God had different plans for us, however. Our eldest, who shall be referred to as Big Brother, was a typical baby. As he passed his first year and entered his second, we knew something wasn't quite right. He had hardly spoken any words. He tried. Oh boy, did he try! He said various syllables like "da" and grunted and groaned when trying to communicate to us. By the age of 3, he had his own limited vocabulary, but we knew he needed help.
Big Brother received in-home speech therapy. After a year and a half, he had blossomed into a talker. Now at 6 years old, we can't keep him quiet!
His little brother, who shall be known as Squirmy, came into the world 10 days shy of Big Brother's birthday. For 10 days they are the same age; it's almost like having twins. Squirmy didn't struggle as much with language but he was still behind others his age. So when Big Brother started speech therapy, so did Squirmy. Today at the age of 5, he talks plenty, too. (To read more about Squirmy, see my other blog: Mom and Squirmy, which deals with raising and teaching an ADHD son.)
The Suspicions
Big Brother still struggles with certain sounds. The "L" is particularly hard for him when it comes in the middle or end of words. He can make the "TH" sound when prompted, but often wants to revert to using the "F" sound instead. As a result, he struggles with reading and spelling. (Another issue that delayed his reading, however, was his vision. We didn't realize until the start of 1st grade that he needed glasses. That helped immensely!)
If either of my children could be termed "special needs," though, it's Squirmy. As you might guess by his pseudonym, Squirmy has been diagnosed with ADHD. I remember suspecting this when he was about 3, but others told me he was just a "typical boy." Two years later, our suspicions were confirmed.
First of all, homeschooling the boys helps tremendously. They receive the one-on-one tutoring that they need to succeed. Squirmy is also given the opportunity to get his wiggles out. In a regular classroom setting, he might be scolded for moving around and getting up randomly in the middle of class. Here, I often let it go when he stands up suddenly and approaches the board in the middle of my lesson. As long as he's listening, I'm fine with it. Unless, of course, he starts to get too preoccupied or disruptive.
Educational Needs
Realizing the special needs of my sons, I knew I had to find a different approach to teaching. Visuals work great for both of my sons, but especially for Squirmy. He is a hands-on, visual learner. Doing workbooks alone does not help him. So whenever possible I create visual cards or posters for him to see, touch and manipulate.
This blog has been created as a place to share my discoveries as I journey through homeschooling these 2 unique boys. Take and use any ideas I share. Downloads will also be available whenever possible. I'll also share links to other great sites or resources I stumble upon.
Enjoy!