Just curious.. are schools all across the country using the "card" program for discipline? (My sister back in Los Angeles says they use this in her son's school).

Lauren's school has this thing where every kid starts the day on a green card. If the teacher has to warn a child not to do something (like talk when she's talking, etc), then the card is flipped to yellow. A second offense turns a card to red. (As does not turning in homework). Two days ago, Lauren told me that she flipped her card to yellow, because she was talking- and she didn't know the teacher was talking. LOL So there was a note in her bag, explaining her offense. I had to sign it, and return it with her homework bag. She did that, but when the teacher asked her yesterday whether or not she brought the signed note to school, Lauren told her she forgot it. This without even looking in her bag. So from what Lauren said, her card stayed to yellow all day.


Ugh.. little side note. Lauren is a great reader. She can read books well beyond kindergarten level, no problem. She has library day once a week at school, where the class goes and picks out a new book. She told me that she found a really neat book about whales, and it happened to have a rip in it, so she took it to the librarian. The librarian informed her that she was not allowed to check it out because it was a 5th grader book. WTF. I realize there are plenty of books at that level not appropriate for Lauren (any Judy Blume book comes to mind). However, I don't see the harm in letting her see a whale book, if that is what interests her (and how hard could it possibly be? Plus she can ask me to help read difficult words). I don't know. Maybe they don't want kids checking out books that are potentially too difficult for them, in order to avoid frustration and disappointment? I feel like they should be encouraging kids to read beyond their grade level. (As it is, a lot of kids in her class can't read. They have to know 23? words by sight at the end of the year. It's laughable. Lauren already knows all of them).

--------------

Then we have Matthew. I'm really frustrated with his OT. I think I mentioned before that he was going to this one office up to about the end of May, when his OT told me that she had to leave the practice. She said somebody would call to set Matthew up with a new therapist. After well over a month of waiting for this place to call me, another therapist's office called to ask if we were looking for someone (they put us on a waiting list months prior). I said yes, and then promptly called back the first place and said I would no longer be needing their services (and could they please give me a copy of all of Matthew's files).

Matthew has been at this new place for maybe 2 months now, going Saturday mornings. I thought at first that I really liked it there. He has two therapists, and they alternate Saturdays. One of them actually works at his school, so I thought that was a bonus- she would be familiar with his teachers, perhaps better know how to deal with kids like him, etc. However, in the last 2 months or so, they have called to cancel on him 3 or 4 times- I couldn't believe they cancelled on 7-7-07, simply because it was a "lucky" day. In any case, I have only kept him home once for being extremely sick, but they are having so many problems themselves, that it's ridiculous.

Not to mention the fact that for whatever reason, he really seems to have a problem with this place- or the therapists, and I think mostly the one who works at his school. Both ladies are very nice, but I cannot tell you how frustrating (and yes, I'll admit somewhat embarrassing), when my child spends nearly an hour screaming, crying, yelling "no", etc. He has bad days in therapy (of any kind), just as he has bad days at school. It's a given. But every damn week? Or at least every other- moreso with the one lady? And I really think that part of it is that he knows he's in control of the situation- and he's not willing to give her any. He screams if he's asked to do just about anything except for what he wants to do- like write. He loves writing. Or the ball pit. Other than that, forget it. When he has a good session, I hear "Wow, he was quiet today!" LOL

Last night, I got yet another call cancelling his session for this morning. I (having finally had enough), asked if he could get in during the week. The owner of the place told me that she just hired a new OT (one with more experience) who can probably start on Mondays, and she's going to try to get Matthew in either this week or next week. I hope this works out, and that this lady doesn't keep cancelling. At least at the last place he went to, they would try to fit him in with another therapist so that he didn't miss a week. Otherwise, I'm going to have to pull him out from here altogether. Matthew needs therapy. And it's completely unfair to him to cancel on him, constantly change up his therapists, and confuse him with what day of the week he is or isn't going in. He hates change, and frankly, I'm damn sick of it myself.