Because the reality is there are a lot of things she can't do that her peers are doing. I mean, she does have a disability that comes with delays, struggles and challenges. Just keeping it real!
So...Kayla can't...
1. Tie her shoes
2. Button her pants
3. Draw (although she is getting better at making Mat Man.)
4. Write very many letters or trace very well
5. Swim
6. Jump rope
7. Hop
8. Balance on one foot for more than a couple seconds
9. Tell me all about her day
10. Buckle her seatbelt (although it might help if I start showing her how and letting her try!)
11. Ride a bike (she has never been interested in learning how; she can pedal for a few rotations but then she just stops.)
12. Use scissors very adeptly
13. Color in a whole picture very well
14. Skip
15. Tell you her phone number
16. Tell you when her birthday is
17. Count to 20 (she's close to it, but most of the 'teen' numbers all sound the same).
18. Pronounce "fork" - she still says it as "sork" even though she can pronounce "four/for" perfectly fine.
19. Enunciate the letter "L" very well unless she stops and concentrates on it
20. Answer a lot of abstract questions, like 'what do you want for Christmas' really wouldn't make sense to her.
21. Put long sentences together; we've been working on expanding her sentences beyond 4-5 words.
10 comments:
sounds like a fun list to try and help kayla w/ during my winter break! ... like skipping and hopping. =)
oh! colleen gave me a tinker bell scarf to give to kayla.
see you this weekend.
love, aunt kelly
I agree with Aunt Kelly - its just stuff she can work on learning! She's beautiful and can do sooo much!!
Thinking and praying for your dad as he starts his treatments....
Beth
Thank you so much for posting this. I have been struggling so much since baby #2 with Antalya. It's been one melt down after another after another all day long for months now. The poor girl is trying so hard to communicate but it just such a struggle for both of us to understand each other.
Anyways, reading this brought me a huge sigh of relief. I'm not exactly sure why. Maybe it's just the reality that I'm not the only one to have gone through this.
It's funny to me that there are things on this list Julianna who will be 7 on Sunday can't do either. It's okay, she has much time, loving parents to help her, and confidence in herself. There will be many, many more things to come on her "can" list.
Thanks for keeping it real, but my typical 7 year old can't do half that list too! lol. When Nathaniel finally ties his own shoes I think I am going to have a party!!
Love the can't do post as much as the can do! Thanks for keeping it real!
Kayla has far more cans than can'ts, and she's working on things as she goes. She's at her own speed and a cool kid as she is at it.
I think we (parents of children with Ds) struggle with the "can't do" list. Sometimes, when there are things written in his "Things I need to work on" section of his school communication book, I get frustrated. The timeline for some of these goals may go on for the rest of his life. I just don't know what he'll be able to do so that he meets society's expectations...
BUT...
The things Gabe CAN do, make me prouder than proud and I want to shout out to the world about ALL of his accomplishments. Thank goodness for the blog! LOL!
I think daily living in that kind of contrast with our children's abilities/disabilities, makes us quite adaptable and in tune with our kids and what they need. As overwhelming as this can get -- and it does! -- I feel a deep connection to Gabriel. Perhaps more so than other parents with only typical children? I don't know...but I don't mind the can-do and can't-do stuff most of the time.
I couldn't really tie my shoes the adult way until I was 15.
Signed,
The Engineer
This is Joyce. Great list. I agree they are all things to work on. We are still working on the phone number and the long sentences. Kayla and Sarah may never accomplish them all but you will find so many other things to make up for it.
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