Living with a twice-exceptional child is challenging enough during “normal” times, but those of us who’ve been blessed with these kids already know there’s no such thing as normal — and who would want that, anyway? Recent school closures have presented yet another challenge to normalcy and, like many others, my family is navigating the ups and downs of attending school from home.
Some of the things our kids have in common are sensory issues such as sensitivity to sounds, lights, foods, and textures. Issues like anxiety, depression, and attentional issues are also common. Factors like these can be linked to an environment, and for most of their lives, when they aren’t at home, it’s difficult for them to control their environment.
One of the silver linings of having to do school from home during shelter-in-place is that finally our kids have some control. My son doesn’t need to ask his teachers for a break anymore — he has built in breaks throughout the day. If he finishes all his work from a class, he gets to leave that class early. During his lunch break, he walks around the block for some much-needed silence and sunshine. In between classes, he can get a snack from the kitchen (so much for not eating in class!)
Like many 2e students, my kid thrives on routine. Things happened so fast when this pandemic overtook the world that all routine went out the window. A day after my son’s college counseling meeting at school we learned that all his classes were switching to online.
While every school is handling online learning differently, I love that my kid’s school is following their typical bell schedule along with lunch breaks and periods where they can meet with their counselor or teachers. Monday through Friday...
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