*(*(&(& &(* Arghh

that I liked the way Better late than Early was and if needed could get him a copy. He was actually familiar with it! I think after this morning his partner bugs me more. We will see what happens Thursday with the second half of the testing

Iris I kwim. But remember the schools CANNOT diagnose -unless they have a licensed pyschologist or pyschiatrist on staff. I know I have BTDT with my now 17 yr old. Don't let them try to if you can help it. I strongly recommend finding $ to have an independent eval done and then making the school work with you for an IEP if this is the route you have to take. I don't trust schools evals any more than I would a con man. ( Can you tell I am still bitter after my ten year battle but I do know of what I speak) The more they find 'wrong' when you have to use the district the more $$ they can get...

No it isn't strange he isn't potty trained at three MPO but for some reason a ton of people around this area think by 18 months is an absolute.
most schools are anti AP-you are too involved and they don't want that. They want you to turn over control because don't you know that is what a *good parent* does. ( NO offense to those of you who actually have good school districts that work with parents and don't want them to be a silent partner)

PM me if you want more information

And thanks for the support Mamas!

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Question, why is the school district even involved in your life at 2 years old? Both of my DD's were potty trained just AFTER they turned 3. (And might I add they are both at the head of their class. This has nothing to do with anything.) My nefew and serveral other boys I knew had problems speaking until they were 4 or 5. They were put in ST in kindergarten. I don't find it unusual at all for a boy that age to not be speaking. And while I do believe in preschool, (sorry just visiting this board but I couldn't believe your post.) I don't believe they should be going for more than maybe 2 hours 2 days a week at that age. As a matter of fact, at that age, preschool is more for social development and being able to play with other children than learning. Good luck to you on your evaluation

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I'd like to hear from the OP, but I know in my area they offer services for kids before kindergarten, including speech and physical therapy. The same services are $90-130 an hour, but the school district offers them for free 2-3X a week if you have a demonstrated need. Having been to those classes, the kids are having a blast! They don't think of it as "school" at all, but more like gym.
There are preschool classes for 3 and 4 year olds, but those kids mostly have profound disabilities (in our area). Their parents need a break at least! And I think the kids do learn a lot of life-skills in school that make their lives and their parents lives easier. Just my 2 cents.

Also, one last thing. If the choice were between day care and preschool, I'd pick the pre-school almost every time. The teachers are certified and licenced and free, while I've had a hard time finding day care providers that are both good and stick around. The teacher will be there for at least 9 months. You say 2 hours twice a week, but lots of kids are doing a 40 hour week at day care anyway.

(((hug))) to you CL

and got to admit in the past when I have filled out forms, if I felt the answer would have no bearing on the results of the evaluation I answered ?S that way that would seem most 'normal' or just did not fill out the answer

I would not have written where my dc sleeps or if they were nursing or if dh and I were married or seprated or anything like that and never brought up homeschooling to the ECE folks
I wanted the testing staff to look at my dc closely- not at my parenting

we used early childhood testing and services to get speech and occupational therapy for free from the public school district we were pleased with the services, for the most part
100% I do not trust school psych. with very good reason from experience both as a parent and as a classroom teacher seeing the power they can hold over parents
iris - it is your right to send your dc for speech services and refuse the preschool
when you have the evaluation do not sign anything just tell them you need to talk it over with your dc ped and your s/o first then you can blame the someone else and say they do not feel your dc is ready for preschool but would benefit from ST kinda good cop / bad cop
you can tell them you will reconsider in a few months after dc gets used to attending speech if you decide st would benefit your ds

Regarding special ed preschool- the curriculum is many times dumbed down to the dc in the class that is least functioning, we also had our dc pick up abnormal behaviors from observing and listening to HIMD children, stress of transitioning/seperating was really not worth anything done during ECE special ed class, no one in my ds class was toilet trained, or was learning life skills, and the district asked the kids to be fully immunized a year early by age 4 the school district gets funds by the number attending so has incentive to place your child in the preschool program

IME if you live in an affluent area where most parents send their dc to private preschools, expect more pressure and more interesting LOL iep done to get your dc into the public preschool if the numbers are down

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Yes, I know. I was one of those children. I was in day care until I was in the 2nd grade. My step-father worked nights that year and was home (but asleep) when my younger brother and I got home from school. In the 3rd grade I got my own key to the house. I am an original latch-key child. But then, I was not talking about daycare, I was talking about preschool.

I believe preschool is teaching your child to go to school. You should build up gradually. For example; my daughters went 1 day a week for 2 hours when they were 18 - 24 months old. I was there the whole time with them. When they were 3 they went for 2 days a week, with me being there for 1 day. At 4 dd#1 went for 3 days a week 3 hours a day and dd#2 went for 4 days a week for 3 hours a day. This enabled them to be better equipped when they did start kindergarten.

Daycare on the other hand is a totally different story. There is no teaching, there is no structure. It is 95% free play with a forced nap period and maybe a circle time. Daycare may have its place with parents who have no other choice. I mean you have to feed your kids. But let me tell you from someone who remembers back to 18 month, daycare SUCKS! Ok I am off subject but as I said, I was not talking about daycare and there is no comparison between daycare and preschool anyway.

"I'm also a little put off by the questionaire they made Dh and I fill out, I mean is it that odd that my child isn't potty trained yet, he isn't even three."

Oh, this makes me so mad! Apricot brought up a good point, that your answers are used for purposes other than evaluating your particular situation, HOWEVER they will still probably be used for evaluating your particular situation -- maybe not officially, but certainly it can unofficially skew their opinion and therefore their recommendations/demands.

And of course we all know people/kids who were developmentally "delayed" in some things and still turned out completely normal. My mom didn't speak a word until she was 3 -- and she is now perfectly fluent in the English language (without having had speech therapy I might add. One has to wonder how labeling her as having a problem -- by sending her to ST -- might have harmed her.) I wasn't potty-trained until I was 3 1/2 -- and neither was my first-born -- and I assure you that neither of us has any trouble using the potty now, nor has it affected us negatively in any area of our life, nor was it indicative of other problems. Yes, being outside of the average can mean problems, but it's not a given, yet it is regarded as such by a lot of people involved in childhood development. Be wary.

ITA
I wouldn't use ECI out where I live on a bet. Of course I used to sub out here too so know the story from both sides This is private consultation. I found the clause in my ins. coverage