A New Aspen

A year ago when Aspen started kindergarten I was worried because he would never tell me his colors or shapes let alone numbers or letters. When he colored, there was no recognition of anything he was trying to draw and staying in the lines was out of the question- just scribbles all over the paper. He wouldn't sing songs for me like other Sunbeams and he was constantly going into these little, sometimes not so little, fits where all communication was lost and he would either cry or simply ignore me. All this after two full years of preschool. I often wondered if I was just comparing him to his older siblings who benefited from their mother being an over zealous first time mom who was convinced that her children needed to read, write and have all the classical composers memorized before starting kindergarten (embarrasingly enough, that isn't too much of an exageration) but after having him tested through the school, I realized it wasn't just me. He was actually intellectually behind other children his age. There was nothing medically wrong with him mind you, he had some amazing skills in other areas but the typical school work just wasn't clicking in his brain.

Fast forward one year and I can't even believe Aspen is the same child. He has made a 180 degree turn for the better. Not only does he know his letters, numbers, colors and shapes, but he is reading and writing! It is amazing what one year in all day kindergarten school has done. With his new found skills, his communication ability has improved as well. He still has a few tantrums now and again but no more than any other child. Above is his latest paper sent home. I can actually read what he wrote and can tell he was drawing people at the bottom of the page! We couldn't be prouder. Thank you, Thank you Ms. Matthews!