A note from Cathy:
Fragile X syndrome is a genetic disorder, caused by an abnormality in an X chromosome.
All females have two X chromosomes and males have an X and Y. In children with Fragile X, the effected X chromosome has a repeat of some of the genetic information, sometimes referred to as a genetic “stutter.” A simple blood test is available to diagnose pre-conception concerns in cases where there is a family history of Fragile X.
I don’t usually post the feature writing I do, but I was so taken with Austin that I thought you guys would enjoy reading about him and his remarkable family.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The Normal Boy With Fragile X
Michael Watkins, of Whitehouse Texas, is the father of Austin who was diagnosed with Fragile X as a toddler. Michael and his wife, Amanda, share this story in the hope that it will offer encouragement and information to those who face similar challenges.
The family gathers around the table, clasp hands, and bow their heads. As the father thanks Jehovah God for His blessings, including his son’s favorite, pepperoni pizza, Austin Watkins raises the hand of the person next to him and gently caresses his own cheek.
Without a word, Austin communicates a welcome to the new person at the table and communicates the truth about his own tender heart.
A freckle-faced, 10-year-old with a bur haircut and an impish grin, he has bright brown eyes that are alert to every nuance.
His sister is 8-year-old Abigail, a shy little brunette with hazel eyes, an easy laugh, and a sparkly personality.
They dig into the pizza piled high on their plates and the conversation turns to family and friends.
Austin claps with joy as small accomplishments are discussed, his or any one else’s.
And he never says a word.
“Imagine never hearing the voice of your child,” says Austin’s father, 33-year-old Michael Watkins.
For parents of Fragile X children, “normal” takes on a whole new meaning.
For instance, since Austin was late at every stage of the development, when he was finally able to run through the house like a normal boy, it was a cause for celebrating, not scolding.
Austin would run, that is, until he reached the end of the tile and the beginning of the carpet. Then he would stop, raise his foot high in the air and carefully test the new surface represented by the carpet. Once sure of his footing, he would dash off again until the next change of texture caused confusion to his brain’s processing.
Something as simple as an outing to the park represented a thousand challenges for Austin whose brain processes every last bit of information without filtering.
“He would not slide or swing,” says Michael, explaining that children with Fragile X are prone to sensory overload and that even movement or wind can alarm them. The multitude of textures that most people take for granted, like the wood chip ground cover, can trigger panic attacks as the child tries to decipher what the textures represent.
These days, his family is poignantly aware of what a milestone it is for Austin to enter into the pizza restaurant without hesitating or panicking along the way.
“Imagine if you had to listen to all the florescent lights in a restaurant, if you could hear all the silverware clattering, the car doors outside banging, and about seventy-five conversations all at once,” Michael says, explaining how children with Fragile X have difficulty with sounds. “We take for granted our ability to tune it out.”
The folks at CiCi’s Pizza call Austin by name and wait patiently as he presses the screen on his “V,” which then announces that Austin would like pepperoni pizza. V stands for voice and is the latest technology, designed by Dynabox, specifically to allow Fragile X and Autistic children a chance to communicate with words.
Austin’s grandfather, Don Treul, of Breckenridge, Texas, is particularly pleased with this new avenue of communication, claiming that it only proves what he knew all along, that his grandson was a smart boy who was aware of what was going on around him, but hindered by his inability to talk.
Being able to communicate has eased Austin’s frustration level and allowed his true personality to shine out.
“He is the most kind, huggy-kissy kind of kid,” laughs his father.
Michael also credits his wife, Amanda, with bringing a whole new level of behavioral achievements. Amanda loved both Austin and Abigail immediately when their protective father first introduced them.
Amanda saw Austin as an individual who was old enough and ready to do many things for himself.
For instance, his father was still making Austin’s sandwiches in the routine way which included cutting off the crust and dividing them into eight equal portions when he discovered that, lo and behold, Austin was perfectly capable of making his own sandwiches when Amanda was in the kitchen.
Another day, on the way home from worship, Austin communicated that he was hungry. He was instructed that as soon as they finished changing out of their good clothes, the family would make something to eat together.
After changing, on her way to the kitchen, Amanda noticed that Austin’s door was closed.
