Moving On

Yesterday was a graduation day of sorts for Haley.  I met with the school system to discuss Haley’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan).  I’ve always heard that the meeting itself is a stressful process, maybe for some it truly is, but it was pretty painless for me……for the most part.

The CDSA (Children’s Development Service Agency) has held our hands throughout the therapy process since Haley was 11 months old.  They have been the number one most important resource for us in regards to Haley’s developmental treatment.  They have made sure Haley was provided the therapies she needed, opened doors of opportunity for her and helped me navigate through the very confusing system of insurance and therapy providers.  Saying goodbye to her case worker today was a lot harder than I thought it would be.   

It was difficult to think that they have been with us from the very beginning, and now we are being turned over to a whole new system.  I’m sure we will be taken well care of, but just like anything else, I do not deal well with change.  I think back to what Haley was at 11 months old and what she is today and wonder how different things could have been without their help.  We could have not known about all the wonderful programs she participates in and certainly would have a LOT more financial stress because of the high therapy costs. 

This is also the last week she will have with her current therapists.  Some of which she has been with for a long long time.  She will be switched over to the school system teachers and therapists after she turns 3.  I suppose this is something I should get used to, changing of teachers every year.  But her current therapists have worked so hard and helped her come so far, it will be hard to see the changing of the guards. 

But most of her new therapists, Haley already knows.  You see, a lot of them already see other children at her school and they have called “dibs” on Haley a long time ago, and have told me so.  Apparently Haley is a very popular little girl and a pleasure to work with.  So she has seen them in her school, I’m sure she “knows” them and will be comfortable working with them. 

I was pleased with the goals they made for her and the amount of therapy they offered.  It is, of course, less than what was offered by the CDSA.  She will still get an hour of speech therapy a week but all other therapies are cut in about 1/2.  But I think that its time to back off a little from therapy anyway.  Haley has been in INTENSE amounts of therapy for over 2 years now.  I think its time for her to enjoy as normal as possible classroom experience for once.  Some may disagree with me and say I should have fought for more therapy, but honestly…..I am FINE with what we were offered.  We work hard with her at home, she will be ok.  Another major difference is they follow the school calendar, so she will not get therapy when school is out, which will be weird.     

If this transition process has been difficult for me to handle, I can’t even BEGIN to imagine the day that she has to leave her current school.  I will be worse than my mom when I graduated high school LOL!  But its all a part of growing up I suppose.