Peek-A-Boo!Preschool? Potty training? What's everyone talking about? I'm still hoping Miles will start walking in the next 6 months, those other things seem so far away for us. And they are. I mean, Miles will continue on his Early Intervention path for another year, unless the government cuts funding or Regional Center cuts us off. But if all stays the same, Miles will continue with PT and Infant Stimulation at home, and OT and Speech at a center. And we will continue to take him to daycare 2-3 times a week so he can play with typical kids and we can have a break from his lovely yelling. So when my friends start talking about preschool, I feel so lost. I mean, I'm not even totally sure what happens once he's 3 years old.
From what I gather, if we want to continue receiving any sort of government services, we have to stay in the public school system. But what does that mean for a 3 year old? Are there public pre-schools? Of course there are, not all parents can afford $12,000 in preschool tuition a year. But I don't know the first thing about that. Everyone around me is looking at private or church based preschools. I should take a meeting with our Regional Center coordinator to get some information, but I'm afraid of calling attention to us right now. Miles is receiving so many great therapies and I don't want to rock the boat, lest they decide to look at his file more closely and cut some of his therapy hours. (I've heard stories of it happening to other people, though we have a great coordinator who so far has really helped us out.)
Really, I need to do is my own research. Talk to other parents, use the Google machine and find out what is available to my child at all the different stages in his life. How else am I gonna be his best advocate if I don't even know what's available to him? But man, I am the worst at researching and calling people on the phone!! These are not my strengths people....but I will do it. I promise I will, for Miles. Because he deserves the best education possible and I will find it for him! I hope.
Oh yeah, and potty training? I can't even begin to contemplate that one. Miles has no problem hanging around with a soiled diaper all day, let alone a wet one. He is just beginning to discover his "winkie". Right now, our biggest hurdle is trying to get him to drink out of a sippy cup!! We are in a different place that our friends with typical kids. I knew this would happen, but sometimes it takes me for a loop. And honestly, that's okay. It keeps me in check. None of that stuff is really so important. Miles will walk and drink out of a glass and talk to us in sentences and wipe his own butt.....all in due time. What's important is that Miles is happy and healthy. That we are happy and healthy. And that we can look at these moments and situations and laugh rather than cry about them. This is where we're at. It's not where we thought we'd be and that's just fine by me.
I see you!
I think we could all use a little reality check. We get so caught up in what our kids "should" be doing, dwelling on what other people's kids are doing, that we forget the most important part- the part about love and happiness and security. That is all our kids really need.
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