every gay couple I know has children. That's because I teach them. Right now the school has at least 10 lesbian couples, and all with multiple children. Can you say, "Sperm Bank?" I know WAY more than I ever want to know about frozen sperm, and how it's important so the kids all have the same dad. Also, one couple I know the moms take turns having the kids...but in all the cases one mom stays home and the other works (very tradtional). the kids are actually pretty well adjusted. They do better than the kids with the "new" divorce.
Out of the mouths of babes ...
*(you should have seen Graham's panicked face when this came out!)*
Anna - four years old:
'Maybe you could move out Dad, Mom could get a new husband.
You know, Dad doesn't like you because you have dogs and you fight all the time.'
Cue hubby's protests:
'I never said that!'
Hmmm... amazing insight? or just a little ◊◊◊◊ disturber?
Considering we don't fight very often at all I'm thinking the latter, but you never know - maybe she's his little confidante?
Toni
*(you should have seen Graham's panicked face when this came out!)*
Anna - four years old:
'Maybe you could move out Dad, Mom could get a new husband.
You know, Dad doesn't like you because you have dogs and you fight all the time.'
Cue hubby's protests:
'I never said that!'
Hmmm... amazing insight? or just a little ◊◊◊◊ disturber?
Considering we don't fight very often at all I'm thinking the latter, but you never know - maybe she's his little confidante?
Toni
Nine year old taking shower (and he takes loooooooong showers).
Sudden *crash!* from bathroom.
Mom (that'd be me): Are you all right?
Son: Ummmm... I don't know....
Son comes running out, wrapped in towel. Hand on parts.
Son: Mom, you said that if something happens I should tell you and I won't get in as much trouble, right?
Mom: What happened?
Son: *repeats statement regarding trouble*
Mom: WHAT happened!?
Son: *repeats statement third time*
Mom: WHAT THE @#$% HAPPENED?
Son: *insert much stammering here* Well every time I take a shower I play with it and pull on it, and it's ok, but this time I was pulling on it and IT BROKE OFF!!!!! I'm sorry, Mom, Ididn'tmeantodoit...
Mom: WHAT!? WHAT broke off?
Mom is now checking for bleeding from -something- breaking off...
Son: The thingy you hang the towels on in the tub. What did you THINK I meant?
Mom laughs, superglues towel rack and never tells boy what she thought he might have played with until it broke ...
Sudden *crash!* from bathroom.
Mom (that'd be me): Are you all right?
Son: Ummmm... I don't know....
Son comes running out, wrapped in towel. Hand on parts.
Son: Mom, you said that if something happens I should tell you and I won't get in as much trouble, right?
Mom: What happened?
Son: *repeats statement regarding trouble*
Mom: WHAT happened!?
Son: *repeats statement third time*
Mom: WHAT THE @#$% HAPPENED?
Son: *insert much stammering here* Well every time I take a shower I play with it and pull on it, and it's ok, but this time I was pulling on it and IT BROKE OFF!!!!! I'm sorry, Mom, Ididn'tmeantodoit...
Mom: WHAT!? WHAT broke off?
Mom is now checking for bleeding from -something- breaking off...
Son: The thingy you hang the towels on in the tub. What did you THINK I meant?
Mom laughs, superglues towel rack and never tells boy what she thought he might have played with until it broke ...
Chanileslie
Unregistered
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- Apr 23, 2003
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- 2,347
My son who is Down Syndrome uses sign language in addition to his oral communication, but I know very little. One day at breakfast my son looks as me and says:
Morgan: Mom [puts hand palm down under chin and wiggles fingers]
Me: What does that mean, Morgan?
Morgan: Pancakes [we were eating pancakes at the time]
Me: Okay. Yes, pancakes are good.
Morgan: [giggle, giggle, giggle]
Next day at dinner time:
Morgan: Mom [makes sign again]
Me: Yes, Morgan, we are having spaghetti right now, we will have pancakes this weekend for breakfast.
Morgan: [giggle, giggle, giggle]
This sort of exchange goes on for several weeks. At odd times, my son would call my attention and then make that sign at me and giggle. The next time I was at Morgan's school, I mentioned to my son's aide that he kept doing that symbol to me. She looked astounded before laughing and explaining to me that that symbol meant PIG!! The boy was calling me a PIG!!!
