Hittin' the Highway

Things were finally beginning to calm down around here... Yes, the word "were" is inserted in the previous sentence. As of today, Ryan and I have started hittin' the highway twice a month for additional speech therapy. He continues to make progress in his speech and we are quite pleased with how well he is doing. However, we feel like he could be making even bigger strides given proper intervention. Still being in the prime years for language development, we want to provide all the opportunities available to us to increase his skills and to prepare him for the years ahead. Thankfully, our insurance provides coverage for a number of speech therapy/aural rehabilitiation sessions. Since this is Ryan's last year before kindergarten, we believe that it is important that we be as proactive as we can be - Looking back, we probably should have done this sooner. We are thrilled because I will be involved in the therapy sessions and can carry through with what was taught by the therapist at home. Whether or not he will need this level of therapy in the years to follow, we have no idea. What we do know is thatsometimes it is tough being the parent of a child with "special needs" - These are the times when I come to realize that Ryan is a child with special needs - These moments don't hit often, by the way. We want all the services that are available to him, but have little control of what happens through the school. Yes, we can push for goals and document them in the stack of paperwork. But, knowing how, when, and if they are being taught, implemented, or practiced is a whole other issue. I have never expected the school system to be fully responsible for educating my child. I believe that it is my job as the parent to partner with the school to teach the skills necessary for my child to succeed in school. Ryan is a perfect example. Knowing his classroom learning goals that were set back in May, he and I have worked on those skills alongside the teacher and he has already mastered them and a new IEP is about to written to set new goals. Okay, it is time I get off my soap box - If you happen to see us cruising the highway, be sure to give us a honk and wave!