The end of this summer has been very bittersweet. I spent this summer staying at home with the kids. It was nice but I'm excited to get back to work. I took a position with one of the best special needs schools in the Houston area as an Assistant Teacher. It was a hard decision, but the experience I will gain there is so priceless. I am working one on one with students in their ABA program for children with autism. Its a great program that I feel so lucky to be a part of. I don't have my teaching certificate just yet but am able to teach because we have a certified teacher who is the "lead" teacher. Since we work one on one with students the tuition would be insane for each student to work with a certified teacher. Its already been such a learning experience & I'm really excited to see what this year has in store for us. Another big change is our file recently went before the permanency committee & we were referred to the adoption unit at DFPS. We still haven't heard from our new adoption worker, but small steps I guess! Though the school I work at is back in session already (we only take a 3 week summer break), regular schools aren't. Tomorrow Tuck starts the first grade & I also go back to class working towards my degree. The girls are both doing so well. D is such a little lady & is growing into quite the ham. At the dinner table every night she sees who she can make laugh. Sissy is growing so fast too & has probably made the most progress. Not too long ago I realized the worker in her daycare class has been babying her. By babying her I mean, holding her when she cries because she doesn't get her way (the toy she wants, or 3rd servings of every meal). I also caught her teaching her to pout out her bottom lip when she's upset. Things kinda came to a head when one day when I was dropping her off she started crying because I got on to her for throwing an open drink in the car. When I had Sissy sitting on the floor until she could stop crying, her teacher walked up & tried to pick her up off the floor & take her from me. After a nice little talk with their Director I am happy to say we have seen a HUGE improvement in her behavior. We were being so consistent & we were having trouble understanding why she was still throwing such huge fits every time she didn't get her way. Now I realize it was because those fits were working at daycare. They were reinforcing her negative behaviors with positive consequences (being held or coddled). She has really started coming into her own & even her personality is brighter & happier. Now when she doesn't get her way, she realizes a fit & pouting won't work & she just goes about her business! Before it would turn into a meltdown, punishment & pouting. The picture above was taken last Sunday, we had a big crawfish & shrimp boil for my 30th Birthday. We all had a really great time & I couldn't ask for better friends or family!
