Detroit Fire Station

My friend and I do this really good job of teaching kids the alphabet and find things to do with the letter of the week. This week the letter was "F" so we went to the fire station to see what it's like to be a fireman! The kids had a blast! My kids left never knowing it had anything to do with the letter "F" so I found it to be particularly successful in teaching the A B C's! The fireman were so friendly and accommodating. They even let us stay to eat lunch on the picnic tables out back. Enjoy the pics!

on a little boy with glasses: the continued education saga

A history of the past 5 months:

- I went to a parent meeting at Bentley's school to hear about kindergarten options. I asked the panel if any of their schools accepted kids with special needs- they all just sort of started at me. With that all the other parents were gearing their kiddos up to go to kindergarten... I didn't know what I was going to do. I decided I'd keep him home.

- Bentley graduated from PK in May and has been home. He's actually doing better than I realized! He's also a lot of work! (Yesterday he turned the stove on with one of his play kitchen cookie sheets- the house smell of burn within seconds....).

- We heard of a new school at a garden club meeting in June called Grace Lee Boggs . I was so excited about this school and I went to a parent meeting. The parent meeting was also exciting- I connected with a family who has a son with special needs similar to Bentley and graduated college. They were so great!! The school is opening this year--- so it's hard to know what it's going to be like.


so then...

David had a patient yesterday who has Down syndrome and she just graduated 8th grade at a 4th grade reading level. She went to a charter school in SW Detroit called Caesar Chavez. It's a full inclusion school that gives students with special needs their own personal aide for the entire year! It's also a bilingual school which is what I wanted for my kids, but gave up hope thinking it wouldn't be best for Bentley. So I went down there today to find out more-- I was so impressed I enrolled him... and they offer a 3 hour summer program starting next week to help the kids transition easier. Also the school has 4 campuses- so he'll only be with k-2!


So this is looking like a positive place for Bentley even though it will be a drive- something I said I'd NEVER do... but when a school this good for a child that will struggle with education isn't worth passing up.

Join us in praying as we continue to move forward in this decision and for little Bentley. :) Can you believe he is starting Kindergarten?!?!

litlle kids, big smiles

the things we do in detroit

preschool groups, play, tiger's games, read books, be silly, laugh, enjoy the outdoors, and love each other!!