My trial and tribulation belongs to.. none other than my son. Yes, sonshine, my pride and also my source of worry.
Let's backdate this to when he was 2.5 years, then he was barely saying a word.
I worried.
When he finally spoke, his pronunciation was off- no one but us could understand what he was saying. He was already 3-4 years old then.
I worried.
When he finally got most of his pronunciation right, we soon discovered he was an introvert child at school. Too introvert. He didn't (still doesn't i think) interact with his classmates although he parallel plays with them.
I worried.
Today, he speaks in sentences but his sentence structures come out in mess. Sometimes it comes out with a totally different meaning he had originally intended, grammatically wrong. Don't get it wrong, he can manage simple sentences like 'i like school because..., i don't like this toy, i like lego better..., please help me, i can't do it..' Generally, he can speak clearly and coherently.
But the moment when he needs to elaborate a thought (think telling a story), he gets all wired up and the sentences all come out wrong.
I worry. I am still worrying.
I have sent him to see therapist and professionals. Funnily, he performed very well during the examinations. So well that the therapists almost scorn at me for over-worrying and none wanted to 'waste time' with any follow up therapy with him.
But i still worry everytime he struggles to speak in proper sentences. Especially when he is turning the dreaded 7 years old next year. How is he going to tackle composition? Let's not even talk about Mandarin!
Perhaps my expectations of him is too high? Well, i think not. Especially when i listen to 4 years old rattling effortlessly.
Yet, when i think back at how he once struggled to say a word proper to where he is now-speaking in full sentences, i know i should be thankful and rejoice. It is also through looking back at his vast improvements year after year that assures me that he will only get better. So at one point, he preferred to be alone. Today, he is playing & interacting with peers and even with friends whom he only met the first time. Although he is still very selective with his friends, it is a wonderful sign that he is beginning to come out of his shell. To heck that he isn't speaking as well as his peers, to heck with compositions (i'll just prepare myself for lots of parental signatures)! The important thing here is, he has improved and will only keep improving.
This is where i will hand my worry over to my Lord. I just know my Lord will turn sonshine's weakness into a strength one day. I just know that Jesus will use my son's weakness to confound the wise. I can't wait for that day!
Linking up to:
Linking up to:
Thanks for sharing. It is certainly not easy to share this "trial and tribulation" in an environment where everyone is very competitive about their children's achievement. I remembered a blog post I read yesterday and would like to share it with you, although you mentioned that you are "after-schooling", I think it may still be a good read (if you have not read it).
ReplyDeleteThanks Felicia! Yes, I do want to keep it real on my blog- don't want to make it sound like sonshine is perfect- he's not. :) would love to read the link, do share!
DeleteHaha! I didn't realise I forgot to add the link. Here you go: http://simplehomeschool.net/homeschooling-introverts/ or http://simplehomeschool.net/extroverts-homeschooling/
DeleteSonshine sounds so much like my elder boy. His pronunciation needs more work. I worry too and he's going to be 5 this year. Ard when did Sonshine start to speak clearly?
ReplyDeleteI had to think hard, i cannot recall when exactly he improved. I guess it's a gradual process, he progessed day by day until one day it dawned on me he improved alot. Actually, even now he can't do the 'L' sound & sometimes he mumbles and people will go 'what?'. I remember he told somone he likes 'blocks' but the person heard as 'rocks'. Anyway, celebrate the improvement, try not to compare him with other children. Focus on his improvement. But if you are concern, you can engage a speech therapist for initial assesment.
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