Allow Me To Introduce…

Okay, you have 7.5 minutes to tell me all about yourself.

What you like, don’t like. What you can do, can’t do, struggle with or simply have never tried.

Your favorite activities, how long you have been doing them.

Oh, and some of your important health information. Like allergies and medications.

Now tell me all this when we are in a crowd.

A loud crowd.

Oh and I forgot, I will have 23 other people telling me the same things.

Now guess how much I will remember for each person.

The answer is very little, maybe some key facts, maybe some key high points but probably not much more than that.

Now picture all 23 people together, maybe a week later, and someone needs help with something.

What are the chances that I will remember why or what reasons there are for this issue?

This is exactly what happens during an open house at the school.

That beloved event that inaugurates every school year!

The one evening when every student, and family come to meet the teacher and crowd into classroom. To deliver school supplies, show the school and classroom to the student and …..Drum roll…..

MEET THE TEACHER.!

Poor teacher, really.

Not because of the crazy but because they are typically expected to retain information given this night.

There is nothing wrong with Open House if expectations are real and true for it.

Especially for our children with special needs.

Use the night correctly for them

-Let them see the school

-Show them their new class room(s)

-Put their school supplies away

-Let them see where lunch will be

-Show them the route from the door to their room

-Maybe do some of these things a few times.

-AND MEET THE TEACHER- but do it in the manner that suits your child. Maybe it is in a quiet moment, maybe it is only for a few seconds, maybe it is your very verbal child introducing themselves. Whatever works for your situation.

THEN HAND THE TEACHER YOUR “MEET MY CHILD LETTER

-the one that tells them about your child, their disorders, what they like, don’t like….. Basically a cheat sheet for your child. You can even put their photo on the corner of it.

It is the letter I speak about often- the one I say to keep updating throughout summer.

Now is the time to put it to good use.

The teacher doesn’t need to try to hear all your words and concerns, they will have your letter.

So as you prepare for your year and even if open house has already happened, the letter will still help them as they begin the year.

And truth be told, this will be the START of your communications with the school not the ONLY one. So let the letter start the positive teamwork approach you are wanting for you and your child.

Good luck as you begin a new year!

I wish everyone a peaceful week.

I am a good listener- another gift of Elizabeth

ALOT!

And I have some aches and pains from it and from…. getting older.

No big deal…. until it was

And it was called a stress fracture in my back. It made me so upset too and I kind of have an idea how it happened but suffice it to say that the resulting events and discomfort have led me to get some physical therapy (PT) for this stupid back.

I started off meeting this really great PT. He talked about my history, lifestyle, pain scale etc.

He then worked with me to see what exercises and stretches he wanted me to do.

He printed them out and I took them home.

And I did them.

EVERYDAY, TWICE IF THE PAPER SAID SO.

And I went back the next week for my appointment and as I was waiting, I could very easily overhear the conversation my PT was having with his current patient. (It is an open room set up) And it involved the patient answering a big NO to the question of “Did you do the exercises?”, “Did you try to life things the way I showed you?” “Did you try the new stretches?”

So basically, nothing was done from this patient.

When I went in for my appointment, I swear he almost teared up when I said YES to everything and the fact that I followed it to the letter made him smile and say something like This is something I don’t get to hear often, it really makes me happy to know you are hearing me.

Keeping in mind, he doesn’t know me well or my history, I told him about my daugher Elizabeth.

I told him what her special needs are: Global dyspraxia and SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder)

I told him about where she is now and where she started.

I told him how I learned from her just how important follow up work is at home.

I told him that I learned to listen to those helping us because they are sharing their gifts and knowledge to help. her.

I told him that I learned I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS NEXT but that I will follow the instructions given.

I told her that without all these beautiful people in her life, she would not be where she is now.

I told him I am a good listener now because of Elizabeth.

It is another one of the gifts of Elizabeth..

You might be surprised when you find yourself doing something in a certain way or being that touch more organized than the next person and realize why.

Our beautiful children bring so much to our days and so many gifts.

Just wanted to share.

