Down Time...(Journal#70)

Have been taking some time off from blogging lately, as that is where I have prioritized some down time. Just been busy with end of the year routines for the boys with a transition to summer activities and planning. While we still have a week left of school, we have been working on IEP's and kindergarten transitions, summer therapy coordination, and big brothers soccer season starting!!!

Here are some updates on plans that have been made for Sam this past month....

Sam's plan for fall is a mainstream classroom for a little more than half of the time, continued OT and Speech therapy at school (pulled out for), and pull out to a special education classroom for the rest. We will also have some aid support if needed (ESP or para's as we call them). Sam is incredibly rule and routine structure bound. Once he figures out the routine of the day, he does exactly as he is scheduled. Where Sam struggles is in learning. His fine motor delays effect his handwriting. His speech effects the way he hears, understands and learns sounds. Phonemic awareness is key to beginning reading, and with his articulation disorder, that will make all of those pre-reading skills a challenge. Hence, this summer we are hitting it hard at home. But back to the fall....our district is still only half day kindergarten, so he will attend PM kindergarten.

Beginning in two weeks, Sam will be transitioning to a new speech program for the therapy we seek privately through a hospital here. For the last two years, he has received a half hour of speech two times a week individually at the clinic. In the new program, he will be one of 4-5 children on the spectrum with two speech/language therapist at the clinic. They will meet now for 2 hours twice a week in the mornings. He will continue in that program straight into and through the next school year. The first part of each session will focus on social skills and language through play, crafts, and learning, and the last half will focus on their individual speech goals. This will be great for Sam and will also work towards many of his IEP goals for school. In settings away from home, Sam has to be cued for everything. His IEP is loaded with goals of simply initiating words with peers to making requests from teachers, etc...We are excited about the new program "outside of school", as it will prepare him nicely for kindergarten in the fall.

This summer, Sam will have the speech program two morning a week, and four afternoons a week will be filled with t-ball and soccer. These are both programs that Brent and I will be able to help him with on the field if needed because of the age level. Our parks and recreation programs are great about adaptive play for special needs. We are excited to see what Sam does. His cleats and shin guards, and glove and hat are ready to start in two weeks!

I will try to update and post about 2-3 times a month throughout the summer. In Minnesota, we have to be outside as much as possible to enjoy the weather during these months, so that means a lot less time inside near a computer.

A Twist of Faith
So down time from blogging has still left my mind twirling with things to write about in relation to Sam and Autism. I have started about 10 posts in my head and as drafts, but down time on the computer is more time with family right now. That is always a good thing.

Just like our walk with faith. God calls us to use our gifts and to serve Him. Sometimes we need down time in one area of our church and faith life, but that doesn't mean we sit idle. It means we pick up our faith and church life in another area. It is about using every thing God has given us to serve Him, and that means different ways of serving, not stopping completely or not doing at all, it means just doing it differently. God is never done using us, for Him there is no down time.

As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. ~ 1 Peter 4:10