"Learn Something"

Since Hunter started school, as the bus rounds the corner to come pick him up, I have always told him, "You listen to your teachers and LEARN something new today, okay?".  The last two school years, he hasn't really understood what I was saying.  Every day this school year, when he comes home, I always ask him, "Did you listen to your teachers?" and "What did you LEARN in school today?".  He usually tells me he learned about Jesus.  Such a cute and innocent answer, however, knowing this isn't true, I push the issue until he tells me what he learned.  I know what he learned because of what is in his backpack.  He will usually tell me what letter, number and shape they worked one.

Today, when I asked him what he learned, he starts singing a song.  The first few lines I cannot understand.  Then he sings, "W, X, Y and Z! Now I know my AB's, next time sing with me!  THAT what I learn today, Momma!  My AB's!"  It was so dang cute!  I gave him a hug and told him how proud I was that he listened to his teachers and learned the ABC song during singing time.  He had the biggest smile on his face, it was so adorable.

This last Friday, I had a parent teacher conference with his teacher, during which she tells me when they have singing time, he usually won't sing.  He just sits there and looks at all the other kids.  For him to come home today and sing this song and tell me that's what he learned, my heart was filled with so much joy and love for this boy!

I have been so worried since school started this year, because he started out going 2 days a week.  Because he is still so far behind, from where he should be, his teacher decided it's time to put him in 4 days a week.  YAY!!!!  I pushed and pushed and pushed for this last year, it was absolutely wonderful that she listened to my concerns for where he is at.  I work so hard with him at home.  Learning and retaining things is so hard for Hunter, hence the reason he is behind.

The area's he is behind in are:

~Articulation - He still has issues forming words correctly and speaking them.  He still goes to speech 2 days a week for 20-30 minutes each day.

~Letter Recognition - He knows most of the letters in his name and can point them out, but any other letter, he has no clue.  I work with him with flash cards and when I read him a book (or a bazillion during the day), I ask him to point out certain letters.  I also have cut out letters from cereal boxes, cracker boxes, magazines and them in a jar.  While I am getting a meal ready, we dump the letters out and I tell him a letter and he has to find it.  Also, I have filled an old soda bottle with rice and put card stock letters cut from my Cricut, and I ask him to find certain letters in it.

~Number Recognition - He cannot count by rote and cannot get past the number 5 when counting with assistance.  I have done the same thing with the numbers, as I did with the letters.  Whenever we go up or down stairs, we count.

I'm hoping, with Hunter going to school 4 days a week now, and everything I am doing to help him at home, he will start to retain things, so by the end of this school year, he will be closer to where he needs to be to start kindergarten.

I am so proud of my little boy.  With all the obstacles he has in his way, he is still such a happy little boy, so full of life.  He is the sweetest little boy ever. His adorable little face lights up when he smiles, it melts my heart every time.  I LOVE my little Hunter more than I can put into words.