Normal?

What is normal? And is it really necessary?


We got in to the occupational therapist months ahead of schedule. They had a cancellation. I had been clear that I could drop everything and be there at an hour's notice. They believed me! So we got in (fortunately with more than an hour's notice) and everything went fairly well at the evaluation. I've not got the report back yet though. She said it is pretty lengthy.... hmm..... yeah, that makes me feel better.

She did, of course, recommend we come in for weekly therapy. The first appointment was this week. I asked her if she could screen Tamarin for motor based issues and she agreed to let all the kids play for a little while together since she wanted to see how Howler interacts with her sisters anyway.

Release the hounds! That poor girl (who probably isn't that much younger than me, honestly, but probably has no kids) looked incredibly overwhelmed. After about fifteen minutes of observation she asked me, "Which one was it you were worried about?" In that very obvious, I can't tell because they all are abnormal, kind of voice.

I did admit there are plenty of times my household is chaos and it is a little hard since most people don't know how to handle my kids. In fact their grandparents don't like to watch all of them for long periods of time. I wouldn't imagine tricking anyone that isn't family into keeping them :p

They are willful and independent. That is partially by design. For any of you that know me, I've always been.... unique..... I don't run to the beat of my own drum, I've got a swing band (Hey, Pachuco!). I'm proud that my kids do the same, but yes, sometimes, it can be hard.

Sometimes, you can look at the people with their kids lined up beside them, perfectly quiet and hardly noticeable even after they have been spoken to. You imagine what it would be like to not have to constantly say, "slow down, quiet, stop, don't" especially in public.

Then, I think about those kids when they are released to the freedom of a field. Do they know what to do without being told what to do? Can they come up with their own imaginative play? What will they do when they are older and they deal with adult bullies? I can't imagine my children allowing someone to step all over them.

The good news is I am raising kids that won't put up with someone not respecting them. I am raising children with huge, colorful imaginations. I am raising children that don't think or act like 'normal' children.

So thank you, young Miss Therapist, but I think I'll keep my abnormal kids the way they are. There are enough cookie cutter children out there. I don't believe all children should be restricted to "acceptable" behavior to be considered normal. I'll let you work with my four year old on transitions, but remember I'm watching and this mama bear has a mean bite.