Ready for Kindergarten!

I say I'm back and then don't come back for a month.  Go figure.  :)

It has been a busy last month, plus!  DH and I work opposite schedules so we can keep the kids out of daycare, so 3 days a week, our paths cross with a "hello" and "goodbye" as we meet between 5:30 and 6:30 pm.  I've been working late (or going in early) trying to catch up on things at work.  It seems like things are going nuts at work right now ... all my big jobs are hitting at once.  All I want to do when I get a few free minutes at night is escape into a tv show I like (or Fac.ebook) .... hence the absence.  Right now, Emma is napping and Luke is watching "Ryan's T.oy Re.view," so I have a few free minutes.  :)

Yesterday, I just signed Luke up for Kindergarten!!

It wasn't hard emotionally to complete the registration, as Luke has been going to Preschool for 2 years now ... but I'm imagining the first day of school will give me a lump in my throat, as every year has done so far.  We are sending Luke to our local Catholic School next year!

School choice was a little bit of a hard decision to make, due to the fact that Luke has had an IEP (Individualized Education Plan) at school these last 2 years, and then the year before that, he had one as well for the home visits he was getting.  DH and I were debating where the best place was for Luke, due to his classification of "Autism" for his IEP.  Back in Oct 2016, we made the change from "Learning Disability" to "Autism" in his IEP.  It has helped him receive better services at school from his speech therapist, occupational therapist and his para professional teacher, as well as his main teacher, Ms. Kim.  

Deciding to change his classification to "Autism" was kind of hard.  While we had him tested right before this change, and the testing supported this, it became "official" then.   I remember when Luke was 3 and we were at his speech therapists office, and while he was having a full on meltdown, she brought up the thought she had about Luke possibly having autism.  I have known this was coming for a few years now, as Luke's older brother has it too.  All this to say, it still made a lump in my throat to have it confirmed.  His teachers have been amazing about it, though.  They tell us that it is just a diagnosis - it does not determine how far Luke will go in school or life.  It just tells us that Luke learns and copes with his environment differently - and that is OK.  Everyone does!  

Luke has had Ms. Kim as his teacher the last 2 years, and she (with the rest of his teachers) has really helped guide us in how to best help Luke both at school and outside of school.  Luke has spent last year practicing and improving greatly in writing his name, coloring, cutting, taking turns, sharing, changes in routine, following directions and speech.  When we asked his teachers this past Monday during Parent-Teacher conferences if he was Kindergarten ready, they agreed he was.  One of the teachers said when kids begin doing art projects and other creative things on their own, they are ready for Kindergarten.  Then I looked over and saw Luke coloring and gluing feathers on his art project he was making while we talked.  My heart swelled!  He does seem ready.

The local Catholic school doesn't have the resources the Public School does, so we plan to keep Luke in his Speech Class that he has been going to since he was 2.  We also plan to pursue Occupational Therapy as needed with a local place in town.  It looks like we will be busy running places in addition to All-Day-Kindergarten!

The only issues we are anticipating this coming year are in helping Luke cope with changes and his emotions.  Luke loves his visual schedule at school, so he knows what is coming.  He is very good at reading/recognizing the signs and knowing what is next that day - or in the days to come.  If there is a change, Luke doesn't always handle it well, so it will help if his new teacher has a sign that there is a change coming in his planned routine.  Luke also likes consistency and to sit in the same spot all day, every day (like at circle time).  If someone takes his spot, he doesn't handle it well.  Luke also has a temper at times.  It is hard to know when an outburst is coming.  Sometimes, if he is overstimulated, the routine is changed or it is too loud, he will get angry.  His teachers have been working to help him use his words on his emotions, and we will be helping him in the next year learn coping mechanisms so he can do well at school and make friends.

Despite these challenges, all his teachers have been VERY impressed about Luke's growth of knowledge this last year!  He knows all his A,B,C's, can count to 30 (then loses interest, they say.  Haha!) ... Knows all his colors ... Has gotten very good at writing his name (and it is very legible) ... Knows a lot of animal names, dinosaurs and facts about all of them ... Loves building Legos ... Loves reading ... Plays well (most of the time) with or around others ... Enjoys coloring pictures ... Loves to draw animals ... Loves to run around ... and Loves to ride the Bus!

Everyone learns differently, so we are excited for Luke to begin this new stage in his life ... KINDERGARTEN!

Luke LOVES his play animals!  He will play with them for hours.

Holding a Baby Chick at school!

Luke is always a happy guy if he is on the move!!