“He never closes his door,” laughs Michael. Abigail nods in agreement. Something was definitely up.
Poking her head in the door, Amanda saw immediately that Austin had orange cheese-y stuff all around his mouth as he quickly hid the bag of chips behind his back.
She had to go back to her bedroom and laugh out loud before she returned to tell Austin that he had to take a time out because he disobeyed.
“Those moments show the complexity of the person who is trapped within. Its there behind his eyes,” says Michael, tenderly.
It’s another kind of normal.
Every child has their challenges, Michael points out. All children are different and unique.
“We think he’s easy,” laughs his dad, referring to Austin’s loving personality.
Routine is especially crucial in helping children with Fragile X cope with new situations. A trip to the pizza parlor, a morning of worship can happen with preparation and planning, but a wise parent helps the child by taking it in stages.
For instance, when the family decided Austin was ready to join in worship, they took him first to a place just outside the sanctuary where he would not have to see all the people. Next, they brought him into a room with a window.
Now he sits with his family, holding his own Bible or hymnal, and enjoying the experience.
Just recently, Austin laughed out loud for the first time.
The family was sitting in worship, when something struck him as funny and his laughter came bubbling out.
The sound of Austin’s laughter is sweeter than music to his family.
The family gathers around the table, clasp hands, and bow their heads. As the father thanks Jehovah God for His blessings, including his son’s favorite, pepperoni pizza, Austin Watkins raises the hand of the person next to him and gently caresses his own cheek.
Without a word, Austin communicates a welcome to the new person at the table and communicates the truth about his own tender heart.
A freckle-faced, 10-year-old with a bur haircut and an impish grin, he has bright brown eyes that are alert to every nuance.
His sister is 8-year-old Abigail, a shy little brunette with hazel eyes, an easy laugh, and a sparkly personality.
They dig into the pizza piled high on their plates and the conversation turns to family and friends.
Austin claps with joy as small accomplishments are discussed, his or any one else’s.
And he never says a word.
“Imagine never hearing the voice of your child,” says Austin’s father, 33-year-old Michael Watkins.
For parents of Fragile X children, “normal” takes on a whole new meaning.
For instance, since Austin was late at every stage of the development, when he was finally able to run through the house like a normal boy, it was a cause for celebrating, not scolding.
Austin would run, that is, until he reached the end of the tile and the beginning of the carpet. Then he would stop, raise his foot high in the air and carefully test the new surface represented by the carpet. Once sure of his footing, he would dash off again until the next change of texture caused confusion to his brain’s processing.
Something as simple as an outing to the park represented a thousand challenges for Austin whose brain processes every last bit of information without filtering.
“He would not slide or swing,” says Michael, explaining that children with Fragile X are prone to sensory overload and that even movement or wind can alarm them. The multitude of textures that most people take for granted, like the wood chip ground cover, can trigger panic attacks as the child tries to decipher what the textures represent.
These days, his family is poignantly aware of what a milestone it is for Austin to enter into the pizza restaurant without hesitating or panicking along the way.
“Imagine if you had to listen to all the florescent lights in a restaurant, if you could hear all the silverware clattering, the car doors outside banging, and about seventy-five conversations all at once,” Michael says, explaining how children with Fragile X have difficulty with sounds. “We take for granted our ability to tune it out.”
The folks at CiCi’s Pizza call Austin by name and wait patiently as he presses the screen on his “V,” which then announces that Austin would like pepperoni pizza. V stands for voice and is the latest technology, designed by Dynabox, specifically to allow Fragile X and Autistic children a chance to communicate with words.
Austin’s grandfather, Don Treul, of Breckenridge, Texas, is particularly pleased with this new avenue of communication, claiming that it only proves what he knew all along, that his grandson was a smart boy who was aware of what was going on around him, but hindered by his inability to talk.
Being able to communicate has eased Austin’s frustration level and allowed his true personality to shine out.
“He is the most kind, huggy-kissy kind of kid,” laughs his father.
Michael also credits his wife, Amanda, with bringing a whole new level of behavioral achievements. Amanda loved both Austin and Abigail immediately when their protective father first introduced them.
Amanda saw Austin as an individual who was old enough and ready to do many things for himself.
