“Listen to the mustn'ts, child. Listen to the don'ts. Listen to the shouldn'ts, the impossibles, the won'ts. Listen to the never haves, then listen close to me... Anything can happen, child. Anything can be.” - Shel Silverstein

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Munchkin Mania - Putting the Pieces Together

*Originally written on 11/3/11*

Things are coming together in munchkinland and am I ever glad for it! I was beginning to think I was losing my touch. I had adolescents trying to get kicked out of AP classes and assert themselves in defense of their rights as individuals (yes it was really that deep) all the while ADD was running rampant two hallways over and everyday after 3pm there was pandemonium at my house.

Progress reports came home and for the first time in a long time I didn't need to look heavenward except to say "thank you". Bookworm is making a wicked comeback in his advanced language arts class and is actually looking forward to getting another book for his next book report. He's chomping at the bit to go to the big library in the city now that he has a card. I think that may come in handy when motivation bottoms out again...and it probably will. Maybe not, one can hope...but I'm a realist.

Ace is bringing up his language arts grades after an academic standoff earned him his first ever grade below "A". Adjustments were made...I guess you could say there was a peace conference and a treaty was signed in which both parties were cooperative and flexible. He has since been back on the acadenmic fast track where he usually hangs out. Now art class is a different blog, entirely!

Peach as usual shone like a star which makes me proud because she is super busy and while that could harm her grades she is able to maintain balance.

Little Bear recently resumed his medicine for ADD which really helps all the other methods of "treatment " work a whole lot better. I wouldn't have believed it if you told me it had such an impact on him, but going over a month without it was taking its toll in and out of the classroom. He was sad and frustrated.  He had a sad face nearly everyday on his school behavior chart. His grades were pitiful, work came home half done or poorly done.  From the outside looking in it seemed as though he couldn't spell or do math or anything, one would think he had a learning disability. His teacher actually asked me what had changed and I had to tell her he doesn't have his medicine right now. At home with his siblings? Forget it, they were all plotting his demise!

It's been two weeks since he resumed treatment and Little Bear is doing fantastic. Happy faces everyday...EVERYDAY! His classwork from last week seemed to belong to another child! A's! All his work...math, spelling, vocabulary all of it earned an A! Yesterday afternoon he sat coloring all evening because he's discovered he's good at it. He drew and colored 3 pictures and various other items. Tonight he's playing with his brothers and sisters, happily involved in a make believe game, clamoring and laughing through the house. My husband is ready to lose his mind, but the "noise" is music to my ears :)

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