Read Christmas Books + Practice for Performances - Countdown to Christmas - Day 10

On the tenth day of our Countdown to Christmas, we did or read:

Activities

Rather than introducing a new activity for the day, Sophia concentrated on practicing the Christmas songs she is planning on playing this Friday and the 23rd at the nursing home as well as for the church services on the 22nd. There are about 16 songs for the nursing home and five for the church services.

Olivia spent the morning taking notes about dog sledding which she will be doing in February thanks to a grant from the Ann Bancroft Foundation. She also went to school for the afternoon for help in reading, math, and speech. After that she had her weekly drawing class which she enjoyed.

We read two books today: Trouble with Trolls and The Wild Christmas Reindeer. 

Both books were written and illustrated by Jan Brett who the girls and I like. Her illustrations are lovely and so detailed. 

The images around the borders of the pages are equally as interesting as the main image on each page.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Advent Reading

Luke 1:34-35 - Mary said to the angel, “But how? I’ve never slept with a man.”

The angel answered, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, the power of the Highest hover over you; Therefore, the child you bring to birth will be called Holy, Son of God."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Christmas Joke

 Why does Santa always go down the chimney?

Antique Santa at the Folsom House in Taylors Falls.

It was one of many Christmas decorations around the home.

(Because it soots him!)

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Christmas Fact

We learned about why candy canes are red and white:

About 1847, August Imgard of Ohio managed to decorate his Christmas tree with candy canes to entertain his nephews and nieces. Many who saw his canes went home to boil sugar and experiment with canes of their own.

At this point, candy canes did not have red coloration or striping — the red stripes were a feature that did not appear until a nearly another half century later, at the beginning of the 20th century.

Photo Source

Christmas cards produced before 1900 show plain white canes, while striped ones appear on many cards printed early in the 20th century.

Homeschool Curriculum for the 2012-13 School Year

I have been homeschooling Sophia and Olivia since Kindergarten. Currently they are in 6th and 4th grades respectively. There are some parts of the curriculum that both the girls do, and other parts that are at each one's grade level.

Below is the plan for the 2012-13 school year. The next step is to do a daily/weekly schedule. I did this last year and when the items was completed, I used a highlighter pen to mark it off. This was very helpful to see what had been accomplished and what still needed to be done for the week.

Both

A to Z - Self-Directed Learning
- The girls picked a topic (or two) that starts with each letter of the alphabet. Each one picked different topics based on their interests. They will read, do an activity, and/or do a project related to the subject they picked. They will do 1 subject per week until they have gone through all of the 26 letters. This is a new activity in 2012-13 and one that both the girls are looking forward to doing.

Art
- Continue using How to Teach Art to Children by Evan-Moor. Do one lesson per week from each of the themes (line, shape, color, value, texture, form, and space).
- Continue using Artistic Pursuits - An Introduction to the Visual Arts by Brenda Ellis. There are 26 lessons left, so do one per week.
- Take the pottery/ceramics class through the homeschool co-op (1 hour class 1x per week).

Artist Study (a.k.a. Picture Study)
- Simply Charlotte Mason recommends studying an artist and six of her/his works of art for six weeks (1 piece of art per week). These are the artists we'll focus on this year: Georgia O'Keeffe, Robert Kahn, John James Audubon, Claude Monet, Mary Cassatt, and Carl Larsson.

Dictation/Spelling
- Spelling Wisdom by Sonya Shafer (Simply Charlotte Mason). Uses speeches, letters, and quotations of famous people; excerpts from historical documents; descriptions of historical people and events; poetry; Scripture; excerpts from great literature; and selections from old readers and books for young people. Covers 6,000 most frequently-used words. Sophia will do 2 lessons per weeks and Olivia will do 1 lesson per week.

Geography (United States) - Multi-Disciplinary Unit Study
- Cantering the Country. In addition to geography, CTC also includes activities in: science, literature, language arts, history/biographies, character, and home economics. Wrap up any loose ends from the 18 states we studied in 2011-2012. Study 17 states in 2012-2013 (1 state per 2-week time period).
- Eat Your Way Through the U.S.A. This is a companion cookbook to Cantering the Country that we used in the 2011-2012 homeschool year. We enjoyed trying 2-3 new recipes for each state we studied.
- State Birds and Flowers Coloring Book. For each state they study, the girls color in a page that features the state bird and flower. They'll color 17 pictures during the upcoming year.

The rest of the books are used as supplemental resources. They are used only when relevant to the subject being studied:
- Geography from A to Z - A Picture Glossary by Jack Knowlton. This is part of the CTC package.
- Children's Illustrated Atlas. This also is part of the CTC package.
- Use some of the activities and games in Birds, Birds, Birds by the National Wildlife Federation when studying about the state birds.
- Two other resources that I used last year and plan to continue using this year include: Hands-on Earth Science by Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company and Earth Science for Every Kid by Janice VanCleave.
- United States Coloring Book. When the girls visit a state, they can color in the two-page spread. At this point, I don't have any trips scheduled to states they haven't yet visited so it may not be used at this point. Last year, they were able to color in six states after we took a trip to New England.

Holidays/Festivals
- Celebrate special holidays and festivals. Use Festivals Together - A Guide to Multi-cultural Celebration by Sue Fitzjohn and Happy Birthday, Grandma Moses - Activities for Special Days Throughout the Year by Clare Bonfanti Braham.

Literature/Reading
- Read 9 more books that have received The Newbery Award. (These are chapter books that have ranged between 175-250 pages.)
- Finish reading all the books that have received The Caldecott Medal. (These are short children's books that have received the award for the artwork in the book.)
- Design a Reading Quilt - Plus More Than 100 Other Activities to Enhance Your Literature Experiences by Chris Roe. Use in conjunction with The Newbery Award books.
- Do one book report per month. Use in conjunction with one of the books read as part of the Cantering the County curriculum.

Math
- Challenging Graph Art by Teacher Created Resources. Use 1x every 2 weeks (18 total). Both the girls enjoy doing these math activities...maybe because they don't feel like math it's more of a fun activity for them.
- Season's Griddings - Graphing Activities for Listening and Following Directions by Will C. Howell. Use 1x every 2 weeks (18 total). They like the grid activities too. They see them as "fun" and not "math."
- Ten Days to Multiplication Mastery. Use ten days in September to see if that helps them remember multiplication facts.

Music
- Continue with the children's choir that meets 1x per week from mid-September through early-May. Perform 1-2 times per month.

