Party Hat

At the meeting yesterday with Sophie’s kindergarten teacher and the special ed teacher, we talked about strategies for getting Sophie to behave. We didn’t talk about strategies for getting other kids’ parents to behave. And I’m the first to admit my reaction here is likely super-premature and overly sensitive in an It’s All About Me way, […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Down syndrome Early Intervention in a Bag….Or Not

posted Thursday August 14th, 2008

I arrived at school today laden with backpacks and lunch boxes and kids, and one extra bag. In it, I had placed several books Sophie’s (finally) outgrown: one with signs for animals, another “touch and feel” and two musical books that she’d still play with if I let her. (I just had to retire the […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Sophie Goes to Kindergarten: Write On!

posted Friday August 8th, 2008

Ms. X called shortly after school let out today, to report that Sophie had a great day. One “time out,” but otherwise pretty darn good. “And she wrote her name today,” she added. “She what???” At all the meetings we had last winter and spring, to determine Sophie’s next step, the one face at the […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Four days in, and Sophie hasn’t been kicked out yet. The first week of kindergarten is full of growing pains for all the kids, and for Sophie I think it’s been especially hard because of the heat (you try going back to school — and onto the playground — when it’s 111 degrees out, and […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Sophie Goes to Kindergarten: First Day

posted Tuesday August 5th, 2008

It was a good day. Not unlike most school days, from our household’s perspective. Despite my best efforts to be in the car by 8:15, it was more like 8:35, and the first bell rings at 8:45. (Well, it’s not like I could skip writing the girls notes for their lunch boxes, or not take […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Will Down syndrome and Kindergarten Mix?

posted Monday August 4th, 2008

Just hours now, til the first day of school. The girls are asleep — in bed, anyway. Sophie assured me she wasn’t at all scared. “A little bit?” I asked. She held two fingers as close together as they’d get with out touching. “A tiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiny bit,” she said, giggling. I’m not sure she knew what […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Sophie Goes to Kindergarten: Should I Safetytat Her?

posted Saturday August 2nd, 2008

Just the weekend, then it’s kindergarten. Today was the last day of pre-school. Actually, it wasn’t, because Sophie ditched. Annabelle’s camp was done so I had a sitter anyway, and when I asked, Annabelle said she’d prefer to have Sophie stay home with her. (INSERT AUDIENCE TRACK: “AHHHHHHH”.) So we didn’t really say goodbye. That’s […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Sophie Goes to Kindergarten: The Pre-K Jitters

posted Tuesday July 29th, 2008

I thought I was the only one who was nervous. This morning I had a quick meeting with Gordon, Sophie’s pre-school Gordon. He has a very long beard and a very short window of time to talk — his priority is the kids, which I love. But he wanted to meet this morning to tell […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Have you ever had a teacher crush? I didn’t know there was such a thing til I met Ms. X. Correction: The first time I met her, it was hardly love at first sight. She terrified me. I was at our neighborhood elementary school (for the first time, that was scary enough), for an evening […]


Scroll
Party Hat

Friend Box

posted Sunday June 8th, 2008

Sophie has no friends. There it is, a brutal statement, but true. I was going to write about the cats, but I’m trying, with this blog, to push myself to write about hard stuff. So today, Sophie. Friendless Sophie. Not lonely Sophie, she’s by no means lonely, or unhappy. She always has someone to play […]


Scroll
My-Heart-Cant-Even-Believe-It-Cover
My Heart Can't Even Believe It: A Story of Science, Love, and Down Syndrome is available from Amazon and 
Changing Hands Bookstore
. For information about readings and other events, click here.
Scroll

Archive

Scroll
All content ©Amy Silverman | Site design & integration by New Amsterdam Consulting