For instance, his father was still making Austin’s sandwiches in the routine way which included cutting off the crust and dividing them into eight equal portions when he discovered that, lo and behold, Austin was perfectly capable of making his own sandwiches when Amanda was in the kitchen.
Another day, on the way home from worship, Austin communicated that he was hungry. He was instructed that as soon as they finished changing out of their good clothes, the family would make something to eat together.
After changing, on her way to the kitchen, Amanda noticed that Austin’s door was closed.
“He never closes his door,” laughs Michael. Abigail nods in agreement. Something was definitely up.
Poking her head in the door, Amanda saw immediately that Austin had orange cheese-y stuff all around his mouth as he quickly hid the bag of chips behind his back.
She had to go back to her bedroom and laugh out loud before she returned to tell Austin that he had to take a time out because he disobeyed.
“Those moments show the complexity of the person who is trapped within. Its there behind his eyes,” says Michael, tenderly.
It’s another kind of normal.
Every child has their challenges, Michael points out. All children are different and unique.
“We think he’s easy,” laughs his dad, referring to Austin’s loving personality.
Routine is especially crucial in helping children with Fragile X cope with new situations. A trip to the pizza parlor, a morning of worship can happen with preparation and planning, but a wise parent helps the child by taking it in stages.
For instance, when the family decided Austin was ready to join in worship, they took him first to a place just outside the sanctuary where he would not have to see all the people. Next, they brought him into a room with a window.
Now he sits with his family, holding his own Bible or hymnal, and enjoying the experience.
Just recently, Austin laughed out loud for the first time.
The family was sitting in worship, when something struck him as funny and his laughter came bubbling out.
The sound of Austin’s laughter is sweeter than music to his family.
Sacred Moments and Fragile X
Occasionally, Life hands us a sacred moment.
The truth is that every moment in life is sacred, but so often we go tripping along without noticing.
This week, in a moment of clarity, I recognized that I was being blessed to witness the fragile, delightful quality of God’s creation expressed in a family circle as they included me at mealtime.
I knew there was something special about this family when the grandfather, Don Treul, was telling me about them recently at a Texas Press Association convention. Don is the editor of the Breckenridge American, but the story of his grandson’s experience as a child with Fragile X was a story he had not been able to tell in his paper. It was too personal.
It was the way Don talked about his son, his daughter-in-law and the grandkids that let me know how proud he is of them all.
I called his son, Michael Watkins, when I got back home and the results are the feature you can read in today’s edition.
According to Michael and Amanda there are many things parents can do to make life better for children who are diagnosed with Fragile X and for their siblings:
-Make your child expand. He’s a regular kid, just with a different approach to life. Don’t be blinded by the label of disability.
-While a routine is a good thing for kids with Fragile X, it can work against the parents, if they fail to stretch the routine to include new challenges all the time.
-Don’t hide your special needs child at home. It doesn’t help him to be isolated, even if it feels like you are protecting him. Plus, being isolated is hard on the other siblings.
-Taking him places is good for others. The community needs to know how to respond to special needs kiddoes; how to be comfortable and patient with uniqueness.
-Don’t take it personally. People often do stare and they can be rude and unkind. Without realizing it, judgmental strangers often make problems worse. For example, Fragile X kiddoes are so aware of everyone else’s emotions that if a stranger sees an anxiety attack and assumes it is a temper tantrum, their comments only serve to make the situation more overwhelming.
-Michael and Amanda can’t help but notice when they see other families out who have a child with special needs. They recommend, if appropriate, saying something encouraging to the parents like, “We’re proud of you.”
My thanks this week to Don Treul for recognizing a story that will bless a lot of folks. And to Michael and Amanda for sharing their experience and hope with the rest of us. And to the Watkins kiddoes, Austin and Abigail, for being a blessing just by being exactly who they are.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
The truth is that every moment in life is sacred, but so often we go tripping along without noticing.
This week, in a moment of clarity, I recognized that I was being blessed to witness the fragile, delightful quality of God’s creation expressed in a family circle as they included me at mealtime.