Nature Appreciation/Journaling
- Handbook of Nature Study by Anna Botsford Comstock. Use the book as well as the Outdoor Hour Challenges.
- Do one entry in the nature journal per week based on a hike, bird watching, or other outdoor activity.

Physical Education
- Equine vaulting - 1x per week (1 1/2 hour session).
- Playing outside on the swings (almost daily during good weather).
- Taking care of the horses (walking to and from the barn; walking outside; cleaning out the barn and area behind the barn).
- Riding bikes and going on walks with the dogs at least 3x per week.
- Go to a public playground 1x per week during nice weather.
- Goal is to get in 30-60 minutes of physical activity each day. Mark off on a chart when this is done.
- Use Homeschool Family Fitness by Bruce Whitney, Ph.D. for ideas to augment the physical activity we already do on a daily basis.
- Miss Mary Mack and Other Children's Street Rhymes by Joanna Cole has some fun ball-bouncing rhymes. Some could be used for jumping rope as well.

Poet and Poetry Study
- Simply Charlotte Mason recommends studying a poet and her/his poems for six weeks. This year, we'll focus on the following poets: Robert Browning, Rudyard Kipling, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Carl Sandburg,  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, and William Wordsworth.

Science
- Sonlight's Level E Program - The girls will be learning about electricity, magnetism, light, color, microscopes, astronomy and space, inventions, chemistry, modern technology, and mechanical technology in early American life. There are nine books that are used with the science program.
    Also, there's a Discover & Do 4 DVD that features 90 experiments that center on the characteristics and uses of electricity and magnetism. We'll pick and choose which experiments we want to do.
- Whenever the girls have a question or are interested in learning more about the human body, use The Ultimate Human Body DVD.

Service Projects
- Complete 12 in 12 (during 2012). Here's more information about what we are doing each month.
- Establish the library in Lesotho, Africa, through the African Library Project. Collect the rest of the books (only a couple hundred left!) and raise $500+ to ship the books.
- Begin and do five months of a year-long volunteer/donation project during 2013 to be determined as we get closer to the end of the calendar year and decide how we want to focus our efforts during the upcoming year.

Spiritual Growth
- Use the "Spiritual Fitness Scorecard" to mark the activities that were done during the week (e.g., worship, prayer, study, service, fellowship).

Theater
- Participate in the holiday theater performance.

Typing
- Mavis Beacon Teaches Typing. It's a computer program that both the girls will use. It reinforces good finger position, increases speed incrementally, and doesn’t use twaddle for typing practice (2x per week).

Values
- Character First series. Continue doing one character trait per U.S. state studied. Cantering the Country has identified a value/character trait for each state in the United States.
- The Values Book by Pam Schiller. There are 16 basic values with activities, questions, and books that bring to life each value. Focus on one value for two weeks (will cover 34 weeks of homeschooling - almost a full school year).
- The Princess and the Kiss by Jennie Bishop. Read the book and do the activities (1x per week).

Writing
- Use Story Starters - Series #1.  These are 15 prompts with 5 different themes that encourage a child to use her imagination to finish the story. These could be audio-taped and then typed so the stories can be remembered.

Overview
- Read parts of each book from grades 1-6 in the What Your __ Grader Needs to Know series by E.D. Hirsch, Jr. Only do the parts that the girls haven't heard or studied yet. (Only go up to grade 4 for Olivia.)

Sophia

4-H
- Do projects and activities in a variety of subjects. During 2011-2012, Sophia did 27 projects for the 4-H County Fair. She still needs to determine which project areas she wants to explore this year.

Grammar
- Easy Grammar: Grade 5. There are 317 pages in the student workbook. At the beginning of the year, start with 2 pages per day 5x a week. If Sophia misses a day or only does one page per day, she still would complete the book by the end of the homeschool year.

Greek Mythology
- Greek Mythology for Teens by Zachary Hamby. This book relates classical mythology to modern culture, history, art, and literature of today. (1 chapter per month - includes a play to read aloud and activities)
- Book of Greek Myths by D'Aulaires. We've read some of the myths already, but we'll re-read them for a complete study. (5 pages per week)
- Greek Myths by Olivia Coolidge. Read the myths as they correspond to the ones in D'Aulaires and/or Greek Mythology for Teens.

History/Geography/World Religions/Social Studies 
- Sonlight's Core F. This curriculum focuses on the Eastern Hemisphere including Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and the South Pacific. About 70 countries will be covered. This is a multi-disciplinary study about a part of the world that is of particular interest to us since Sophia and Olivia were adopted from China. The highlight for us will be reading the 48 books that are included with this curriculum. Some are books that I read aloud, and others are ones that Sophia reads on her own.
- Eat Your Way Around the World by Jamie Aramini. Has recipes from many of the countries we will be studying this year. We'll use this book as well as other recipes that I have clipped over the years that are from the countries in the Core F curriculum.
- Geography through Art - International Art Projects for Kids by Sharon Jeffus and Jamie Aramini. Has ideas for art projects for several of the countries we'll be learning about as part of Sonlight's Core F.
- Continue using The Usborne Art Treasury by Rosie Dickins. Do the 5 projects that are from countries that are in the Eastern Hemisphere. 
- The Silk Road - Explore the World's Most Famous Trade Routes by Kathy Ceceri. This is an interactive book with many hands-on activities for Sophia to do (and Olivia if she is interested). Supplement with field trips that tie into the topics presented.

Home Economics
- Take the Joy of Cooking class at the homeschool co-op (1x per week for 1 1/2 hours).

Journaling
- Use the journal pages from Grace is Overrated. These look like a fun way for Sophia to record her last year of elementary school...before she goes into junior high. (Where does the time go?) (2 pages per week starting in the 4th week for 25 weeks)

Map Skills
- Map Skills - Grade 5 by Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company. Forgot to do this book last year, so will do this during the first semester of this year. (2 pages per week for 22 weeks)

Math
- Rod and Staff - Mathematics Level 6. 5x per week.
- Artistic Geometry as Taught in Grade 6 in Waldorf Schools by John C. Miles/Promethean Press. This book features geometric designs made by a compass and colored pencils. There are 23 lessons. Start in the fall and go until the lessons end.


Music
- Piano lessons 1x per week plus two performances during the year.
- Harp lessons 1x per week plus at least three performances during the year.

