Tuesday, July 24, 2007

Structured VS. Child-Led


So, for the third time in two weeks one of dd's therapists gave as "homework" 10 minutes of structured time about 8 times a day.

Somehow I'm supposed to add one more hour of "structure" to the day of a child who already spends 5 hours hooked to a feeding pump, at least 2 hours in therapy, and approximately 2 hours buckled in a car seat heading to therapy . . . . OH, and then, because she's two she's gotta take a nap. And how about family time in the backyard playing with the doggies and daddy?

Please tell me how this is supposed to work.

What the therapist is ten minutes on a start-to-finish project like stacking and playing with blocks, then cleaning up. Or matching colors on a peg-board or putting the appropriate face parts on a Mr. Potato Head. I don't know if I have the attention span for that!!!

Problem is, A is so, so independent. I like that about her, but I do see (as I'm peering through the therapy and school windows) that she's more easily distracted than other little ones her age. She doesn't like to finish stuff - a whole book is too much most of the time.

Best I can do, right now, at least, is read to her while she in the bath (after the screaming bathing part). I can *almost* "command" her attention then.

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