I knew there was something special about this family when the grandfather, Don Treul, was telling me about them recently at a Texas Press Association convention. Don is the editor of the Breckenridge American, but the story of his grandson’s experience as a child with Fragile X was a story he had not been able to tell in his paper. It was too personal.
It was the way Don talked about his son, his daughter-in-law and the grandkids that let me know how proud he is of them all.
I called his son, Michael Watkins, when I got back home and the results are the feature you can read in today’s edition.
According to Michael and Amanda there are many things parents can do to make life better for children who are diagnosed with Fragile X and for their siblings:
-Make your child expand. He’s a regular kid, just with a different approach to life. Don’t be blinded by the label of disability.
-While a routine is a good thing for kids with Fragile X, it can work against the parents, if they fail to stretch the routine to include new challenges all the time.
-Don’t hide your special needs child at home. It doesn’t help him to be isolated, even if it feels like you are protecting him. Plus, being isolated is hard on the other siblings.
-Taking him places is good for others. The community needs to know how to respond to special needs kiddoes; how to be comfortable and patient with uniqueness.
-Don’t take it personally. People often do stare and they can be rude and unkind. Without realizing it, judgmental strangers often make problems worse. For example, Fragile X kiddoes are so aware of everyone else’s emotions that if a stranger sees an anxiety attack and assumes it is a temper tantrum, their comments only serve to make the situation more overwhelming.
-Michael and Amanda can’t help but notice when they see other families out who have a child with special needs. They recommend, if appropriate, saying something encouraging to the parents like, “We’re proud of you.”
My thanks this week to Don Treul for recognizing a story that will bless a lot of folks. And to Michael and Amanda for sharing their experience and hope with the rest of us. And to the Watkins kiddoes, Austin and Abigail, for being a blessing just by being exactly who they are.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Being Your Child's Advocate at School
We all want what is best for our children.
Sometimes that desire takes us to our child’s school.
To be your child’s advocate, you have to start by respecting what the teachers and administrators are trying to accomplish in their world.
What are their main goals for the year? Find out what makes the principal happy.
Seeing life from the perspective of the teacher and administrators will take you a long way in having a voice in your child’s school culture.
Begin by being part of the team.
Remember that each teacher has 25 or 30 students; all with individual talents and needs. Teachers often welcome help. Having parents around who are paying attention is a blessing.
Make a contribution.
Volunteer to serve. It doesn’t have to be a big, time-consuming task. Simply do what you love, passionately and generously.
Show up just for fun once in awhile. You child will love unexpected company at lunch time, for instance. Plus, it will give you a chance to put names and faces with fellow students.
Keep in mind that your child is your priority.
Gently remind the teachers and principal that your focus is always first and foremost the well-being of your own child. This is actually good news for the teacher. While they may be over-worked and underpaid, teachers don’t want any kiddoes falling through the cracks. If they trust you, they will be glad to see you when you show up at school.
Don’t wait until you are mad.
Often parents make the mistake of waiting until there is already a problem and hurt feelings.
Of course, if you are mad and feeling self-righteous, you will only be viewed as an adversary, rather than a friend. Especially, if it is your first visit all year.
View problems as information gathering opportunities.
You can bet that if you come to the school with questions and a gentle attitude, you will get the information that will help you deal with the problem.
Hang in there.
Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, you run into the brick wall of bureaucracy. Remember that the teacher and the principal are bound by district policies and state and federal laws. Sometimes the policies are just as impractical and burdensome to the teacher as they are to you and your child, so show some compassion.
With all the adults working in your child’s best interests, creativity will often result in solutions. But, that’s only if you are perceived as a team member and not the enemy.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are welcome at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Sometimes that desire takes us to our child’s school.
To be your child’s advocate, you have to start by respecting what the teachers and administrators are trying to accomplish in their world.
What are their main goals for the year? Find out what makes the principal happy.
Seeing life from the perspective of the teacher and administrators will take you a long way in having a voice in your child’s school culture.
Begin by being part of the team.
Remember that each teacher has 25 or 30 students; all with individual talents and needs. Teachers often welcome help. Having parents around who are paying attention is a blessing.
Make a contribution.
Volunteer to serve. It doesn’t have to be a big, time-consuming task. Simply do what you love, passionately and generously.
