Writing Woes

IntelliGent was ready for school in every area except writing. This has been a source of frustration for him, as his brain tells his hands to do things they are not capable of doing yet. He doesn't even enjoy coloring.

Recognizing his limitations in this area, I keep writing to a minimum during school. I've learned that IntelliGent likes to connect things with lines and circle correct answers. His lines and circles are well formed, but when asked to write the number one, he'd balk.

That was, until we introduced a fun iPad app called Letter School.


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IntelliGent's favorite part of his school day is Letter School. We often do it last, like a reward for paying attention and trying new things. Because IntelliGent can trace the letters with his finger, it takes away the difficulty of holding a writing instrument. He loves making the letters and earning the stars. I love the confidence he is building.

This confidence is spilling over into his regular school work. He rarely balks when I suggest he tries to write a letter or number without assistance.

Number 4 written by IntelliGent

I was impressed this week when, instead of just scribbling, IntelliGent picked up his crayon and decided to draw a self-portrait. For a boy who has shown very little interest in art, this was a huge surprise. Dr. Dad and I thought the outcome was amazing.

2.5 year old IntelliGent's Self-portrait - Labeled for clarification

Writing tires IntelliGent faster than any other academic exercise. After he drew himself, and then told us about the picture, he was done coloring for quite a while. You can bet that little self-portrait is tucked away safely in IntelliGent's memory box.

With all the success we've had recently with writing, I thought we might have finally beat the writing woes. But yesterday proved that wrong. IntelliGent, once again, balked at picking up his pencil. When he did comply, his heart was not in the work.

While I could have been frustrated, I wasn't. The writing ability will come with time.

School isn't about paperwork, after all, it is about the joy of discovery. And we can discover a lot more without a pencil tucked between the fingers.

Developmental Milestone Lag

Watching a child develop is a wonderful and sometimes frightening experience. IntelliGent has been delayed with his gross motor skills from the beginning. He was slow to smile, roll over, and crawl. I thought he'd never walk. While all his peers were up on their feet, IntelliGent was content to scoot around the room on his bum.

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15 month old IntelliGent happily scooting along at the park.

At IntelliGent's 12 month check up, the doctor expressed concern because IntelliGent was still not pulling himself up and trying to stand. An X-ray was scheduled.

While I understand the purpose of developmental checklists, sometimes they create a lot of unnecessary stress for mothers. The days between getting the orders for the X-ray and the follow-up appointment with the doctor were scary. Every "what if" ran through my mind.

But there was nothing wrong with IntelliGent. He just wasn't ready.

I've learned since that IntelliGent has his own timetable for development. He waits until he can do something well before he tries. Even though he didn't walk until 20 months, when he did it was without the nasty falls that younger walkers often experience. IntelliGent's cautious nature has saved him from bumps, bruises, cuts and scrapes. He's never needed a band aid.

IntelliGent still isn't hitting certain milestone "on time," but I'm no longer worried. He'll jump and alternate feet walking up the stairs when he is ready.

IntelliGent and Dr. Dad out for a stroll with the wagon