Penmanship
- A Reason for Handwriting - Level E. Sophia has 4 lessons from this book that she used last year. I opted not to get Level F since she has another handwriting book she'll use (see below) and wants to learn Spencerian Penmanship.
- Handwriting - Writing in Cursive. Sophia enjoys handwriting, so this is another book she can do on her own. The passages she writes relate to American history, animals, and nature - so all are topics in which she has an interest. There are 68 pages left in this book (she started the book late in the year last year and completed 12 pages).
- Spencerian Penmanship. This is the beautiful handwriting that was used for more than a century. Sophia has been wanting to learn this for a couple years now.

Reading
- Part of the Sonlight - Core F curriculum includes books that Sophia reads to herself.
- Complete Word Study - Level D. She's on lesson 48 and there are 88 lessons - so 40 left. This works out to be about 1x per week.

Science
- Continue reading and coloring Gray's Anatomy - A Fact-Filled Coloring Book. This is not the anatomy book that is used in college. This is a shorter, more child-friendly book with 60 illustrations to color and key parts named. Sophia has already done 21 illustrations, so there are 39 left - about one per week.

Sensory Processing Disorder/Sensory Integration Dysfunction Therapy
- Use Brain Integration Therapy Manual by Dianne Craft. Writing (30 minutes per day 4x a week).
- Use the sensory gym and warm-water pool at Courage Center as needed.

Spelling
- A Reason for Spelling - Level C. This is a new curriculum that has multiple ways to learn how to spell. This is a 5x a week program with different activities each day including: literature connection with discussion; shape boxes; fun ways to spell for various ways of learning (e.g., visual, auditory, tactile); hide and seek; other word forms; language arts activity; dictation; proofreading; thought of the week; and preview and post tests. Children keep a progress chart, journal, and personal dictionary.
* Before beginning the year, make sure that all words from Level B were learned over the summer. If not, they need to be learned during the first two months of the 2012-13 school year.

Vocabulary
- Wordly Wise 3000 - Book 5. There are 20 lessons and 5 reviews (25 weeks).
- English from the Roots Up (Volume 1) - focus on learning 100 Greek and Latin root words. 
- Rummy Roots - English Vocabulary Building Games.

Writing
- Continue using Jump In: A Workbook for Reluctant and Eager Writers. Do 2x per week.
- Continue using Giant Write Every Day - Daily Writing Prompts. This isn't as challenging as Jump In for Sophia. However, it is something she used in 4th grade and was okay with (she enjoys reading more than writing). Last year, she used Jump In. It wasn't her favorite subject, yet she was making progress with her writing. She asked if she could use Giant Write Every Day again this year. Do 2x per week.
- Use the standards-based writing prompts that have different themes (e.g., sea life, earth science, inventions, U.S. presidents). There are 8 prompts per theme - or 32 total prompts. Do 1x per week for 32 weeks.

Olivia

Art
- Take the Fundamental of Art class at the homeschool co-op.

Five in a Row
- Five in a Row - Volume 2. Use in conjunction with the Five in a Row Cookbook. Have 12 stories left to go. Activities fall under social studies, language arts, art, applied math, science, and home economics (cooking). The cookbook has 2-3 recipes per book to make. These recipes become the family dinner for the night.
- Five in a Row - Volume 3. There are 15 stories in this series. The type of activities are the same as for Volume 2.
- Beyond Five in a Row. Start this series if the 27 stories and activities are done from Volumes 2 and 3.

4-H
- Do projects and activities in a variety of subjects. During 2011-2012, Olivia did 17 projects for the 4-H County Fair. She still needs to determine which project areas she wants to explore this year.

Grammar
- English for the Thoughtful Child - Volume 1. This is a book I found through Simply Charlotte Mason. It is a nice introduction to grammar, and very child-friendly. It was originally written in 1900 by Mary Hyde and revised and edited by Cynthia Shearer. There are 62 lessons, so this will be used 2x per week for 31 weeks.


History/Geography/World Religions/Social Studies 
- Sonlight's Core F. Olivia listens to the read-aloud books that are part of this curriculum. She also may be interested in doing the art projects. The food that Sophia makes as part of the curriculum will be eaten by the entire family. So, Olivia will get a culinary introduction to the Eastern Hemisphere as well.



Literature
- Finish Literature Pockets - Aesop's Fables by Evan-Moor. Olivia only has 1 or two fables left and she's done with this study.

Map Skills
- Map Skills - Grade 3 by Carson-Dellosa Publishing Company. Forgot to do this book last year, so will do this during the first semester of this year.

Math
- Rod and Staff - Mathematics Level 4. 5x per week.
- Time, Money & Fractions by School Zone.
- Touch Math by Dianne Craft. Helps children who are struggling with basic math facts. Touch Math is a touching/counting pattern that has been carefully researched and is designed to provide immediate success for learners.
- Right Brain Multiplication Cards by Dianne Craft. These cards come with pictures underneath the numbers in the equation. It helps right-brain learners memorize the multiplication table in a way that works for them.
- Receive 80 minutes of math instruction/help through Special Education.

Music
- Piano lessons 1x per week plus two performances during the year.

Penmanship
- A Reason for Handwriting - Transition. This book transition from printing to cursive.

Reading
- Explore the Code. Complete books 4, 5, and 6. With 12 lessons per book, that's 1x per week.
- Receive 80 minutes of reading instruction/help through Special Education.
- Use sound/phonics cards that have pictures behind the letters (e.g., apple/a; cow/ou + ow).
- Implement some of the ideas from Reading Ideas Ready to Use! by Barbara Gruber.

Sensory Processing Disorder/Sensory Integration Dysfunction Therapy
- Use Brain Integration Therapy Manual by Dianne Craft. Reading (45 minutes per day 4x a week), Writing (30 minutes per day 4x a week), and Math (not a formal "program" - just use strategies to teach).
- Use the sensory gym and warm-water pool at Courage Center as needed.

Speech Therapy
- Receive 60 minutes of guidance through Speech Therapy at the local elementary school.

Spelling
- A Reason for Spelling - Level B. (See the description under Sophia's section for what this curriculum includes.)
* Before beginning the year, make sure that all words from Level A were learned over the summer. If not, they need to be learned during the first two months of the 2012-13 school year.

Vocabulary
- Vocabulary Cartoon of the Day by Marc Tyler Nobleman. The introduction to this book says that back in 1945, children in elementary school had a vocabulary of 10,000 words. Today, that number has dwindled to 2,500 words. This is a child-friendly way to introduce 180 words that were gathered from newspapers and magazines.

Writing
- Just Write - Creativity in Craft and Writing by Alexandra S. Bigelow. Do 1x per week.

