So, my nickname at work is Boomerang. Because 2.5 years ago, I tried to quit. I took Rylan out of Tiny Town, the daycare he'd gone to since he was 8 weeks old. They talked me into working every other Monday and when someone was off for vacation. Boomerang, I tried to leave and got lured back. I did this and it worked nicely. I had a person that I traded babysitting with, so that Ry didn't have to go to daycare. Until I got pregnant a minute after "quitting" and my pregnancy was very painful and walking/standing all day with a split pubic bone and constant contractions turned impossible. The place for me to be was home.
So, from June 2010 until February 2011, I did not work at all. In February, I was ready to get out of the house a bit and feel like a member of society again. The hospital I was working for had been hit by the economic crisis, so they couldn't let me work much and I went back on Thursdays only from 9am-1pm. \Some people thought this was silly. Stupid even. Not even worth the cost of daycare and gas. Except......mental health is priceless. Every mommy needs a break, so instead of mommy's day out, I went to work a little bit. Boomerang Kids II. And my kids went back to Tiny Town.
Last May, we were having trouble with the therapy evaluations going on with Rylan. In short, they took f-ing forever and finally told us he qualified for speech and developmental therapy, but it was May and they were taking the summer off. Bhhhhhhhttttt. We found a school that was perfect for Rylan. They worked very hard at socializing the kids, they taught Spanish and sign language. Even without therapy, Rylan could get tons of socialization just by changing schools. We hated to leave Tiny Town, they truly took good care of our children. But, we felt it right to take Rylan to a school school, where he could blossom more. Only problem? It costs alot. And they didn't want to do the one day/week thing that Tiny Town was open to. So, they started going Monday/Friday and I started working Monday and Friday as well. Boomerang III for mama.
At first we loved the new school, the teachers were great and involved and coming getting our kids was a treat. We got a report on how they were and all was good. Fast forward to August. The new school year required a move to older classrooms for both kids. Rylan's age and developmental age are two different things. He is still mastering things that come easier to other kids, like counting, recalling songs, doing the ABC's. They moved him up two grades to be with other kids his age. Where he became lost and sad. The teaching was above his head. He was coming home and telling me what county he lived in, but he still couldn't count to 10. This doesn't seem right.
At the same time, Max started hitting like a crazy person at home. We never, not one time, were told that Max hit at school. While I would hate to get a negative report about my kid, I'm not silly to think that he was acting like an angel at school. So, if they aren't telling me that he is not acting right, that means they aren't talking to other kids' parents if their children are acting wrong. Not good. We never got a report about Rylan doing better in school or things that we could work on at home. He started saying "shut up", calling us stupid, and not listening AT| ALL. The kid that we knew and loved kept disappearing.
In August, Rylan started speech and developmental therapy. He also started preschool at home, called HIPPY. A lady brings us course work on Tuesdays and picks up last week's course work to look at. Everything we do with HIPPY is so Rylan appropriate. They focus on the basics: shapes, colors, counting, art work, getting physically active, reading reading reading.
Rob and I made the decision to take the kids out of the awesome school with its college educated people, and take our kids back to Tiny Town, where they will be loved and cared for and "shut up and stupid" get you in time out and hitting is reported to parents. Boomerang Kids III.
Doing my best to keep the smiles on these kids' faces
I pray we've made the right decision. Based on the last week and a half's behavior, we did. All the knowledge in the world does nothing for you if you cannot act like a decent human being. I'm here to teach him and therapy is in place to help where he is needing it. And Max? Well, Max got a 50-something black lady with white hair that does not put up with that hitting business. She is as sweet as can be, but he is scared enough to act right. Relief.
