Austin Speech Therapy

 This week was Austin's last week of his speech-therapy "Talking Time" class. I wanted to take a minute and write down a few thoughts about the class and how proud I am of Austin. 

I know I've written here and there about this - but Austin qualified for services with the district this year for a speech-articulation delay.  His mouth struggles to make the sounds needed to form words clearly. Making sounds is tough work! It's something that you don't realize if it comes naturally, because it's just... normal. But when you have to learn how to make your mouth form certain letters and have to figure out how to use those sounds in words AND have to remember to use them when you're speaking, it can be overwhelming and frustrating. 

I have watched Austin work and progress so much this year. None of it came easily but I have watched him work for weeks and weeks on one tiny sound, making small bits of progress at a time, fighting discouragement, and struggling to get his lips and tongue to cooperate. I watched him go from not being able to say the "G" sound at all - to being able to say it if he looked in the mirror - to being able to say it on command. We repeated this long process with the "K" sound, where he physically could not make his mouth produce the sound to being able to do it! It seems so simple, and we have a long way to go - but I am hopeful that things will keep progressing and get easier for him as he works through it. 

It's been hard for me not to get frustrated as I've watched him. Not at him. Never at Austin. But frustrated with his teachers who keep doing the same things with such little progress. Frustrated that I don't know how to help him better. 

Even through the frustration, I am grateful that we live in a place where there are the resources, teachers, time, and ability to help.

Austin, I hope you know that I am proud of you. I hope that this prepares you to work hard for the things that you want, to learn how to deal with frustration, and to be able to persevere through difficulties. Even though you haven't loved Talking Time (other than the craft, you love the craft! You ask me every time we are on our way "What do you think the craft will be today?") - I have loved getting an hour out of each week to spend with you - talking with you in the car and sitting with you through your class. I love spending that time with you. I love YOU. 

Austin - Talking Time

I have briefly mentioned a few times that Austin qualified for speech therapy services through Alpine School District due to an articulation delay. He's been attending a class once a week called Talking Time and I decided that I should probably do a quick update before the end of the year. 

Austin, I want you to know that I love you and that I'm incredibly proud of the effort that you are making in order to do something that is so easy for other people and so very difficult for you. You enjoy going to Talking Time, mostly because you enjoy the craft so much, but I think that you're starting to get more and more frustrated with how many people can't understand you - and I think that you know that this class is supposed to help with that. I enjoy going to Talking Time with you, mostly because it's one hour each week that I get to spend just with you. That one-on-one time is very special to me. 

For Christmas this year, they had "Mrs. Claus" come in and read some special things about you before giving you a small gift. It was fun, even if you weren't sure what to think about the whole Santa Claus thing. 

Learning to articulate can be frustrating for you and it breaks my heart to watch you trying so hard with so little progress. But I believe in you. I believe that you'll be able to overcome this obstacle in your life. You are smart, capable, kind, and willing to listen. I'm your biggest cheerleader and I always will be. I love you, Austin Scott Peaden.