Homeschool Mother's Journal - June Update

In my life this past week…

We enjoyed going to two state parks and doing naturalist-led activities. On Friday, we went on an evening bird hike; on Saturday we learned geocaching in the morning and dissected an owl pellet in the afternoon; and on Monday we learned about Ojibwe dream catchers and each made one.

Olivia with a fox snake.

Now both she and Sophia want to

have a snake as a pet.

In our homeschool this week…

We're wrapping up this school year and will end today - June 1st. Then we transition to a summer schedule that includes some core subjects (e.g., reading, math, geography) as well as focus on 4-H projects and county fair participation.

Helpful homeschooling tips or advice to share…

During the last week I read about using assignment sheets as part of homeschooling. I have never done this before, but think it's a good idea especially now that the girls will both be in upper elementary school. This will help them keep on task and effectively plan their day if they know what they need to learn and do.

There's a few websites that have assignment sheets that I like. The next step is to print samples off and show the girls so they can pick the one they each prefer. Here are links to the sites that have assignment sheets that may work for the girls:

- Donna Young - although these are designed for high school use, they could be used for younger grades as well.

- That Resource Site - has assignment sheets themed for girls.

If those don't work, then I'll create custom ones based on what Bright Hub recommends:

"Try creating weekly assignment sheets to help children see at a glance what they’ll be covering for the week. This encourages personal responsibility and fosters planning and organizations skills in your homeschoolers.

"To create a weekly assignment sheet, label a file with the child’s name, and create a block for each subject for the week. Don’t forget to include any extra-curricular activities or field trips on the assignment sheet to help motivate them.

"In each block, you can add the week’s assignments and projects your kids will be responsible for. It helps to add additional check boxes next to each item so the kids can check off them off as they complete them throughout the week."

I am inspired by…

Something that William Ellery Channing wrote:

To live content wit hsmall means,
to seek elegance rather than luxury,
and refinement rather than fashion,
to be worthy, not respectable, and wealthy, not rich,
to study hard, think quietly, talk gently, act frankly,
to listen to stars and birds, babes and sages, with open heart,
to bear all cheerfully,
do all bravely,
await occasions,
hurry never -
in a word, to let the spiritual, unbidden and unconscious,
growup through the common.
This is to be my symphony.

Places we’re going and people we’re seeing…

Today - Olivia receives speech therapy and help with reading through the local elementary school. This is her last day for this school year.

Later we're going to a local festival in a nearby town. There's children's activities, a farmers market, and family yoga in the park.

Tomorrow we're headed back to the festival for nature activities, local farm tours/open houses (there are several CSAs in the area), craft fair, and more kids activities.

On Sunday, we'll be going to an open house at a dairy farm where there are hay rides, kids activities, lunch, and farm tours.

My favorite thing this week was…

Spending more time outside enjoying the flowers that are blooming - especially the peonies and irises (bearded, siberian, and wild).

One of the peonies that bloomed this week.

Also - even though it was work - I enjoyed what the butterfly garden looked like after I weeded half of it. Planted a few more perennials in the garden as well as some annuals for brighter color.
What’s working/not working for us…

Even though we went to activities over the Memorial Day weekend, the majority of the week has been spent at home. This has helped greatly in terms of getting homeschooling done, and not carrying things forward to the summer and/or next school year.

As I look towards the upcoming school year and planning for it, I need to remember the value of staying home and having larger blocks of time to accomplish and learn more.

Things I’m working on…

I continue to do Take a Stitch Tuesday each week in which I'm learning a new embroidery stitch. I incorporate the little stitched samplers in a journal with a written entry, gratitude list, and collage items flect what I saw and/or did during the week.

I'm working on outside chores - like trimming trees, weeding gardens, and planting flowers.

On the 27th of June, my mom will be returning home after fracturing her ankle on February 28th and having erratic blood sugar readings (due to diabetes). Her ankle is healed and blood sugar levels stabilized, so she can return home safely.

Between now and then, there's a lot of arrange in terms of home care, getting her home safer (to help prevent falls), shopping for healthy food, and planting some flower gardens and containers there to welcome her home.

I’m reading…

I have quite a few books that are by my bed that I want to read. Two that I'm currently working on are The Power of Less - The Fine Art of Limiting Yourself to the Essential...in Business and in Life by Leo Babauta. The other is A Chosen Faith by John Buehrens and Forrest Church.

I’m cooking…

As part of homeschooling, we are using the Five in a Row Cookbook. To tie in with the book Mrs. Katz and Tush by Patricia Polacco, we are going to make Kugel, Passover Seder Charoset, and Potato Latkes.

For the multi-disciplinary geography curriculum we're using, Eat Your Way through the U.S.A.  is the cookbook that is used. We're currently studying Iowa, so pork chops with gravy and brownies are the featured recipes. There's also a green bean and pea salad using canned beans and peas. I know no one will eat that, so we are skipping that recipe.

I’m grateful for…

There are so many programs through the state parks this summer. Almost every week there's some type of activitiy that I will take the girls to - canoeing, rock climbing, hiking, geocaching, and general nature education programs.

A photo, video, link, or quote to share…

Bailey (the pony) with Sophia by the wild irises.

This year there are lots of patches of the irises -

more than I've ever seen before.

3 in 30 May Update #2

My goals for 3 in 30 and the progress I made on them are below.

1. Finish the projects I did not complete during the past four months.

- Clean half my office - I cleaned off three more shelves in the closet which contained crafting supplies; cleaned off the smaller set of shelves which had household and homeschool supplies; and the left-hand side which was where I kept surplus empty bags.

From that, I:
- threw away one bag of trash;
- have four bags of craft supplies and household items to donate;
- have two large bags filled with plastic grocery bags that I'm going to bring to the grocery store for recycling, and
- have nine bags of paper grocery bags that I'm going to bring to my Mom's home as I continue to clean out my Dad's offices (some will be for items to donate and others for recycling).

Of the remaining supplies, everything is either organized on a shelf and/or in a plastic bin that is labeled with the contents so things are easier to find.

- Finish cleaning the blue room - Still need to dust the furniture and fan; and wash the windows.

- Finish "Shaking Off the Bonds of Stuff...for Lent" - I did not do anything with this project.

- Put trimmed branches from trees in backyard in the firepit - This was done last week.

- Paint the accent areas dark green (behind the bed and over the window on the west side of the room) and the walls white - I did not do anything towards meeting this goal during the past week.

