Saturday, August 17, 2013

Mind Blown

Confession time: 

As much as I love and appreciate hearing about the successes and accomplishments of my friends' children, especially those with Down syndrome, sometimes it's hard to feel great about them all.

When I see the fully mobile kids running around, it's hard not to be a little bummed that Cora isn't quite there yet.  When I see videos and facebook posts of the kids Cora's age speaking so well, I admit that sometimes I don't want to click on the links.  I think it's wonderful, I do.... but seeing other children do what she can't yet do isn't always what I want to focus on.

So sometimes I get hesitant about posting Cora's accomplishments. 

Brag time:

But right now, I am so flipping BLOWN AWAY that I can't hold it in.   My girl can totally sight read!

I suspected that she may have learned a few sight words more than a year ago, when she started pointing to the words in Goodnight Moon instead of the pictures.  But then she stopped.  We've been working on some reading programs for a while now, but not always consistently. 

We got the iPad app, "Special Words" based on the See and Learn program for teaching children with Down syndrome.  We got it months ago and Cora wouldn't use it at all.  The child that has been able to correctly point things out in pictures for well over a year refused to play matching games.  But today I tried again.  And today it seemed to click with her.  After successfully matching pictures for some time I tried having her match words to words.  She got that.  So I skipped ahead to the hard stuff:  Having her match a picture to the written word.  Well, she did it.  Again and again.  After showing me 21 words with ease, she decided she was done.

And I was floored. 

I know that kids can learn sight reading.  I know that kids with Ds can learn.   And I know that Cora has been exposed to these words for quite some time, in so many different formats.  So it shouldn't be that hard to believe that she recognizes the written words.  But I am still in shock.

My 2-1/2 year old can sight read better than she can walk or talk, and that is just amazing to me.  I think sometimes I make the mistake of not recognizing how very capable she is, and a lot of that is probably due to making comparisons.  I know wholeheartedly that comparing her to typical kids is not only not very fair, but is not realistic.  And even though comparing her to other kids with Ds may not be fair either, it's hard not to do.  It's hard not to see what other kids are doing and note that Cora isn't doing many of those things. 

Sometimes I don't give her enough credit for what she can do.  Sometimes I think more about the fact that she doesn't use much spoken language and overlook how amazing it is that she knows and uses hundreds of signs.  There is no doubt that she is a smart girl.  Sometimes I don't recognize how very capable she is, and for that I am sorry.  I know that in this life, there will be many people that will underestimate my daughter, and I don't want to be one of them.

I am sorry, my dear little Beanie for underestimating you.  And I am so grateful that sometimes you choose to show me just what you can do.  You are one sneaky, smart, and amazing girl. 


11 comments:

  1. Awesome, awesome, awesome! WTG, Cora girl! I say brag away. I feel a lot like you and I hesitate and I worry that I will hurt someone else's feelings because I know I feel hurt sometimes when someone's child, especially one that's younger, is doing something Owen cannot do currently. Little by little I'm moving away from those feelings and feeling more peace about all of that. I think that's a HUGE accomplishment by Cora! So thrilled for you and her!

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  2. She is a smart cookie! What a great skill!

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  3. Yay lil Bean! Smarty Pants! What an adorable pic at the bottom of your blog as well. :)

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  4. Brag away!! That's great news...totally understand about not wanting to see what your friends children are doing, I so remember that. I also felt a bit angry with them sometimes that they would brag in front of me when its was so blinking obvious my girl was no where near what their kids were doing (is that selfish of me??)
    Anyway it does get better with time, you learn to block it out and realise while their kids may be achieving more than ours, ours are so much nicer (hee hee hee)!!

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  5. Go Cora!!! Purchasing that app today! :)

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  6. Don't ever hesitate to brag about Cora's accomplishments! She deserves to be bragged about! I think we all feel a tiny sting when we see kids the same age as ours doing more things...We shouldn't compare but we do. It was so exciting to read this, what a great accomplishment for Cora!! Brag worthy for sure :)

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  7. Too bad I was so sleepy that I heard only faint excitement in my subconscious mind... I was napping on the couch. After I awoke, however, I was able to fully realize how cool Cora's accomplishment was. All those Brill Kids Little Reader exercises were finally paying off ;-)

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  8. Wow!! Cora, send some of those reading skills over to Colin:)

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  9. Brag away Leah!! Cora is a very amazing and wonderful little girl. Remember all accomplishments for any child are great no matter what age or stage of life they are at. What Cora may not be able to accomplish that others can is OK remember Cora has accomplished and over come much more than many people have in a life time. I know you are a very very proud Momma so let it show. :) love you guys

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Thank you for sharing your thoughts with me!