Each year the anxiety leading up to Scarlett's 504 and IEP plan seems to take over, but this year it was different. I finally feel like the school understands the situation and is doing everything in their power to keep her safe while providing a social environment she can thrive in.
This year Scarlett showed interest in coming to the meeting because she wanted to take part in deciding her restrictions. The look of astonishment on the nurses face as she described her "platelet bleeding disorder" and explained the steps and protocol to take when she gets injured was one I'll never forger. My heart filled with pride the more I heard her go on about her disorder-she was obviously a well educated little girl.
Due to some minor head bumps Kindergarten year, followed by her enormous bump in the beginning of last year . . . left Scarlett's 1st grade of school with a lot of restrictions. She wasn't allowed on the playground unaccompanied by me (which I only could provide, 2x a week) and other days she was expected to be in the library accompanied by two of her peers and an Art box that I provided.
This didn't seem to bother Scarlett that much. . . but it bothered me. I hated that she couldn't play with her peers whenever she wanted. And feared that the inconsistency of when she could play with others, would end up leaving her without any friends and little social skills. So we ended her last year stating we had to figure out a way to get her an aide that could watch her on the playground while she learns her own boundaries within her school and her peers could start learning to watch out for her too.
Scarlett started 2nd grade in July and has already grown in leaps and bounds in just a few weeks. She has a sense of independence she's never felt before as she freely roams the playground looking for new adventures at every turn. She's making new friends and creating boundaries for herself as she learns to navigate this new chapter of her life.
Within the first week of school I already felt at ease with the teachers she has this year. Last year unfortunately had Scarlett in a bit of a Funk, no pun intended (her teachers name was Ms.Funk) and left her feeling a little blue. She never was pushed academically OR pushed to overcome her bleeding disorder and it felt like instead she was just told she couldn't participate. Walking out of this years' meeting I was assured that would not be the case. . .
Last year she wasn't allowed to run on the track. . . this year her teacher volunteered to always be running with her. Last year we constantly had to remind the teacher not to let Scarlett do yoga and exercise in an areas where she could bump her body, (yet she was always coming home with bruises on her waist that were from bumping against the things). . . this year they have a special place for her in the room that is her exercise space, free from any thing she can bump into. Last year she wouldn't have been allowed to participate in games like freeze tag. . . this year the teachers say they won't play group games they don't feel are safe enough for everyone to play.
Another example of the growth she's made is her noticing where her bruises come from. She came home the other day with paticia marks all over her arms. . To which she told me "I think Im getting these from the way I hold my arms on the swings, Tomorrow I'm going to try and hold them differently." This proves we've given Scarlett the tools to be her own protector and that she is on the road to a more dependent life with less restrictions. I'm so proud of her for taking on her bleeding disorder with such grace and understanding. And I look forward to watching her become her own little advocate!!
This year Scarlett showed interest in coming to the meeting because she wanted to take part in deciding her restrictions. The look of astonishment on the nurses face as she described her "platelet bleeding disorder" and explained the steps and protocol to take when she gets injured was one I'll never forger. My heart filled with pride the more I heard her go on about her disorder-she was obviously a well educated little girl.
Due to some minor head bumps Kindergarten year, followed by her enormous bump in the beginning of last year . . . left Scarlett's 1st grade of school with a lot of restrictions. She wasn't allowed on the playground unaccompanied by me (which I only could provide, 2x a week) and other days she was expected to be in the library accompanied by two of her peers and an Art box that I provided.
This didn't seem to bother Scarlett that much. . . but it bothered me. I hated that she couldn't play with her peers whenever she wanted. And feared that the inconsistency of when she could play with others, would end up leaving her without any friends and little social skills. So we ended her last year stating we had to figure out a way to get her an aide that could watch her on the playground while she learns her own boundaries within her school and her peers could start learning to watch out for her too.
Scarlett started 2nd grade in July and has already grown in leaps and bounds in just a few weeks. She has a sense of independence she's never felt before as she freely roams the playground looking for new adventures at every turn. She's making new friends and creating boundaries for herself as she learns to navigate this new chapter of her life.
Within the first week of school I already felt at ease with the teachers she has this year. Last year unfortunately had Scarlett in a bit of a Funk, no pun intended (her teachers name was Ms.Funk) and left her feeling a little blue. She never was pushed academically OR pushed to overcome her bleeding disorder and it felt like instead she was just told she couldn't participate. Walking out of this years' meeting I was assured that would not be the case. . .
Last year she wasn't allowed to run on the track. . . this year her teacher volunteered to always be running with her. Last year we constantly had to remind the teacher not to let Scarlett do yoga and exercise in an areas where she could bump her body, (yet she was always coming home with bruises on her waist that were from bumping against the things). . . this year they have a special place for her in the room that is her exercise space, free from any thing she can bump into. Last year she wouldn't have been allowed to participate in games like freeze tag. . . this year the teachers say they won't play group games they don't feel are safe enough for everyone to play.
Another example of the growth she's made is her noticing where her bruises come from. She came home the other day with paticia marks all over her arms. . To which she told me "I think Im getting these from the way I hold my arms on the swings, Tomorrow I'm going to try and hold them differently." This proves we've given Scarlett the tools to be her own protector and that she is on the road to a more dependent life with less restrictions. I'm so proud of her for taking on her bleeding disorder with such grace and understanding. And I look forward to watching her become her own little advocate!!
Written by,
Kari Peepe
Written by,
Kari Peepe
For more of my blog entries about our life in elementary school check out:
- College or Kinderten-Enrolling Scarlett in Elementary School: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-kindergarten-nightmare.html
- Scarlett's 504 plan-Kinder: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/06/section-504-to-play-no-more.html
- Scarlett's Kinder year comes to a close: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/05/ode-to-teenager.html
- Scarlett's first week of 1st grade: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/07/scarletts-first-week-of-1st-grade.html
- A trip to the ER and Scarlett's 1st CATscan -1st grade: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-trip-to-er-and-scarletts-first-cat.html
- A Family Camp for Bleeding Disorders gave Scarlett the confidence to speak up for what she wanted at school-1st grade: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-piece-i-wrote-for-hfa-s-infusing-love_17.html
- College or Kinderten-Enrolling Scarlett in Elementary School: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2013/10/the-kindergarten-nightmare.html
- Scarlett's 504 plan-Kinder: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/06/section-504-to-play-no-more.html
- Scarlett's Kinder year comes to a close: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/05/ode-to-teenager.html
- Scarlett's first week of 1st grade: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/07/scarletts-first-week-of-1st-grade.html
- A trip to the ER and Scarlett's 1st CATscan -1st grade: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2014/08/a-trip-to-er-and-scarletts-first-cat.html
- A Family Camp for Bleeding Disorders gave Scarlett the confidence to speak up for what she wanted at school-1st grade: http://atouchofscarlett.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-piece-i-wrote-for-hfa-s-infusing-love_17.html
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