Show up just for fun once in awhile. You child will love unexpected company at lunch time, for instance. Plus, it will give you a chance to put names and faces with fellow students.
Keep in mind that your child is your priority.
Gently remind the teachers and principal that your focus is always first and foremost the well-being of your own child. This is actually good news for the teacher. While they may be over-worked and underpaid, teachers don’t want any kiddoes falling through the cracks. If they trust you, they will be glad to see you when you show up at school.
Don’t wait until you are mad.
Often parents make the mistake of waiting until there is already a problem and hurt feelings.
Of course, if you are mad and feeling self-righteous, you will only be viewed as an adversary, rather than a friend. Especially, if it is your first visit all year.
View problems as information gathering opportunities.
You can bet that if you come to the school with questions and a gentle attitude, you will get the information that will help you deal with the problem.
Hang in there.
Sometimes, in spite of your best efforts, you run into the brick wall of bureaucracy. Remember that the teacher and the principal are bound by district policies and state and federal laws. Sometimes the policies are just as impractical and burdensome to the teacher as they are to you and your child, so show some compassion.
With all the adults working in your child’s best interests, creativity will often result in solutions. But, that’s only if you are perceived as a team member and not the enemy.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are welcome at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Quilt As Contemporary Art
I finished a quilt for my son this week.
Without a doubt, this quilt qualifies as the worst one I’ve ever made.
It’s the first time I ever made a quilt on the sewing machine and I discovered that my machine refuses to sew through more than five layers of fabric. Who knew? So, already, I have to go back and repair by hand all the places where seams are supposed to come together.
All of which just goes to show you that boys and girls are different because my son is perfectly thrilled with it.
It is the only quilt I’ve ever made from left over t-shirts. My son’s favorite old t-shirts were so worn out that I had to first patch the holes in shirts before I could use them, thus giving the term “patch work quilt” an ironic truth.
The good news is that when he throws it over his bunk at camp, I don’t have to worry about it getting holes in it.
“Oh good, I’ll get to use your machine!” he answered when I suggested he could create a pillowcase out of the leftover camo print fabric I used as binding.
What is it about boys that they are thrilled with anything that has a motor?
Nobody sent him the memo that sewing is for girls. I suspect that he views the foot petal as the accelerator.
It’s just a good thing I have extra machine needles in my sewing basket because he will drive that machine at full throttle for the whole stretch of every seam.
I used to be more of a quilt snob. In my mind, all true quilts had to be hand-stitched in the finest American frontier tradition, in front of the fire place in the winter, of course. Very picturesque. Never mind that the TV was entertaining me the whole time I worked.
That was, until I discovered store-bought quilts in the 80s when Chinese imports first hit American markets in full force. My friend fussed at me for supporting Chinese worker maltreatment. But I’m pretty sure that Chinese women and children wanted to make the quilts I bought. I could tell by the meticulous stitches, lovingly worked into their designs.
To me, the work of Chinese women diligently caring for their families seems like the perfect tribute to an American Art form developed on the prairie by resourceful women of another era.
Using old t-shirts, I tip my hat to our ancestors, creating a contemporary art form to wrap lovingly around a happy camper. Contemporary art tends to be a little strange anyway, right?
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Without a doubt, this quilt qualifies as the worst one I’ve ever made.
It’s the first time I ever made a quilt on the sewing machine and I discovered that my machine refuses to sew through more than five layers of fabric. Who knew? So, already, I have to go back and repair by hand all the places where seams are supposed to come together.
All of which just goes to show you that boys and girls are different because my son is perfectly thrilled with it.
It is the only quilt I’ve ever made from left over t-shirts. My son’s favorite old t-shirts were so worn out that I had to first patch the holes in shirts before I could use them, thus giving the term “patch work quilt” an ironic truth.
The good news is that when he throws it over his bunk at camp, I don’t have to worry about it getting holes in it.
“Oh good, I’ll get to use your machine!” he answered when I suggested he could create a pillowcase out of the leftover camo print fabric I used as binding.
What is it about boys that they are thrilled with anything that has a motor?
Nobody sent him the memo that sewing is for girls. I suspect that he views the foot petal as the accelerator.