Morgan: Mom [puts hand palm down under chin and wiggles fingers]
Me: What does that mean, Morgan?
Morgan: Pancakes [we were eating pancakes at the time]
Me: Okay. Yes, pancakes are good.
Morgan: [giggle, giggle, giggle]
Next day at dinner time:
Morgan: Mom [makes sign again]
Me: Yes, Morgan, we are having spaghetti right now, we will have pancakes this weekend for breakfast.
Morgan: [giggle, giggle, giggle]
This sort of exchange goes on for several weeks. At odd times, my son would call my attention and then make that sign at me and giggle. The next time I was at Morgan's school, I mentioned to my son's aide that he kept doing that symbol to me. She looked astounded before laughing and explaining to me that that symbol meant PIG!! The boy was calling me a PIG!!!
Hi Chani
You probably know that our son Nick also has Down's - I am just wondering, are you finding that signing is very helpful? Is your son learning to sign at school and if so, do you use the signs at home as a family? Nick is in his first year in school (special school) and we have a booklet of signs - I should really use them more I think...
Toni
You probably know that our son Nick also has Down's - I am just wondering, are you finding that signing is very helpful? Is your son learning to sign at school and if so, do you use the signs at home as a family? Nick is in his first year in school (special school) and we have a booklet of signs - I should really use them more I think...
Toni
Chanileslie
Unregistered
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- Apr 23, 2003
- Messages
- 2,347
Flame said:
Yes, my husband has mentioned that you and Graham have a Down's child.
I have found that for Morgan, signing has been of some use since before he learned sign language, he had a hard time comunicating in school, but since learning sign, he has at least one person with whom he can communicate, and it has cut down on the negative behavior caused by the frustration of not being understood.
Also, as an added bonus, I think it gives Morgan a sense of accomplishment because he realizes he is different than the other kids and he realizes that other kids pick things up more quickly than he does, but here is something that he knows that the other kids don't, and he learns very quickly. At one point he was learning up to 20 new signs a week. That rate has really slowed down in the last few years. Morgan really enjoys learning sign language. It has always been his favorite subject until recent years; math has overcome sign as his favorite subject. He loves math.
As for signing at home, no, we don't sign with Morgan at home. We probably should, and I have meant for years to take a signing course or two, but have not had the time, and as I have less trouble understanding Morgan than most people, I didn't make it a priority. Morgan does use his sign language sometimes at home, and we do know some basic signs, so we are aware of them now.
Of course, I am not sure about your Nick's speech developement, but most of the people I know with Downs have no trouble speaking clearly. My son is not one of those people though.
Please feel free to PM me or email me if you want to discuss issues with Downs. I am always happy to find someone with whom to discuss the particular problems associated with a disabled child.
I'm bumping this thread for a brief ode to a four-year-old . . .
Four year old gets out of bed, excitedly pull her new clothes out of the bag (they're not even put away yet) and storms in to mommy and daddy's room and dares to rouse the slumbering beast (that's me ) to demand that the tags be removed.
She pulls the sweater on over bed hair that makes that guy from the muppets look like he just stepped out of the salon and the trousers on over little legs that are goosebumped and covered in the little wounds of childhood (where do they get those bruises from?).
Daddy makes her take the sweater off again to put on a T-shirt underneath and her older sister pushes her to get past and down the stairs but nothing can dim her excitement. The new clothes are very cool and grown-up - she looks like a mini-me of her mom and she's very pleased with herself.
Mommy gives her yoghurt for breakfast, which she likes and even lets her eat it on the couch.
"Be careful not to get it on your new clothes," mommy says . . .
. . .
Daddy's in the bathroom getting shaved and trying not to step on the baby (who's industriously transferring his toy car collection from his bedroom to the bath).
He's just about done when the morning peace (such as it is) is shattered by a banshee scream (sorry Tone )
There is yoghurt in her hair, across her face, down her sweater, along her trouser leg, on the couch, on the cushion, on the dog, on the floor, on the ceiling (alright, maybe not the ceiling). The sheer scale of the disaster is stunning, like a little chernobyl in the living room.
Mommy rages for a moment and daddy (quietly, very, very quietly) laughs in the bathroom.
