We just returned from Brendan's speech therapy at Scottish Rite. He's now getting help with speech at school and through our insurance and it seems like he's improving even more rapidly than I would have hoped.
Still, no one takes me seriously when I mention that he stammers. It might be that he only does it with me. But if so, why? He should be the most comfortable talking to his mom.
I don't know. Today has been a really bad day for all sorts of reasons and if I think too hard about that one I may just burst into tears.
I am proud of Brendan for how hard he works and how far he has come since he was diagnosed with Dyspraxia last autumn. He is worlds from where he was then, yet I hate it that he does have to work so hard for what comes naturally to everyone else in the world.
He's starting to say he hates school again but won't tell me why. I fear it's getting difficult again. I just want something in life to come as a gift to my beautiful boy. Something that he is great at without trying too hard that he loves doing.
He told me today he wants to play basketball this winter. He brought home a flyer about a church league. I don't know what to do. I am so afraid he'll try it and struggle and be the worst kid out there and take another blow to his self-esteem. Yet, I don't want to deny him the opportunity. I guess I need to put my fears aside and let him struggle and see what he is capable of. He may surprise me.
And the league for five and six year olds is a "learning" league, so no real games. Just learning opportunities. Maybe it will good for him and me.
Don't get me wrong. I absolutely believe kids should be allowed to fail every now and again so that they learn from their mistakes and don't get any ideas about life being easy. That said, Brendan has already had plenty of challenges and failures as a child and it's time for him to find something he's exceptional at. I'm just not sure basketball is the ideal sport for the kid who suffers from something that was once known as clumsy child syndrome.
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4 comments:
I wish I had an answer - I know that we want to help our children and protect them from getting hurt, but maybe letting him try basketball will be a good thing. You should never be afraid to try something because you might fail...who knows what the outcome will be and you might just surprise yourself. Then again, if he tries it and doesn't like it - well now he has a better idea of what he doesn't want to do and with time, he will find his gift...
~hugs~
~K
I think for that age group it will be safe even if he struggles some. Although I sure as heck know that worry very well.
I used to play basketball all the time and started when I was very young. I could never due the drills but I could memorize the small 2d movements on television. Thus let him study basketball a bit and then explain to the coach some of his concerns. Without my failures I would never learn, Warren.
Oh that's hard. If it's any consolation, I'm finding that kids are more resilient than we parents think. I say let him play and if he struggles, use it as a teaching opportunity on facing his own personal challenges.
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