It’s just a good thing I have extra machine needles in my sewing basket because he will drive that machine at full throttle for the whole stretch of every seam.
I used to be more of a quilt snob. In my mind, all true quilts had to be hand-stitched in the finest American frontier tradition, in front of the fire place in the winter, of course. Very picturesque. Never mind that the TV was entertaining me the whole time I worked.
That was, until I discovered store-bought quilts in the 80s when Chinese imports first hit American markets in full force. My friend fussed at me for supporting Chinese worker maltreatment. But I’m pretty sure that Chinese women and children wanted to make the quilts I bought. I could tell by the meticulous stitches, lovingly worked into their designs.
To me, the work of Chinese women diligently caring for their families seems like the perfect tribute to an American Art form developed on the prairie by resourceful women of another era.
Using old t-shirts, I tip my hat to our ancestors, creating a contemporary art form to wrap lovingly around a happy camper. Contemporary art tends to be a little strange anyway, right?
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Clues can Help Detect Dyslexia Early
1 in 5 children come hard-wired with dyslexia, according to information in the book, Overcoming Dyslexia, written by Sally Shaywitz, an M.D. and dyslexia researcher.
It took us until third grade to figure it out at our house.
The great news is that as soon as it is detected, your child can begin to acquire skills to compensate and excel, in spite of dyslexia.
Apparently lots of kiddoes are falling through the cracks, failing to be diagnosed. That’s because diagnosis is still subjective, even though, according to Dr. Shaywitz’s research, MRI’s can physically detect the different place in the brain and the different way that dyslexics read.
Here are some of the signals our family missed early on:
-Delay in speaking, then saying things that are unusually adult-like,
-Unusual speech patterns. Even though everyone else asked where he got his accent, we just thought it was cute. And it was, but….
-Memorizing whole books as a toddler.
By elementary school there are other signs:
-Excellent communication skills and a mind that can invent amazing stories, along with a reluctance to write any of it down.
-An aversion to reading or writing, combined with enthusiasm and resourcefulness for getting someone else to do those things.
-One of the myths is that dyslexics read backwards. The truth is we all learn to read from left to right, just as some languages require students to read from right to left. Instead, it is more instructive to notice if your child is confusing and substituting similar-sounding syllables, or phonemes.
-Substituting synonyms with the same first syllable when dyslexics read because it requires too much effort to sound out the rest of the word. In order to catch this little trick, I actually had to sit next to my kiddoes and watch as they read. Dyslexics often have extensive vocabularies.
As a parent, you are not crazy or over-attentive when you notice the signals. Your child is not just an underachiever or a late-bloomer.
Even though MRI’s are still a research tool and not a diagnostic tool yet, there is some comfort in knowing that dyslexia is a real, physical anomaly.
The thing about Life is that it often provides exactly what we need to be fabulous human beings.
For instance, a dyslexic kid has to work harder than anyone else in the class just to keep up with the academics. On the other hand, that effort instills discipline, along with compassion for others who have it rough in some way.
Discipline and compassion seem like more than a fair trade-off.
So, if you think your child might have dyslexia, hang in there. Help is available.
If I can be of encouragement, or if you have experiences with dyslexia that you’d like to pass along, feel free to contact me.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
It took us until third grade to figure it out at our house.
The great news is that as soon as it is detected, your child can begin to acquire skills to compensate and excel, in spite of dyslexia.
Apparently lots of kiddoes are falling through the cracks, failing to be diagnosed. That’s because diagnosis is still subjective, even though, according to Dr. Shaywitz’s research, MRI’s can physically detect the different place in the brain and the different way that dyslexics read.
Here are some of the signals our family missed early on:
-Delay in speaking, then saying things that are unusually adult-like,
-Unusual speech patterns. Even though everyone else asked where he got his accent, we just thought it was cute. And it was, but….
-Memorizing whole books as a toddler.
By elementary school there are other signs:
-Excellent communication skills and a mind that can invent amazing stories, along with a reluctance to write any of it down.
-An aversion to reading or writing, combined with enthusiasm and resourcefulness for getting someone else to do those things.
-One of the myths is that dyslexics read backwards. The truth is we all learn to read from left to right, just as some languages require students to read from right to left. Instead, it is more instructive to notice if your child is confusing and substituting similar-sounding syllables, or phonemes.
