SCHOOL IS FUN!

I truly don't think I had witnessed real struggle, determination, patience and perserverence until we began attending Conductive Education. When you see little children with disabilities spend hours of hard tiring work and effort to try and do even the littlest things that we take for granted, like clap their hands or roll or sit it is inspiring but heartbreaking at the same time. People typically develop motor strength and skills from babyhood in order of neck/head, trunk, arms and finally legs. Without the strength in the neck and trunk, it is impossible to roll, direct your hands, sit, or progress to the next stages of development. As a general rule, if a child has no head control by age 2, and cannot sit unaided at 4, then the prognosis for walking has traditionally not been very good. Conductive Education doesnt see cerebral palsy as an illness to be treated but a problem with learning and believes that everyone can learn. So the rolling grasping, sitting etc that other kids learn to do naturally, we teach to our children through hours of repetition and music. This has been of enormous benefit to many children with motor disorders and it is inspiring for Wayne and I to see the children who have been attending for a number of years maximising their potential. These kids are not "normal"even after years of therapy, that's impossible. But they seem happy, motivated to try, and are all performing above what doctors predicted for them and that gives us hope. A lot of the children who were told they would not walk are walking, the same for speech. We don't expect a magic cure but we do see that this is the only place for Kaitlin to be to reach her very best, whatever that may be. Her teachers and the other parents are so optimistic and positive. (well us parents have the odd meltdown but it's nice because we can take turns and be there for each other). It is this sense of hope and positivity and nothing is impossible that I love. Not just that, but the conductors do not just teach our children they LOVE them. They make learning enjoyable and rewarding and build the childrens self esteem, and they give us parents encouragement and valuable tools and knowledge to take home as well. We are still working on the head/neck/trunk control with Kaitlin. Her progress is slow, but it is there and the smallest achievements are cause for celebration. We see improvements all the time. And her enjoyment of the classes and beautiful smiles when she does something right are awesome. Here she is doing her thing