is very smart academically but is lacking in

> social skills and has a speech delay. We feel it will be a benefit

> to keep him in preschool for another year and since he will be just

> turning 5 we don't see what the big deal is. Since he is not potty

> trained yet (hopefully we will master that soon) and he is only

> speaking in short phrases, we are afraid they will put him in a

> class with kids that have more severe problems and he will get lost

> in the shuffle. We are hoping to start him in a regular

> kindergarten with possibly an aide to help him. The OT that works

> with him told us they aren't allowed to keep him back. I find that

> hard to believe.

>

> If anyone has any advice on potty training, that would be great

> too. We have tried everything we can think of. Adam has a great

> fear of losing anything from his body. He is terrified of hair cuts

> - when he sees the hair falling, he gets hysterical. Cutting

> fingernails - we have to do that when he is asleep. He knows what

> he is supposed to do, but he is just afraid. Once and a while he

> will go for a cookie or a piece of candy. That's right - we have

> resorted to bribery.

>

> Thanks for any advice you can give.

> Donna gram to Adam 4 mds, Skylar 4 and Mia 2 months

>

January 29, 2007

I'm going to chime in with ditto to what Kristy said. Karlee was potty trained

before 2 1/2 and I was just consistent. She never put on a pull up after we

decided to potty train. Panties only!!!! Sure we took three ziplock bags every

where we went to put dirty clothes in and sure she had accidents. But, we got

past that too. I think she immediately learned to site read " restrooms " as she

had to go to everyone she saw. Even if she didn't go once we got to the potty, I

never scolded her for that. I always thanked her for trying to go. What's

really funny, she would always thank me too. I guess for taking her even though

she didn't truly have to go! LOL!

If it had been a while before she went, I took time for a potty break. I

simply said " Karlee, Mommy needs a potty break! " she would say, " Me too! "

Don't expect them to say they need to go every time. Make time to take time for

a potty break. I think sometimes it seems as though their in trouble or harped

on, so I just changed it so she would think it was me that needed the break.

(Well, thinking back I was on weight watchers at the time and was drinking a

gallon of water a day, so I probably did need to go! LOL!) I also think that

going gives them more practice as this is the " right way " !

Hope this helps! Hang in there!

Beets, Mommy to Karlee, 7 and Eli 2!

Re: Kindergarten

Donna

With what you have said I think it would be very beneficial for Adam to wait

another year before entering Kindergarten. We did the same with Tim and it made

a difference! I know many families here have done the same too. (Please chime in

with your experiences!!!!!!!)

As for potty training...I used the book " Toilet Training in less than a day " (no

it did not happen in less than a day! lol) It was all about bribery though! lol

I think that consistancy is a big key, bribery is second, and using regular

pants is the third. (they don't care about pull ups because it still takes away

the wetness!)

Does anyone else have potty training tips??? This is such a big issue with so

many!

Kristy

Donna Spudic wrote:

I don't know if any of you have been in this position, but if you have, we can

use your advice. We have an IEP meeting for Adam on February 20th and they are

going to be discussing kindergarten. Adam will turn 5 on July 11th and the cut

off for kindergarten is August 1st, so he will have been 5 for only a couple of

weeks. Adam is very smart academically but is lacking in social skills and has a

speech delay. We feel it will be a benefit to keep him in preschool for another

year and since he will be just turning 5 we don't see what the big deal is.

Since he is not potty trained yet (hopefully we will master that soon) and he is

only speaking in short phrases, we are afraid they will put him in a class with

kids that have more severe problems and he will get lost in the shuffle. We are

hoping to start him in a regular kindergarten with possibly an aide to help him.

The OT that works with him told us they aren't allowed to keep him back. I find

that hard to believe.

If anyone has any advice on potty training, that would be great too. We have

tried everything we can think of. Adam has a great fear of losing anything from

his body. He is terrified of hair cuts - when he sees the hair falling, he gets

hysterical. Cutting fingernails - we have to do that when he is asleep. He knows

what he is supposed to do, but he is just afraid. Once and a while he will go

for a cookie or a piece of candy. That's right - we have resorted to bribery.

Thanks for any advice you can give.

Donna gram to Adam 4 mds, Skylar 4 and Mia 2 months

January 29, 2007

's email reminded me of a funny story - definitely make sure

you bring extra clothes where ever you go!!!! Ella, Caden and I

walked up to the park one night - I had Caden use the potty before we

left and he did actually go. After about 40 minutes up there I

noticed Caden standing in 1 spot so I called to him and when he turned

around his jeans were soaked - OH NO - I had nothing with me - not

even a blanket. Well the park is actually on the grounds of our

community art center so I took them in there - he waddled with his

legs spread. LOL I was praying that there would be a hand dryer in

the bathroom - I hate those things but of course the 1 time I wanted

one it was only paper towels! OK now what - he would not put his

pants and underwear back on - so I asked Ella to take her undies off -

she was not going to go for that. He said I will just walk home with

out any pants on. I said no way - my little boy is not walking down

mainstreet in town with no pants on and a t-shirt that said CHICK

MAGNET on it!!!!!! I cannot imagine the looks I would have gotten.

I convinced him to put my cardigan sweater on and so there he

walked down mainstreet in a mint green cardigan sweater which actually

looked like a dress on him! I had many smiles and some laughter as I

peered in at the cars who passed by! Lesson learned - I never go

anywhere without extra clothes and he has been potty trained for over

a year!

January 29, 2007

I love potty training stories--they're so humanizing. Anton (just turned 2) is

interested in the potty. Sometimes he'll say " pee pee " or " po po " and give a

very dramatic, knowing look and run for the little potty we have out for him.

He'll try to take his diapers off and we'll help him and get him seated. Then

he'll make a " psss " sound with his mouth, will sometimes even grunt--(we've

taught him this), and then will stand up and say " ah done " or " ah deed it! " He

never goes though but I'm hoping sometimes he'll go by accident and then get the

picture. He likes to flush the toilet and say " bye bye " after we go. (hope

that's not TMI!) He'll sometimes say " pee pee " or " psss " while sitting in his

car seat--I'm hoping he doesn't think that's a glorified toilet!

I'm kind of in the school of slow potty training. My daughter poopy trained

herself at age 2 --(we'd showed her videos, books, and the potty but never told

her she had to go in it.) But then it was a whole year before she could really

control her bladder and while we could get away with underwear in the morning

for school by the late afternoon we always switched to pullups--until at age 3

she decided she was done with those and switched to underwear full time. I felt

this was physiological since she had a small body and was definitely motivated

not to wear diapers.They do have pullups now that allow kids to feel when

they're wet.

I love Kristy's idea of having the kid straddle the big potty backwards. Anton

gets nervous when we try to put him far back on the little potty seat and I know

the toilet would terrify him, so maybe when he gets closer to being potty

trained we'll try that.

I'm not sure I will try rewards for the potty with Anton--beyond praise. I'm

afraid when he gets older it could become a power struggle, with him going to

the potty " for " me--or not going " against " me if he's angry at me or wants my

attention. I want him to think that going to the potty is something he does for

himself, part of being big, like the rest of the family. I'm not against

bribes--I do use them to manipulate my daughter's behavior, just not for " self

care " actions that I think should be literally a way of her caring for herself.

Anton's still young though and who knows, if my style doesn't work with him, I

reserve the right to get out the M & Ms!--one thing I've learned as a parent is

never say never!