-Substituting synonyms with the same first syllable when dyslexics read because it requires too much effort to sound out the rest of the word. In order to catch this little trick, I actually had to sit next to my kiddoes and watch as they read. Dyslexics often have extensive vocabularies.
As a parent, you are not crazy or over-attentive when you notice the signals. Your child is not just an underachiever or a late-bloomer.
Even though MRI’s are still a research tool and not a diagnostic tool yet, there is some comfort in knowing that dyslexia is a real, physical anomaly.
The thing about Life is that it often provides exactly what we need to be fabulous human beings.
For instance, a dyslexic kid has to work harder than anyone else in the class just to keep up with the academics. On the other hand, that effort instills discipline, along with compassion for others who have it rough in some way.
Discipline and compassion seem like more than a fair trade-off.
So, if you think your child might have dyslexia, hang in there. Help is available.
If I can be of encouragement, or if you have experiences with dyslexia that you’d like to pass along, feel free to contact me.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Funny Things We Say About Church
“Do you think Obama is a Christian or a Muslim?” asked a young friend at my dinner table recently. You should have heard the discussion that followed.
I suspect, like so many politicians, Obama and McCain will be whatever is expedient in order to get elected. Hmm…
We are sure to hear more on the subject of candidates’ faith before November rolls around. Most of what is said will amount to nothing more than sound bites with picture ops.
But, what about in our own back yard, where we really know each other and lifestyles count for something? We say all kinds of nutty things about faith, don’t we?
Sometimes, we hear ourselves telling the truth about our attitudes even as we are denying it.
I often catch myself saying things that just don’t make sense, even to me. The best thing about writing is the editor who catches mistakes before they happen. And, with an even more stringent set of standards, readers who write in with corrections after the fact.
Here are some of the things we say about faith in our daily life; ways of putting it that reveal the truth we are not telling.
-We changed churches. Really? How did you do that?
-We are starting a new church. Scary thought.
-We go to the same church. Or, the corollary, we go to different churches.
-We don’t want to church shop, but….
-We have to go to the early service because that’s the only time they sing hymns.
-We are angry because we have doctrinal differences with the pastor.
-We love the pastor because his sermons are funny, not boring.
-There was a church split. Messy like a banana split, but a lot more painful.
-We are planting a new church.
-There is money in ministry.
-The Holy Spirit is leading us to build a new building. Really? God’s Spirit raised up a temple in three days, but it wasn’t a building.
-We wanted a church with a different style of worship. And yet worship has very little to do with a Sunday ritual and a lot to do with habitual, lifestyle choices. Worship is a way of thinking and living that resembles Christ.
Truth has a way of surfacing.
Sometimes, painfully so.
I don’t know Obama or McCain personally and I can’t tell a thing about people’s faith unless I know their lifestyle.
Speaking of lifestyles, though, I am always encouraged when I sit with the younger generation around my dinner table. They ask good questions and they are not afraid to think. While they are known for their commitment to tolerance for others, the young people I know seem to hold themselves to a high standard of integrity.
Probably because of their faith.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
I suspect, like so many politicians, Obama and McCain will be whatever is expedient in order to get elected. Hmm…
We are sure to hear more on the subject of candidates’ faith before November rolls around. Most of what is said will amount to nothing more than sound bites with picture ops.
But, what about in our own back yard, where we really know each other and lifestyles count for something? We say all kinds of nutty things about faith, don’t we?
Sometimes, we hear ourselves telling the truth about our attitudes even as we are denying it.
I often catch myself saying things that just don’t make sense, even to me. The best thing about writing is the editor who catches mistakes before they happen. And, with an even more stringent set of standards, readers who write in with corrections after the fact.
Here are some of the things we say about faith in our daily life; ways of putting it that reveal the truth we are not telling.
-We changed churches. Really? How did you do that?
-We are starting a new church. Scary thought.
-We go to the same church. Or, the corollary, we go to different churches.
-We don’t want to church shop, but….
-We have to go to the early service because that’s the only time they sing hymns.
-We are angry because we have doctrinal differences with the pastor.
-We love the pastor because his sermons are funny, not boring.