2. Do the Biology of Behavior program. More information about what we are doing is on the here. Sophia, Olivia, and I continued to use acidophilus and grapefruit seed extract three times a day (before each meal). We will do this for seven more weeks. The girls also are taking two multi-vitamins a day (one at breakfast and one at dinner).

Olivia, perhaps, has had the most positive response to using this probiotic (a.k.a. "good germs" - or microorganisms that help to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and aid digestion). For years - from the time she was adopted to now - she has strugged with intestinal issues.

Around the age of five, she went through a battery of tests at the Children's Hospital because her health wasn't improving and her height and weight dropped off the growth charts. After all the tests - and thousands of dollars - the results came back negative or inconclusive. Basically, the specialists didn't know what was going on.

"Hopefully she'll grow out of it," was what the GI specialist said. "Come back in six months and we can run more tests." 

Four years later in April 2012, I attended a homeschool conference and attend a workshop about how health issues can affect learning. I come away from the conference with a concrete plan and hope that things will improve. Within the first week they did. Needless to say, all stomach and intestinal challenges Olivia had been experienced: resolved!

Yesterday, we began the part of the 9-week program by reducing sugar and carbohydrates. This is suppose to continue indefinitely.

I took eight pages of notes from the books recommended by Dianne Craft as well as ones that I ordered from the libary. They are:

- Super Immunity for Kids by Leo Galland, M.D.
- The Yeast Connection Handbook by William Crook, M.D.
- Healing Foods by Michael Murray, N.D.
- Tired - So Tired and the "Yeast Connection" by William Crook, M.D.
- Successful Child by William Sears, M.D. and Martha Sears, R.N.

3. Do a nice Mother's Day meal. My mom wanted to have pizza instead of the planned meal. She thought it would be easier to do. So, my brother is getting the take-and-bake pizza, my sister is getting a cake, and I'll make a couple of salads.

I went grocery shopping and got the ingredients for the salads; and got paper products in blue since that's my mom's favorite color. It's certainly not fancy, but it will save time with clean up.

We also will be packing on Mother's Day for her move to assisted living for a month while her diabetes gets stabilized. I'll be meeting with a couple of representatives from assisted living (including the nurse who does the intake and helps set up the schedule for my mom's daily needs) on Tuesday.

Then, I'm helping her with the move on Saturday (May 19th) - dealing with the movers at her home; getting all her items at the nursing home transferred over to assisted living; getting her apartment set up; and ensuring that the first day of safety checks by health aides, the nurses, etc. all show up and things are in place for her.

3 in 30 Goals for May - Update #1

My goals for 3 in 30 and the progress I made on them are below.

1. Finish the projects I did not complete during the past four months.

- Clean half my office - I cleaned off another shelf in my closet that has craft supplies on it. From it, I recycled one bag of items I no longer plan to use and filled a small plastic bag with garbage. There was a small gallon-size bag of items to donate.

- Finish cleaning the blue room - I vacuumed this room after the five trash-size bags of items were donated and one trash-size bag of garbage was removed last week. I washed the bedding and rearranged the remaining play toys so it is more orderly in the room. I still need to wash the the windows and fan.

- Finish "Shaking Off the Bonds of Stuff...for Lent" - I did not do anything with this project.

- Put trimmed branches from trees in backyard in the firepit - I trimmed the branches from the trees in backyard but never brought everything to the firepit. Finally did this before I mowed the lawn for the first time this season.

- Paint the accent areas dark green (behind the bed and over the window on the west side of the room) and the walls white - I did not do anything towards meeting this goal during the past week.

2. Do the Biology of Behavior program. More information about what we are doing is on the last post. Sophia, Olivia, and I continued to use acidophilus three times a day (before each meal). We will do this for three months. Each of us has noticed a positive difference by using this probiotic (a.k.a. "good germs" - or microorganisms that help to maintain a healthy intestinal tract and aid digestion).

The girls also are taking two multi-vitamins a day (one at breakfast and one at dinner). I found a brand that is natural and has no artificial dyes. This will continue indefinitely.

On Thursday, we added grapefruit seed oil tablets that we will be taking three times a day for three months (Olivia is taking drops since this is easier for her to do.) This is an anti-fungal extract that is used to help prevent an overgrowth of yeast in one's system (a yeast overgrowth can not only have negative physical effects, but also affect a child's learning). There are many additional  benefits of grapefruit seed oil that can be read about here.

I continued to read and/or browse through the books recommended by Dianne Craft (the speaker at the homeschool conference who had many sessions about how to help children who are struggling to learn by changing the way they eat, and provide nutritional supplements and vitamins that they may be missing from their diet).

3. Do a nice Mother's Day meal. We have the time determined and a tentative menu. Other than that, I have not worked on this goal since it is still over a week away.

P52 - Things that Grow - Week 16

Growth through change.

Growth through loss.

Growth through challenges.

Growth in nature.

Growth -- some of it inevitable….some painful, yet necessary…and some welcome.

I’ve seen all of these in my life during the past couple of years, especially during the last 3 ½ months.

Chaos in the world brings uneasiness, but

it also allows the opportunity for creativity and growth.

~ Tom Barrett

Part of dealing with watching the progression of Alzheimer’s Disease in my father and dealing with the continual losses on a monthly…weekly…and then, ultimately, daily basis, I began using art as a way to express my feelings, document my life, and the effect caregiving had on it.

I have made monthly journal quilts (small 9” x 12” quilts that were accompanied by several-page journal entries); wrote poetry; made full-size quilts; blogged on a regular basis; took photographs; and embroidered.

These were all ways to creatively express myself, learn new skills, and grow despite the chaos in a changing world – the caregiving world – around me.

I think that our fundamental belief is that for us

growth is a way of life and

we have to grow at all times.
~ Mukesh Ambani

As my father was in the active dying process from late-November 2011 until the first week of January 2012, I still believe he was teaching me despite his ability to actively communicate with words or open his eyes.

I chose to be at his bedside from January 1^st through January 5^th (when he died). Being able to be with him, help care for him, ensure that he was receiving the medicines he needed, and giving people the opportunity to say “goodbye” to him all were emotionally challenging.

But I grew.

I was touched.

I learned.

He showed me – through the many visitors he had – the impact that he made by giving of himself. Of listening. Of genuinely caring for others.

Seeds of faith are always within us;

sometimes it takes a crisis to nourish and encourage their growth.
~ Susan Taylor

Because my father was a deacon, his funeral was attended by many deacons and their wives as well as priests. Hearing their wonderful voices in unison as they sang the songs provided healing comfort when I needed it.

