maandag, januari 31, 2005
A Bit Sick
...coughing, I have one red cheek. I think I may be sick tomorrow? Finn was sick all weekend, terrible fever and lots of coughing. He's now dancing across the room and seems to be doing better.
The School
First talk at school was a great success. We have succeeded in getting the message across that we want to work WITH the school and that we want to remove all obstacles one by one, bit by bit. Next step is getting another teacher on board, and that is no problem since the director already knew who to ask. We have our next meeting in 3 weeks.
vrijdag, januari 28, 2005
Ear Ache
Yesterday I was not at all in the mood for swimming lessons. So all I did in the water was paddle. When I returned home, I told mom straight away that "my ear hurts, make it go away, take the ear off". Mom put some warm extra virgin olive oil in my ear. After dinner the pain was less. I did sleep well. This morning the mess that was IN my ear is now OUT.
woensdag, januari 26, 2005
Appointment At School
This coming monday I will have a meeting with the town school head master (director?). I will be there together with Jan, who has helped me a lot these past months. Jan is there to help us getting a better life as a family, basically. Think about the implications it will have for us as a family when Nick will be at school during the daytime...personally I see mainly/only benefits.
maandag, januari 24, 2005
Finally some substantial snow! About 2" or 5 cm. The chickens do not know what to do, they stay inside. We cleared some snow off the grass. They all huddle together on that small piece of grass and work with their feet. 
Our Ideas About The School Thing
More specifically: we'd like to see a separate small group of children within the regular school, in a separate classroom, with a separate (specialized) teacher plus classroom assistant. Whenever the individual child is able, he or she can join his peers in the bigger classroom. This can be in math, in preparing for Easter, singing or learning to write or art or whatever. Whatever the child can handle and whatever the parents and teachers think and feel is right.
In The Netherlands every child that enjoys regular education and DOES still need a bit of extra care, will get extra financing. The child can stay in that school with just a bit of extra help. It's called 'The Backpack'. Put 6 of these Backpacks together and we're able to finance our idea. Provided there is room for a classroom.
Benefits for the school: the 'regular' kids get to know kids with a handicap, the school can introduce a kind of buddy-system and this has proven to work vice-versa. The government wants ALL children to go to school together, but this would be a practical worked out idea how to do it. It's so simple, we can't see why it's not all over the country yet...when it IS in Scandinavia.
vrijdag, januari 21, 2005
Update
We are going to give the school thing one last try: the plan is to contact the local village school and find out if they like our idea. What we would like is for Nick (and other extra-care-children that now have no other choice but to go to a Special Education school far away) to go to this school, simply because his brothers are there and he has a better chance to make friends. And it's the nearest school around. The school will need an extra, separate classroom for the kids that need extra care. Also the school will need an extra teacher and a classroom assistant. Financing it should not be a problem. I will try to arrange a meeting with the school director next week.
dinsdag, januari 18, 2005
An Afternoon At The Children's Farm (Kinderboerderij)
trying to build the Children's Farm and doing a rather nice job there
here is where the nice and friendly cows are. They like fresh hay
well I liked this goat so much I gave her a kiss on the back
these goats are a bit like the goats at Fokalien's Special Farm
maandag, januari 17, 2005
All red in my face from having been outside. I watched and helped my neighbour cut down a tree.
Saturday At The Special Farm
Dad took me there. I had a good day. Mom had tucked a present for the Farmer's daughter in my bag. When dad picked me up later that evening - I had dinner at the Farm! - I showed him how to feed the cows. Also I showed him where the special cows are, The Lakenvelders.
vrijdag, januari 14, 2005
donderdag, januari 13, 2005
Crawlcrawlcrawl
Brrrrr this is the spider that I made with my teacher. On tuesday I lost another tooth. It was seriously bothering me. The new tooth was already behind the old one! So the new one pushed the old one out. I already told dad that I had some pain. Mom asked me where the pain was and I said "in my mouth" and pointed to the tooth. My teacher told me to turn the tooth, push it a bit and out it went.
I keep asking everybody "when will you....". Everyone answers me!
I keep asking everybody "when will you....". Everyone answers me!
woensdag, januari 12, 2005
Ready To Go To The Pool
This afternoon my teacher and I will go to the pool. And tomorrow it's time for the Special Farm again. Maybe I'll see the Farmer's newly born daughter!
dinsdag, januari 11, 2005
