Scenes From a Family Who Travels

 

 

 Don't let the swimming kids fool you, folks -- it was 51°F outside. But the pool and hot tub are heated and hey, it's Vegas (proof in the skyline behind that happy happy otter/dolphin boy). People do unexpected things. 

Leo is having a good day today, still. The visual schedule, which Seymour had to remind me to bring (frazzled travel prep brain) has made it much easier for him to adapt to a new environment, and moderate any displacement anxiety. He is soothed by his favorite dinosaur puzzle from our friend Charlie, and a couple of new sensory toys. We have swimming and hiking out the back door, so all that energy has a place to go. We are still very much in a 1:1 me-or-Seymour scenario, but his outbursts have been few, entirely understandable, and easily defused.

Seymour and I are tired but pleased, and so grateful to get spend time with his parents. Fingers crossed, so tightly. If this trip succeeds, what could Leo succeed at next? We're trying dinner out with the grandparents tonight. They have no problem with Leo needing to leave early, but definitely want to make the attempt.

So grateful for such a supportive family, both sides, every tier.

No Brain Scan for You!

Say you have a cute four-year-old girl whose older brother has a few developmental issues.

Say you have become a sucker for researchers who want to run tests on your little girl, as long as those tests are free, and do not involve injecting radioactive materials into her veins because even though that's how you paid for your second trip to West Africa while you were in college*, you haven't entirely worked through your feelings about irradiating children. As long as those tests are part of developmental evaluations that will reassure you that your tiny monkey is fine, just fine.

Say you've hit the jackpot: a study that provides not only a small stipend, but also thousands of dollars' worth of free developmental evaluations -- including an MRI and genetic screening.

The researchers are excited, they think your daughter might be perfect for their needs. Then they tell you what the study is about: Reading acquisition/pre-readers. And this is your daughter:



This is the same kid whose preschool teacher told me, during today's parent/teacher conference, that they'd had to break out new reading learning books for my girl, because she'd already blasted through all the levels they have at her school. (A school which includes kindergarten).

What do you do?

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I have a few scruples, so I sent the study coordinator a link to the above video. She told me that, alas, since Mali can already read, we no longer qualify for the study.

I would be a ball of conflicted but amused irritation if she hadn't already pointed us towards a different researcher and a different study.

*Oh my god this must be why Leo is autistic!

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Clarification: I am much more amused than irritated. I am used to being told that Leo doesn't qualify for such-and-such; it didn't occur to me that Mali might be disqualified for very different reasons.

Please know that I am helping the original researcher find Mali substitutes who are at a different point on the reading learning curve.