Friday, January 6, 2012

What Can She Do?

I met with Haley's teacher, her speech therapist and the school psychologist yesterday afternoon for Haley's Three Year Evaluation.  Afterward I spoke with her teacher Mr. B about her upcoming stint in the Apartment.  We learned about the apartment during her last IEP.

Haley will be in the Apartment next week.  I plan to go in on Wednesday and observe her.  I am so excited!



Haley's teacher wanted to talk about some of the things that she should work on while she is in the Apartment.  One thing that we had already talked about is breakfast.  We talked about how she could work on pouring her own cereal and pouring the rice milk into it.

He asked me to look around the kitchen and try to think of things that she could work on that I felt she could do at home.  Things that would make her life easier - and mine too.

I had a really hard time coming up with things.

We talked about how it might not be a good idea for her to work with the microwave because if she got familiar with it she could put something in and punch the time up too high here at home and start a fire.  He also said that as a general rule they don't try to teach anything having to do with the stove or the oven, unless a parent requests it.

He did say that they planned to have the kids work on laundry.  I hadn't even thought of that, but I think that might be something that she can do.

He also suggested vacuuming.  Our vacuum is really hard to push, even for me, but we do have a sweeper vac that she is interested in so I agreed that she could learn to do that.

Another thing that I think she could manage is making her bed.  I don't make her do that now, but she could do it.  I told him that I wouldn't even be very picky.  If she could learn to pull the covers up that would be enough for me.  She wouldn't have to tuck anything.

We talked some more about things that she could do and also about the logistics of how I can observe her and then I left to watch her sister play basketball.  Haley and her Dad joined me just before the game started.  We had a lot of fun watching her Big Sis play.  Haley jumped out of her skin the first time the buzzer went off, but after that she was OK.  I am really happy that she will sit still for her sister's games, I was nervous that she wouldn't cooperate.

When we got home Haley immediately got the jar of peanuts out of the cupboard and brought them to me with a little white ramekin.  I filled her cup and put the lid back on the peanuts and handed them back to her.  She put the peanuts away and sat down at the computer on my desk.

I was getting ready to head out the door to go to my hand bell rehearsal when I heard "MORE!" from my office.  I said "Just a second, Haley." and started to head to the kitchen to get her more peanuts.  Haley's Big Sis yelled "Get it yourself, Haley!" from the kitchen.  My first thought was, she doesn't know how.  She does, of course, know how to get the jar, but she doesn't know how to open it. 

I walked in to my office and and said "Come with me Haley."  I had to say it twice.  Then Haley got up and followed me to the kitchen.  I told her to get the peanuts and she did.  Then I showed her how to unscrew the cap.  She tried, but it didn't budge.  I put my hand over her hand and tried to turn it.  She pulled her hand away and grunted.  I ended up taking the top off of the jar and then without even thinking about it I poured the peanuts in to the cup and handed it to her.

So I guess I found another thing that she can learn to do.  I think I will save that for home, however. 

I think she will have enough to keep her busy next week.



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