Immigration holding area Jan 24.
Finally ready to leave and take our twins home Jan 25 1 a.m. What a horrible 36 hours!!!
Yesterday, ready to go to church for the first time.
What a lot has changes have taken place in just seven week!
Schedules have been changed around, new routines formed, attachment taken place....
Mornings are still not my favorite. We have family devotions at 5:45 a.m. with the high school bus arriving at 6:10. The twins still wake up by 5 a.m. but know they have to stay in bed (well, usually Jessica's bed) until 5:30ish. Then they can come out and join us for devotions. They are very social in the morning and some of us aren't! After the older ones leave, we watch two videos before we really start the day.
School. The first two days they were a little mad at me when I went back to pick them up, but now they love to go and they are happy to see me when I pick them up. Could be that they know that means it's lunch time. They know when I say it's time for school that they need to go put their shoes and on get their backpacks. They are in different classrooms. It was due to class size and one teacher not trying to meet the needs of both twins, but it has really worked out well because Kayla tends to do everything for Kaleb and he is more than happy to let her do that. Kaleb has been stubborn about doing what the other kids are at school. If they are in circle, he is in a play area. He will sit down and refuse to move. They report better behavior since I had to pick him up and take him home last week.
Mornings are still not my favorite. We have family devotions at 5:45 a.m. with the high school bus arriving at 6:10. The twins still wake up by 5 a.m. but know they have to stay in bed (well, usually Jessica's bed) until 5:30ish. Then they can come out and join us for devotions. They are very social in the morning and some of us aren't! After the older ones leave, we watch two videos before we really start the day.
School. The first two days they were a little mad at me when I went back to pick them up, but now they love to go and they are happy to see me when I pick them up. Could be that they know that means it's lunch time. They know when I say it's time for school that they need to go put their shoes and on get their backpacks. They are in different classrooms. It was due to class size and one teacher not trying to meet the needs of both twins, but it has really worked out well because Kayla tends to do everything for Kaleb and he is more than happy to let her do that. Kaleb has been stubborn about doing what the other kids are at school. If they are in circle, he is in a play area. He will sit down and refuse to move. They report better behavior since I had to pick him up and take him home last week.
Church. We went to children's church for the first time yesterday. At their age, it is just a playtime following Sunday school. They had a couple of optional crafts that had to do with the Sunday school lesson. They will be together for this.
Food. They eat about anything except vegetables. At first they would just spit them out, but that didn't go over well with me. Then they'd put them on the other twin's plate which wasn't popular with me or the opposite twin either. This was followed by stuffing them in their mouth, saying they had to pee pee and spitting them out in the bathroom. Nope. That one didn't work either. I give them just a tablespoon of vegetables first at supper, and they have to eat them before they get the rest of their meal. They realize now that the best thing is to just eat them and be done with it. I have not found any vegetable that they like.
Milk wasn't a hit with them either. I only give them milk at breakfast since they haven't had it before. If they don't drink it at breakfast, I just put it away until lunch. They have to finish it before I give them seconds at lunch. That is usually motivation enough.
We don't have any hoarding food or stealing food problems. I think they realize that there will always be food at the same time each day--breakfast, snack at school, lunch right after school, snack right after nap, supper and popcorn with a video at bedtime.
Language. They are doing well. That was part of the reason for putting them in preschool (besides my sanity, that is). They understand a lot. I try to talk to them some in Creole because I don't want them to lose it, but I only know a few words. We don't have a Haitian community anywhere near us. Anyone know of books on tape or CDs in Creole?
Obedience. Typical. At first they would disobey and run away laughing. That has diminished. Now it's the little stuff like flipping light switches or the TV on and off repeatedly. We really haven't dealt with any significant behavior issues--yet. They have two speeds--asleep and full throttle, and two volumes--off and loud. Those things may be annoying at time but I don't count them as behavior problems. And they are getting better about both.
Play. They can now play for a little while with toys without me sitting right next to them. They are very behind in play of course since they've never had toys. I put out one bin of toys a day with a variety of toddler-preschool toys. They choose toys that have a concrete use--stack the block, bang on the drum and so on.
This is getting long so I'll end for now. It's 7:45 and we're in play time.
4 comments:
Sounds like they are doing great! It is amazing the difference just a few weeks can make!
It is amazing to watch the changes over the past 6 or 7 weeks. I am sure you have your hands full but sounds like everything is going as well as can be expected!!
Good work, there Kathy. They seem be adjusting as well as they can. Blessings.
Wow...seven weeks! Time flies when you are having fun.
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