I wish everyone a peaceful week,

Michele Gianetti author of Elizabeth Believes in Herself

I work out.

ALOT!

And I have some aches and pains from it and from…. getting older.

No big deal…. until it was

And it was called a stress fracture in my back. It made me so upset too and I kind of have an idea how it happened but suffice it to say that the resulting events and discomfort have led me to get some physical therapy (PT) for this stupid back.

I started off meeting this really great PT. He talked about my history, lifestyle, pain scale etc.

He then worked with me to see what exercises and stretches he wanted me to do.

He printed them out and I took them home.

And I did them.

EVERYDAY, TWICE IF THE PAPER SAID SO.

And I went back the next week for my appointment and as I was waiting, I could very easily overhear the conversation my PT was having with his current patient. (It is an open room set up) And it involved the patient answering a big NO to the question of “Did you do the exercises?”, “Did you try to life things the way I showed you?” “Did you try the new stretches?”

So basically, nothing was done from this patient.

When I went in for my appointment, I swear he almost teared up when I said YES to everything and the fact that I followed it to the letter made him smile and say something like This is something I don’t get to hear often, it really makes me happy to know you are hearing me.

Keeping in mind, he doesn’t know me well or my history, I told him about my daugher Elizabeth.

I told him what her special needs are: Global dyspraxia and SPD (Sensory Processing Disorder)

I told him about where she is now and where she started.

I told him how I learned from her just how important follow up work is at home.

I told him that I learned to listen to those helping us because they are sharing their gifts and knowledge to help. her.

I told him that I learned I DO NOT KNOW WHAT IS NEXT but that I will follow the instructions given.

I told her that without all these beautiful people in her life, she would not be where she is now.

I told him I am a good listener now because of Elizabeth.

It is another one of the gifts of Elizabeth..

You might be surprised when you find yourself doing something in a certain way or being that touch more organized than the next person and realize why.

Our beautiful children bring so much to our days and so many gifts.

Just wanted to share.

I wish everyone a peaceful week,

Michele Gianetti author of Elizabeth Believes in Herself

Behind the Images We See

Smiling

Happy

Full of enjoyment

All is well

and on and on go the images that we share and see on social media sites.

But are they really all those things that the images are showing?

As a parents and caregivers of children with special needs, we know just hard our kids work in their lives. To do the things that others can do with little or no effort.

And we know how hard WE work to help these beautiful people succeed at life.

It is not easy, I will be the first to say it. But I will also be the first to say, that my daughter, Elizabeth is worth it all and more.

With that being said, I can’t help but see the posts and images and for a moment wonder just how true to real life they are.

I know that there is such an uptick in anxiety and depression. Some experts say it is related to social media and the emotions that it creates in the viewer. Life is always perfect/better/wonderful.

I think something I do when I see a particularly perfect post is to look at one of the pictures I have of Elizabeth and think about the backround to that picture.

To look behind the image

Was it a good day? or just a good moment?

What happened before this picture?

What occurred right after?

It is like in the one movie about emotions where they show that the emotions of happy and sad can occur at the same time. Maybe that is the same kind of thing here. Elizabeth can be smiling at that moment but then feel overwhelmed right after.

I offer this:

Remember to look behind the images. Know that you are doing a good job and that the posts showing perfect are not true. Maybe for the moment, but let it in that it is not the reality all the time.

As we work so hard for our kids, it is hard to wonder if it is enough or why the goals we have just aren’t getting met fast or well enough. It is not made easier by hold up the mirror to social media and allowing a tug at your heart to occur.

Remember to look behind the images: trust that a captured moment in time is just that.

We all need to support each other in this journey with special needs that we are on and I felt that this was something on my mind. My daughter is 25 now, so I can’t go back in time to try this or that therapy. But what I can do is be proud of how far she has come and trust me, I really am.

But if I was a young mom to Elizabeth and I saw the social media posts that are everywhere, I feel I would have been dropped to my knees.

So I share this to help those who may tear up at a post or image.

Trust you in what you are doing and

Remember to look behind the image.