Crystal, Andrew, and Forrest are doing awesome this week. Crystal actually started at the end of last week. Andrew and Forrest didn't have a good weekend because they had lost priveleges as a result of not completing their school work. This week they have all three kicked it into gear!
Forrest is a kid that it comes easy to in most subject areas now. Years ago he had a hard time with learning. We homeschooled for 1st grade and he went back into school right on target. His problem with homeschool is that he wants to keep score. He thinks that if Crystal (who needs a little extra help with learning, but is his age) gets a little extra time one day then he should be able to fool around the next day and I shouldn't require more. He also thought that whining about correcting his work should equal out to him not having to do it, but it didn't work that way. He has seemed to get in a groove now and I am so pleased at how well he is rolling along.
Crystal has a harder time, but is still a lot more capable than she even knows. Before she came to us they had determined that she "couldn't" when in all honesty she just never got to stay any where long enough to learn. She was moved so much that she never got some of the stuff. She missed some stuff in early childhood because of the neglect and situations. Kids can't learn when they are in termoil, but it doesn't mean that she was really that slow. Since coming here she is beginning to realize that she can. We had some awesome teachers at school that helped for awhile. Then homeschooling has allowed for attachments to improve so that she can concentrate even more on learning. She also can't get by with doing less than she is capable of doing. She is still a little behind, but she is coming a long way. She wrote the other day "I am smart.". That just shows that she is going to go far. She is very proud of her progress. She is reading better, comprehending better, and trying harder. With the "trying harder" in the mix, we can gain ground a whole lot faster. If we can keep the RAD from regaining control of her, then I have high hopes!
Andrew is working hard. For years he played a game with learning. He would pretend he couldn't do math until he realized he was close to failing so then he would do math and pretend he couldn't do reading. He is overcoming it though! He is working much harder. He is being a more pleasant person to be around. He is much more respectful during school time and even during daily life. He is wanting priveleges back. I am trying to let him regain things slowly so that he won't "blow it", but also trying to keep him from getting discouraged. He's just making a few mistakes on papers and then willingly correcting them. I am quite pleased and encouraged!
All I can say is that God is so very good!!! I don't know how long these "progresses" will continue. I do know that even if they fall back into old behaviors, they are closer to make these their "normal" behaviors as a result of practicing them. They are seeing how much nicer life can be when they allow it to be. I am just praising God for that and keeping my eyes and ears on the alert for the first signs of the "RAD" rearing its ugly head. God is good and I am going to allow Him to use me to see these things become their "norm" though!!!
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