Although I knew my father’s faith was strong, in going through his offices at home during the past few months, I have found countless Bible verses that were handwritten, homilies, and resources that showed how strong faith can be, and how it truly was such an integral part of who he was and what he believed.

He began his life in one religion and changed to another as a teenager. Within his chosen religion and throughout his entire adulthood, he continually chose to grow, learn, and inspire others on many different levels.

Education is growth.

Education is not a preparation for life;

education is life itself.
~ John Dewey

During the past week, I attended the annual homeschool conference. Most of the workshops I attended focused on special education and children who have special educational needs.

Being able to gain new ideas and methods of teaching along with thousands of other parents who are experiencing similar challenges with their children was invigorating and inspiring.

There are some basic changes to the way of teaching as well as feeding my daughters that may have a significant impact on their learning.  Truly, I am excited to make these changes and see the growth in their learning.

I am incredibly thankful to the workshop presenters who shared their knowledge so as a parent (and teacher) I can help my daughters learn and grow.

The garden is growth and change; and

that means loss as well as

constant new treasures to make up for a few disasters.
~ Mary Sarton

As the month progresses, the weather continues to be unpredictable – one week it is warm and in the 60s and 70s. The next, there are mornings with a light snowfall or frost. There have been calm days and days with extreme wind.

Yet, the bushes and trees are in full bloom and have sustained these setbacks – these challenges that the weather has put forth. They have held onto their blossoms and flowers. They have welcomed the bees and butterflies as they have drank nectar and spread the pollen.

The crabapple tree – with its beautiful pink flowers – provides a fragrant canopy over the walkway from the driveway to the door. Its other half – which fell over in an ice storm in November 2010 – has grown new shoots from the fallen trunk. Tiny white flowers are gracing the ends of the branches.

Then I look over at the garden – overgrown already with weeds and grasses. Yet within the mess, signs of sustenance – chives, rhubarb, lettuce, raspberries, and strawberries – all have begun to emerge.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

So, despite the changes, loss, and challenges that – at times – seemed too overwhelming, it was (and is) important to focus on positive growth.

:: Recognizing good changes in myself, my daughters, and others.

:: Taking the time to be grateful for things and people I can often take for granted.

:: Making a commitment each month to give and serve others (especially those in need), animals, and the environment.

:: Using photography, embroidery, writing, and journaling to make it through an emotionally-difficult year.

P52 Photo Challenge - I Dreamed a Dream - Week 3

Monday, January 16th, was Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. There is an excerpt from one of MLK's famous speeches ("I have a dream...") that most people have heard many times.

However, in reading the entire speech, there are many parts that are not as frequently heard. One of the parts that stands out for me is this part:

"We must forever conduct our struggle on the high plane of dignity and discipline. We must not allow our creative protest to degenerate into physical violence. Again and again we must rise to the majestic heights of meeting physical force with soul force ..... They have come to realize that their freedom is inextricably bound to our freedom. We cannot walk alone."

Koi fish taken at Sea Life at Mall of America

on Olivia's 9th Birthday.

(Photo taken on January 18, 2012.)

Why fish for a picture about MLK and "I Dreamed a Dream" theme? When I think of these koi, I remember that just moments before they were peacefully swimming in the water. It was a very serene image.

As we walked by, the koi gathered together quickly and demanded our attention...not in a physically-aggressive way, but by their sheer number in such a relatively small area. 

Even as different fish pushed their way to the forefront, they weren't hurting one another - they were just making us stop, look, and appreciate how beautiful they were (and make us want to feed them).

"We cannot walk alone." I reflect also on MLK's statement as we celebrated Olivia's ninth birthday on January 18th (when we saw the koi fish).

Nine years ago this week, Olivia was born in China. Five days later (on January 23rd), Olivia was found in a basket in the middle of the town square, her mother having made a very difficult decision to provide her daughter with the opportunity for a new life.

Thankfully, ten months later Olivia joined our family and  has since blessed us and others countless times with her gifts of compassion, laughter, determination, and creativity.

She has gone through many challenges in her short life so far (with her health, vision, learning, and sensory issues), but does not complain. She tries to overcome challenges that she is presented with...sometimes on her own and sometimes with the help of others. Truly, bringing home MLK's words: "We cannot walk alone."

Artist/Picture Study - Norman Rockwell

This year as part of homeschooling, we are doing Artist Studies inspired by Charlotte Mason's educational philosophy.

Miss Mason suggested that a different artist and at least six of her/his works of art be studied for up to 12 weeks.

So, we are focusing on six different artists over the course of the 2011-2012 school year (each artist is studied for six weeks).

By the end of the year, the girls will have learned about and shared their observations about 36 different works of arts.

The focus is on immersing the girls into each artist's life, artistic style, methods, and images so they can better know her/him and appreciate what s/he created.

For the first artist of the year, I chose Norman Rockwell because of his ties to New England (an area that we are focusing on for a multi-disciplinary, 12-week unit study).

I read the girls a book called Norman Rockwell by Mike Venezia which is part of the Getting to Know the World's Greatest Artists series.

Flipping through the pages of the book again

after I read it to them.

The book provided background information abut Mr. Rockwell, and prepared them for the second part of the process: studying the first of six images that the artist created.

Relaxing while examining Norman Rockwell's work called

"Painting the Little House" (1921).

They do look a bit unhappy in the photograph,

but they are actually quite focused on the image.

After they examined the picture for some time, I asked each one to recall some of the things they remembered about the image.

The girls looked at the image for five minutes

and then orally described what they remembered.

Olivia (who is eight years old) shared these observations:
- The dog is sticking out his tongue.
- There's a rag hanging on the wall.
- The book is open.
- He has a bandage on his toe.
- He's wearing overalls.

Sophia (who is ten years old) shared these observations:
- He has a bandage wrapped on his toe.
- He has paint all over himself.
- The rags are the tail of a kite.
- He's working on a trunk.
- It looks like he has only two brushes to work with.
- It's dark.
- The walls are cracked a bit.
- His overalls look too small.
- There's no window that you can see.
- His dog look faithful. I wish I had a horse just like that.
- He has a very concentrated expression on his face.
- The wall has splashes of paint here and there.

For looking at an image for only five minutes, I was happy with the amount of details that they could recall.

Olivia was disappointed that she was unable to remember as much as Sophia. However, Olivia has challenges with her short-term memory (part of a learning disability she has), so I was pleased she was able to remember five elements of the picture.

