Self Help Skills

Trying to encourage our kids to use their self help skills can be a slow and challenging experience. After all it is faster and easier just to do it ourselves, but our kids not only learn to do things for themselves but also gain self confidence from attempting to do things for themselves. With this said, an already challenging experience for mom and child turns out to be more challenging when you have a child who has a disability. My son Reese has a hearing disability and wears bilateral hearing aids. Like with most toddlers, we try hard to build our children's vocabulary by playing and having conversations with our kids. With Reese, it's so much more challenging. His first resort in communicating for things he wants is to whine, cry, or scream. I try to encourage him, after assessing the situation, to use his words. I even give him words to use, in case he is having a hard time coming up with some. This process usually involves a massive temper tantrum followed by a waive of the white flag of surrender. (Most of the time on his part; Sometimes on my part.) I try very hard, even though I too want to cry, to stand firm and wait for him to use his words. I know that its one of the only ways to foster his growth in vocabulary, but I also hope that eventually it will end the temper tantrums. I want him to know that tears are not the way to get what he wants or to ask for help. I know, I know...this isn't that unusual for a toddler, but it feels more frustrating with him. Sometimes I am not sure if he's making this so much more challenging because he just doesn't understand what I'm saying because he's not hearing me clearly or if he's just being a typical toddler. Oh the dilemma. I'm not giving up though. My kids will know how to use their words with confidence. They will also know how to do things for themselves. I'm rebooting this blog now that I'll be home more often. I'll be writing about some of these self help skills that the boys will be working on and about the new baby GIRL who will be joining our family any day now. Until then, let life happen!