Then with one of those little miracles of motherhood, mommy cleans all the yoghurt off and she goes to school, still dressed in her new clothes and still cool (though smelling slightly of yoghurt).
Four is a great age to be!
Graham
Four year old gets out of bed, excitedly pull her new clothes out of the bag (they're not even put away yet) and storms in to mommy and daddy's room and dares to rouse the slumbering beast (that's me
) to demand that the tags be removed.She pulls the sweater on over bed hair that makes that guy from the muppets look like he just stepped out of the salon and the trousers on over little legs that are goosebumped and covered in the little wounds of childhood (where do they get those bruises from?).
Daddy makes her take the sweater off again to put on a T-shirt underneath and her older sister pushes her to get past and down the stairs but nothing can dim her excitement. The new clothes are very cool and grown-up - she looks like a mini-me of her mom and she's very pleased with herself.
Mommy gives her yoghurt for breakfast, which she likes and even lets her eat it on the couch.
"Be careful not to get it on your new clothes," mommy says . . .
. . .
Daddy's in the bathroom getting shaved and trying not to step on the baby (who's industriously transferring his toy car collection from his bedroom to the bath).
He's just about done when the morning peace (such as it is) is shattered by a banshee scream (sorry Tone
)There is yoghurt in her hair, across her face, down her sweater, along her trouser leg, on the couch, on the cushion, on the dog, on the floor, on the ceiling (alright, maybe not the ceiling). The sheer scale of the disaster is stunning, like a little chernobyl in the living room.
Mommy rages for a moment and daddy (quietly, very, very quietly) laughs in the bathroom.
Then with one of those little miracles of motherhood, mommy cleans all the yoghurt off and she goes to school, still dressed in her new clothes and still cool (though smelling slightly of yoghurt).
Four is a great age to be!
Graham
Ladyhawk
Muse
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2002
- Messages
- 847
Caution: Never refer to a bar of soap as a cake of soap! At least, not in front of small children in your home...
Momma and Papa Hawk often did this. As a result, at the age of 3 or 4, I attempted to eat a bar of soap, thinking it must be pretty tasty since everyone calls it 'cake'. I didn't get much down before my mom caught me but I certainly wasn't going to eat much of it, having learned the hard way that this cake was AWFUL! But, Momma Hawk didn't wait for explanations and immediately had Papa Hawk come home to take me to the hospital.
It's funny looking back on it now, but I'm sure I scared the hell out of my parents. Embarassing as it is, I'm sharing this story just as a caution to all parents with small children. As you know, they hang on to every word we say.....
Momma and Papa Hawk often did this. As a result, at the age of 3 or 4, I attempted to eat a bar of soap, thinking it must be pretty tasty since everyone calls it 'cake'. I didn't get much down before my mom caught me but I certainly wasn't going to eat much of it, having learned the hard way that this cake was AWFUL! But, Momma Hawk didn't wait for explanations and immediately had Papa Hawk come home to take me to the hospital.
It's funny looking back on it now, but I'm sure I scared the hell out of my parents. Embarassing as it is, I'm sharing this story just as a caution to all parents with small children. As you know, they hang on to every word we say.....
Chanileslie
Unregistered
- Joined
- Apr 23, 2003
- Messages
- 2,347
My son likes to wake Nyarlathotep in the morning. Most mornings, he usually attempts to tickle Nyarlathotep until Nyarlathotep begs him to stop.
Of course the last few mornings, my son has developed a new way to wake Nyarlathotep - my son is very fond of teen slasher flicks, and he likes to pretend that he is the bad guy for some reason - so the last two mornings, he has put on his Jason mask (ala Friday the 13th), and pretend that he is stabbing with an imaginary knife Nyarlathotep - of course in those slasher flicks, they show the stabbing in slow motion, so that is how Morgan does it, slowly. It is quite amusing to watch.
Of course the last few mornings, my son has developed a new way to wake Nyarlathotep - my son is very fond of teen slasher flicks, and he likes to pretend that he is the bad guy for some reason - so the last two mornings, he has put on his Jason mask (ala Friday the 13th), and pretend that he is stabbing with an imaginary knife Nyarlathotep - of course in those slasher flicks, they show the stabbing in slow motion, so that is how Morgan does it, slowly. It is quite amusing to watch.