-There was a church split. Messy like a banana split, but a lot more painful.
-We are planting a new church.
-There is money in ministry.
-The Holy Spirit is leading us to build a new building. Really? God’s Spirit raised up a temple in three days, but it wasn’t a building.
-We wanted a church with a different style of worship. And yet worship has very little to do with a Sunday ritual and a lot to do with habitual, lifestyle choices. Worship is a way of thinking and living that resembles Christ.
Truth has a way of surfacing.
Sometimes, painfully so.
I don’t know Obama or McCain personally and I can’t tell a thing about people’s faith unless I know their lifestyle.
Speaking of lifestyles, though, I am always encouraged when I sit with the younger generation around my dinner table. They ask good questions and they are not afraid to think. While they are known for their commitment to tolerance for others, the young people I know seem to hold themselves to a high standard of integrity.
Probably because of their faith.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, lives and writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at http:checklistcharlie.blogspot.com or cathykrafve@gmail.com.
Red, White, and Blue Festival On Tap
If your heart pumps to the rhythm of the Star Spangled Banner, I have some great news.
Come November, we’ll have another patriotic reason to celebrate.
Nope, I am not referring to the upcoming presidential election, although I do tap out my choices in a red, white and blue rhythm every time I vote.
Instead, I am thinking of an event that promises to unite us just in time for Veteran’s Day which happens to fall a few days after the election this year. Perfect timing.
Can I get an “Amen!” on the idea of Americans uniting to honor veterans?
The Red, White and Blue Festival, planned by a committee of Bullard citizens and the Chamber of Commerce, is already shaping up to be lots of fun for the whole family.
Events in the works include:
-A patriotic ceremony honoring Vets,
-A famous musical guest Star,
-A Talent Search,
-A Carnival,
-Venders selling arts, crafts, and lots of food,
-Crowning of “Miss Red, White and Blue,”
-An antique tractor show,
-Antique cars,
-Miniature horse show,
-A street dance,
-A parade, with horses, bands, drill teams, you name it,
And lots and lots of live music from Wednesday through Saturday as musicians from all over East Texas compete for a chance to record a sound track.
All this happens November 5-8, 2008 in downtown Bullard, Texas.
Don’t it just make ya want to stand up and salute!
If you happen to see Larry Morgan or Teresa Adams around town, ask ‘em how you can lend a hand. There’s plenty of jobs to go around.
If you happen to see any of our Vets, tell ‘em we’re proud of them and we can’t wait to celebrate our freedom in their honor come November.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at cathykrafve@gmail.com or http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.
Come November, we’ll have another patriotic reason to celebrate.
Nope, I am not referring to the upcoming presidential election, although I do tap out my choices in a red, white and blue rhythm every time I vote.
Instead, I am thinking of an event that promises to unite us just in time for Veteran’s Day which happens to fall a few days after the election this year. Perfect timing.
Can I get an “Amen!” on the idea of Americans uniting to honor veterans?
The Red, White and Blue Festival, planned by a committee of Bullard citizens and the Chamber of Commerce, is already shaping up to be lots of fun for the whole family.
Events in the works include:
-A patriotic ceremony honoring Vets,
-A famous musical guest Star,
-A Talent Search,
-A Carnival,
-Venders selling arts, crafts, and lots of food,
-Crowning of “Miss Red, White and Blue,”
-An antique tractor show,
-Antique cars,
-Miniature horse show,
-A street dance,
-A parade, with horses, bands, drill teams, you name it,
And lots and lots of live music from Wednesday through Saturday as musicians from all over East Texas compete for a chance to record a sound track.
All this happens November 5-8, 2008 in downtown Bullard, Texas.
Don’t it just make ya want to stand up and salute!
If you happen to see Larry Morgan or Teresa Adams around town, ask ‘em how you can lend a hand. There’s plenty of jobs to go around.
If you happen to see any of our Vets, tell ‘em we’re proud of them and we can’t wait to celebrate our freedom in their honor come November.
Cathy Primer Krafve, aka Checklist Charlie, writes with a Texas twang. Comments are invited at cathykrafve@gmail.com or http://checklistcharlie.blogspot.com.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)