Friday, January 27, 2012

From the Archives...

Y'all.

I've just had one of "those" weeks.  I can't seem to find the time to sit still long enough to accomplish much of anything.

So for today's post, I dug back through the archives and found a little something I hope you'll enjoy.  Maybe it'll even send you off for the weekend with a little smile....

No She Doesn't..... But She Does.... (from September 2010)

Tests..... Paperwork.... Forms.... Evaluations.... Meetings.... Online research.... Therapy....  and endless, endless questions.

This is the world of special needs kids.  Well, I guess it's only a portion of the world, but it's a big ol' piece.

One thing that always drives me crazy is sitting across from some evaluator and having to answer hundreds of questions about Lily.  Most parents don't mind talking about their children and I certainly count myself as one of them.


But these aren't fun "tell me about your child and show me some cute photos" kinds of questions.  These are hard questions and most times, the answer is no... no... no... no... no.....

Here are some examples:

"Can Lily purposefully kick a ball?"
"Can Lily fill a bucket with sand or water?"
"Can Lily imitate facial expressions?"
"Can Lily engage in back and forth play?"
"Can Lily imitate your verbalizations?"

Yuck, yuck, and more yuck.



After meetings like this, I feel the need to turn the tables and give a little lecture on all the things Lily cando that never came up during the evaluation.

So, for all those times I didn't get to say what I wanted, I give you the "No She Doesn't.... But She Does.... List". 



No, she doesn't roll a ball back and forth but she does dismantle a childproof lock faster than I can install it.
No, she doesn't put two words together but she does latch all the straps on her carseat, booster chair, and grocery store carts.
No, she doesn't engage in pretend play but she does know the way to our neighbor's house with the swimming pool and yellow Lab.
No, she doesn't ride a tricycle but she does know if she empties her toy tub, puts it upside down and stands on it, then she can reach the sound machine on the top of the bookshelf.
No, she doesn't scoop sand into a bucket, but she does know how to turn on the bathtub faucet even if you remove the handles.
No, she doesn't initiate play with other children but she does destroy a book series called "Indestructibles".
No, she doesn't play with toys appropriately but she does have the amazing ability to create ladders out of anything.  Give her some gum, a few toothpicks, and a paper clip and she's better than MacGyver ever was.

I could go on and on but I think you get the point.

Now I would like to take this opportunity and send a message to all those evaluators with all their questions and this is it:



HUMPH!

There - I feel so much better now.



Have a great weekend!

5 comments:

  1. I'm laughing with you, you know that right?? Because my son could work any latch, strap or buckle faster than you could say, "Nooooo!!!"

    Have a good weekend!!

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  2. Those kind of meetings are so stinking frustrating! For everything Cam doesn't do in the range of normal, he does two more things in the range of extraordinary...but you know, that doesn't count. I'm HUMPH'n right with ya.

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    Replies
    1. I bet you enjoyed reading that back yourself! Gosh, it brings me back to my son's evaluations too. Feels so negative doesn't it? You put a positive and amusing spin on it though...well done! And as I'm just a recently new follower of yours it was nice to read something from your archives :-)

      xx Jazzy

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    2. I have extra words for the "evaluators" that I will keep for myself!!

      This was brilliant! Love how you show Miss Lily's many talents. I always despised these ridiculous tests. When T was first evaluated & diagnosed, he was labeled borderline cognitively impaired. Currently, he has exhausted the "sight word" list for kindergarten, reads beyond his peers and recites math equations for fun. Phooey on those tests. Do you think they even consult with an ASD adult in creating them? Me neither!

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    3. Lizbeth - Our kids definitely have a future in safe-cracking, right??

      Allie - Humph feels really good, doesn't it? :)

      Jazzy - It did feel good reading it back!

      Karen - These "evaluations" just miss the mark. Who really knows what all these kids are capable of??

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