Child with Disability, Down Syndrome, Intellectual Disability, Leadership, New Skills, Schools, Special Needs 
5 Comments Happy New Year
I’m sure some of us have made New Year’s resolutions and some of us will succeed with these, whilst others may choose to change their goals. For me, I haven’t made any resolutions this year. Well, maybe I have. I’m going to try to remain open-minded when it comes to Poppet’s year at school and beyond this.
For as long as she’s been alive, I’ve always tried to remain objective about Poppet’s development and capability and this is going to be important this year, for her skills will be stretched.
This will be her last year of primary school, which means she will join the ranks of the senior students. This is a little ironic for, although she is of the appropriate age, she is more aligned with the Grade 3’s intellectually. This not withstanding, she is mostly accepted by her peers and will have the opportunity to enjoy some new challenges.
Last year, a number of leadership positions were offered to the soon-to-be Grade 6 students. Students needed to be nominated and were required to give a speech as to why they would be the best person for the role. Poppet was interested in taking on one of these roles and chose the Performing Arts as her field of interest.
She spent weeks preparing her speech and made up small prompt cards, with the help of her aide. On the day, she delivered her speech mellifluously and was elected by her peers, as Performing Arts Leader. She will have two other girls working with her and they will be involved in many facets of the performing arts for the whole school. She will also be involved in the School’s bush band as well as becoming a ‘buddy’ to one of the Prep students.
I’m keen for Poppet to have a go at these opportunities. I can see that she will benefit greatly from having a leadership role, instead of always following what others are directing her to do, and performing arts, as you’ve probably gathered is her major strength.
In addition to this, she will also be involved to an extent, in selecting a secondary school for 2015. I’ve written about this before and there is more to write, for it is such a huge decision. I want to make sure Poppet is familiar with the options available and has a say in the discussion because she will reap the benefits of a joint decision.
Outside of school, she will continue to work with her tutor each week as a way of honing in on specific skills. She will continue with her piano playing and wants to learn songs that are more complex; she also wants to continue with her swimming and is now keen to swim in more races with Special Olympics.
It’s always exciting I believe, buying a new diary. Looking at each day of each month, the year ahead is unknown, to a large extent. Who knows what will happen, what joys or challenges lay before us? As I wrote in all the new entries, such as birthdays, holidays and swimming contests, I made another resolution: to make sure Poppet has time to just ‘be’.