As we continue to work on artist and picture studies throughout the year, I'm hoping that the number of elements both girls can remember will increase.

The remaining five illustrations that the girls will study will include Rockwell's:

- "Crackers in Bed" (1920) - a boy reading books in bed with his dog at the foot of the bed.

- "Louisa May Alcott in Her Attic at Concord" (1937) - Ms. Alcott writing while sitting on a couch in the attic. The girls and I just visited the Alcott home in Concord last week so this painting will have special meaning to the girls.

- Series of four images: "Freedom of Speech," "Freedom of Worship," "Freedom from Fear," and "Freedom from Want" (1943) - these paintings reflect President Franklin Roosevelt's speech in 1942 about the reason why the free world was fighting the war.

- "April Fool: Girl with Shopkeeper" (1948) - an illustration filled with lots of surreal images - like a cat with the head of a dog and the tail of a raccoon; the shopkeeper's head is on all of the dolls; and ivy is growing around a hot potbellied stove.

- "The Problem We All Live With" (1964) - the painting of a scene showing Ruby Bridges being escorted to a New Orleans school by four federal marshals.

Although I am using a couple of books for images of Mr. Rockwell's work, for other artists I will be using postcards which feature their work. Some were from local art museums and others were from a series of books that include postcard-size images of masterpieces.

The first book in the series - which I would recommend - is called Child Size Masterpieces of Steps 1, 2, 3 - Matching, Pairing, and Sorting - Level 1 Easy; and is written by Aline D. Wolf.

This book - as well as the additional six books in the series - have reproductions of masterpieces by a wide variety of artists. The girls each can hold a postcard and study the image before telling me about what they remember about the work of art.

This has been a delightful and interesting part of homeschooling, and we are all looking forward to learning more about Mr. Rockwell as well as the other five artists chosen for this year.

R is for Relationships - ABCs of Homeschooling

On 5 Kids and a Dog, there's a series called the ABCs of Homeschooling.  This week's letter is "R." 

...is for Relationships.

One of the benefits of homeschooling is the ability to develop close relationships between parents and children as well as between siblings. 

The girls standing in front of

the Christmas tree.

When children are in a school setting, relationships with teachers and friends compete with loyalty to parents and siblings. School schedules and homework assignments take priority over family time, and children may be taught values that conflict with those taught in their homes.

Having attended public school as a child and teen, this definitely describes my school years.

When families homeschool, they operate as a team. Parents are confidants; and siblings are close friends. Schedules are set according to the family's needs, and children are taught their parents' values. This is very true for the way I've set up homeschooling for the girls.

At home, the curriculum and activities meet the needs of each daughter - not the needs of a classroom or school system. Both girls are treated as individuals, and are truly known and loved.

The girls celebrating the anniversary of

Olivia's 7th adoption day.

I'm able to customize their lessons based on their interests as well as their developmental abilities/skills. The curriculum and schedule is flexible so if something isn't working, I can modify it to better fit their needs.  The goal is to make learning fun and educational...and inspire a love for learning.

Another benefit of homeschooling is that the girls have been able to develop a closer relationship with their grandparents who live 50 miles away.

The girls with their grandma and me on

my mom/Nana's 80th birthday.

The girls with their grandparents

on their First Communion Day.

Sophia reading to Papa.

She chose to read him his favorite book when he was a child.

Another benefit to homeschooling is that children within a family have stronger relationships. There is generally more camaraderie than in siblings who attend school. Since Sophia and Olivia are each other's primary playmates, deep relationships have been and will continue to be formed and nurtured.

The girls have traveled as part of homeschooling

with their grandparents and me.

This was taken at The Shrine of Guadalupe in Wisconsin

(a place where the girls' grandparents wanted to visit).

As Sophia's and Olivia's teacher, we spend a lot of time together in two main ways - educationally and as a family. This time that we spend together learning, working through any problems, and communicating keeps us all well aware of one another.

An educational trip to northern Minnesota.

Here we're near Lake Saganaga where

my Dad/Papa took many trips during the 1960s and 1970s.

Good relationships and communication extends beyond the immediate family. Generally, homeschooled children can easily communicate with people of many ages and from different walks of life. They learn to adjust to the group to whom they are speaking. Because of this, they often comes across as thoughtful and mature.

The girls picking strawberries with their aunt.

The girls enjoying spending time with a

family friend (Alice) and her dog (Maggie).

Gathering together as an extended family brings together people of all ages - from newborns to seniors - giving the girls opportunities to play, talk, and build relationships with others.

Thanksgiving at the farm.

An opportunity for playing, talking, and having fun together.

Homeschooling has given the girls opportunities to form friendships with people of different ages who live in other countries. They have met and hosted people at our home including two exchange students from Brazil who lived here in the late 1990s; and my friend from Japan who visited here a couple years ago.

The girls with Ruth (from Brazil) and their grandparents.

Their grandparents invited us over for lunch, and

to visit with Ruth.

The girls also have enjoyed making friends with other homeschoolers as well as children who attend public, private, parochial, and charter schools. This have given them insight into multiple ways that children learn, and introduces them to a wide variety of children.

The girls having a tea party with some of their friends.

Sophia and a friend before one of the choir performances.

The girls holding pumpkins they picked

 from our pumpkin patch.

They have participated in community activities - theater, community ed courses, camps, homeschool swimming lessons, choir, and sports - which introduces them to a diversity of children who have a wide variety of interests.

Olivia with three other girls who were in a

play/musical with her at a local community theater.

The girls also have had the opportunity to learn from other adults - whether it is at the homeschool co-op where they take a variety of classes; or through special education/speech therapy. They have developed special friendships with some of the teachers and therapists who have helped them learn and gain new skills.

Sophia with one of her teachers at the homeschool co-op.

Ms. Dawn was the American Girl teacher, and this is the

end-of-the-semester party.

Olivia with her speech therapist, Laurie.

Homeschooling is represented by strong and varied relationships. As the girls get older, this will continue to be an important area and benefit to homeschooling.

52 Books in 52 Weeks ---- Week 13 ---- A Special Mother

This week I took a departure from reading historical fiction and autobiographies as part of the 52 Books in 52 Weeks challenge to read a book that is relevant to what is currently happening in my life.  It is called A Special Mother - Getting Through the Early Days of  Child's Diagnosis of Learning Disabilities and Related Disorders. 

This book, written by Anne Ford, presents a guide for mothers whose child is diagnosed with a Learning Disability (LD). The book is written in a conversational tone and there are many sections that feel like the reader is joining a group of women (all of whom have a child with a LD).

