>Success is measured in different ways in our home, I have learned. We have had children on every side of ability when it comes to cognitive skills at given ages. We have a few that learned to read early (really early) and one or two that were about age level and a few who have struggled. Along the way I have educated myself with a load of info about Asperger’s Syndrome: http://www.udel.edu/bkirby/asperger/
Auditory Processing challenges , Sensory Integration issues, Epilepsy, all sort of neurological challenges….I didn’t come into this race feeling adequately trained or prepared for what was set before me. I used to measure success by doing something before grade level, then I measured by grade level, today I measure in smiles, hope, a move forward (even if it was predicated with a few moves backwards). I measure with how well I am able to hold it together when I must review the same thing we reviewed every day for a few weeks, and then a moment, the child gets some glimmer of getting it and wha la SUCCESS….hope for tomorrow.
Moms I hope you don’t get out a yard stick type chart and measure your children. We take test, we figure out what we need and we move on. In light of the upcoming achievement test, learn to look at all that is happening and measure only in the context of your on reality and HOPE. I have learned and continue to learn that this is not a sprint, it really is a marathon and I may appear behind the curve or ahead of the curve, but no one can call the true standings with out running in my shoes. Today, all of my kids are happy, playing in the mud, searching for bugs, loving on the little ones, some curled up reading books in quiet trees (the ones I wouldn’t have expected to be able to do this just one year ago), today is already a success and we won’t start what everyone else calls real school for another hour.
I love my life and I am happy where I am at.

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