The book begins by discussing mothers' intituition and their feelings that "something’s not quite right with my child.”  A Special Mother continues through the stages of denying that anything is seriously wrong, the eventual diagnosis, and advocacy.

For me, I could identify with many of the mothers who shared their experiences with knowing something wasn't quite right with her child, but not being able to pinpoint the cause.  Olivia, who was adopted as a ten-month old infant from China, was diagnosed with a host of medical problems and developmental delays when she had her initial evaluation at the University of Minnesota's International Clinic. (The referral said she was a healthy baby with no medical problems.)

By the age of three years old, at my request, she was evaluated by several teachers and therapists in the local school district who helped identified some special needs and a plan for reaching developmental, cognitive, and speech goals. 

For about two years, she worked with this team of professionals who provided guidance and therapy to help her reach her goals in combination with therapy and learning activities that they asked that I would do at home with Olivia.

Olivia playing with Oodles of Ooze

that I made for her.  It was meant to

strengthen her hands and

get her comfortable with different textures.

Concurrently, Olivia was diagnosed with Sensory Processing Disorder (a.k.a. Sensory Integration Dysfunction) and went through an intense ten-day, full-day program at Special Children Center in Hudson, Wisconsin.  She had many follow-up sessions to help address on-going issues that were too great for the district to handle.

Olivia doing therapeutic horseback riding in 2007.

She was 4 years old in this picture.

Olivia also began therapeutic horseback riding at age three through Courage Riders and later participated in River Valley Riders' program as well.  These two programs provided physical therapy, occupational therapy, cognitive therapy, speech therapy, and body/muscle strengthening...not to mention a love for horses and horseback riding. 

When she first began riding, she could barely sit up straight (she was hypotonic which basically means she had no muscle tone in her hips or upper arms/shoulder area) and couldn't put more than one word together. Her language was at a standstill for a long time, and most of it was being done through American Sign Language. 

Within the first six-week session of therapeutic horseback riding, she put her first two words together!  It was huge breakthrough.  Now, five years later she can sit straight up on a horse and can compose multi-word sentences.  In fact, she is almost always talking.  She even still remembers some of the ASL signs she used as a toddler and young child. 

Olivia exercising while horseback riding

For the past five years (from age 3-8 years old), Olivia has been seeing an opthamologist on a quarterly basis since she is legally blind in both eyes (without glasses).  Her left eye is substantially worse than her right eye, so it was recommended that she wear a patch on her right eye so that her brain would be forced to use her left eye.  In this way, it would strengthen her vision and prevent a complete loss of vision in her weaker eye. 

She also was receiving nightly medicine in her eyes so her lashes wouldn't scratch her corneas.  About eight months ago, her lashes began moving away from her corneas and no longer were scratching them.  This medicine has been stopped which has been nice.

I had Olivia work on a variety of projects while she wore

her patch so it would even further help use the eye.

Here she is doing embroidery and

making a wool felt pencil case

Which brings her to second grade where I was noticing persistent challenges with speech/communication issues.  So, in Fall 2010, I approached the school district and requested an evaluation of her speech skills.  She qualified for services and has been going to speech therapy once a week since November 2010. 

Each week, her speech therapist (Laurie) gives Olivia several books to read at home.  She started at a very basic level since I had intentionally waited to have her begin reading. (I was following the Waldorf philosophy in terms of reading as I had done with my older daughter, Sophia who waited until the end of first grade/beginning of 2nd grade to read. She is now in 4th grade and reads at the late-5th grade level and has a comprehension level of an early-7th grader.)

Olivia trying her best with Explore the Code -

part of her reading/language arts lessons

At this point, I wasn't noticing anything much different from Sophia's start in reading.  Reading was difficult for both of them, but they forged ahead with their reading assignments.  However, within a few weeks, Olivia's ability to recall simple words that she read in previous weeks was not strong.  She would get highly frustrated with reading - almost to the point of tears.  This was very unlike Sophia's reading experience.  I expressed concern to Laurie.

Laurie and I agreed to wait a bit longer to see if reading became any easier for Olivia.  It did not.  At that time, I requested testing for both reading and math (since she must use manipulatives in order to arrive at the right answer). 

I met with a group of eight women who made up the special education team/school administration.  I had to make a presentation about Olivia's skills, concerns I had, and provide samples of her work. 

Olivia doing math with manipulatives.

She's using shells on this day, but also uses sticks,

rocks, and other natural items.

After reviewing the materials and listening to my concerns, the team decided to move forward with testing while doing concurrent at-home interventions and testing for six weeks.  Although they didn't anticipate the interventions/testing to improve during the six weeks, it is a necessary step in the paperwork they need to file with the state.

Olivia now has gone through a battery of tests by a special education teacher, an occupational therapist, speech therapist, and psychologist.  I've completed quite a few questionnaires and checklists that provide a different view of Olivia (from both a parent and teacher perspective). 

At this stage, it looks like she will qualify to receive services under the "learning disability" label.  I'll know more specifically what her challenges are next week, but at this stage I do know that one thing she is definitely struggling with is short-term auditory memory and a bit of perceptual reasoning.  The tests that the different professionals did all will reveal more specific problems and areas with which she will need assistance.

So, going back to the book I read this week, A Special Mother, it was with interest that I read about the evaluation/assessment process, the written report, evalutation meeting, and IEP (Individualized Education Program).  The latter three items are forthcoming during the first two weeks of April, so it was valuable to get an overview of what to expect, read about a child's educational rights, and see the wealth of resources available for parents of children with LD, autism, and other developmental learning disorders. 

Even though I've been through the process when Olivia was much younger, it is a bit different now that she's moved from the "developmental delays" label and into the "learning disabilities" label.  The former, to me, is more transitory and something that can be worked through whereas the latter is, as it notes in A Special Mother, "...a neurological disorder.

"In other words, it results from a difference in the way a person's brain is 'wired.' A learning disability means that a person of at least average intelligence will have difficulty acquiring basic academic skills that are essential for success at school and for coping with life in general."

With more than three million children in the United States having been diagnosed with a learning disability, having books and resources for parents is invaluable.  It's even more meaningful when the book was written by a parent whose child has a LD.  In Anne Ford's case, her daughter Allegra has severe learning disabilities; and it provided the motivation to become an advocate for children with LD.

Reading about the experiences of Anne - as well as many other mothers profiled in the book - helps mothers realize that they are not alone...and that they can help their child to thrive.  I would highly recommend this book.