schooling option

wahm306 · Oct 31, 2011

Well, I have been on these boards since my twins wre born in 2004 but I do not post much. I had my mind made up that I would homeschool them since they were little. I did that for Kindergarten and until now. My kids have wanted to go to school so bad and I have always struggled with my decision to put them in school or not. They would have kids in girl scouts and softball that they know but its just not the same and all the kids would play with each other because they are in the same school so they know each other more. I made the decision to go talk to the principal and he seems like they will be very accomodating (sp?) ect. The one thing that struck me was the nurse saying they have several children in the school with cf. Not a couple or a few but several. I guess the one thing that I was thinking of was... I am glad they have some information on it and what they need ect that I really didnt even think about them catching bugs ect from them. I did explain to them they cannot be near other cfers and they seemes like they knew that and say they will try but they cannot guarantee keeping them apart of course. I was doing okay-ish until I read on here about schooling, germs, cfers, missing school, sickness, kids making fun of them ect... now I cant sleep! Im crying, thinking OMG what am I doing.. is this a bad choice and I cant sleep!!! Im not sure what Im looking for here with my post, maybe to just get it off my chest but I am so scarred! =( BTW they are 7 years old. Thanks for listening and Hello to everyone (again) =D
 
Jennifer

wahm306 · Oct 31, 2011

Well, I have been on these boards since my twins wre born in 2004 but I do not post much. I had my mind made up that I would homeschool them since they were little. I did that for Kindergarten and until now. My kids have wanted to go to school so bad and I have always struggled with my decision to put them in school or not. They would have kids in girl scouts and softball that they know but its just not the same and all the kids would play with each other because they are in the same school so they know each other more. I made the decision to go talk to the principal and he seems like they will be very accomodating (sp?) ect. The one thing that struck me was the nurse saying they have several children in the school with cf. Not a couple or a few but several. I guess the one thing that I was thinking of was... I am glad they have some information on it and what they need ect that I really didnt even think about them catching bugs ect from them. I did explain to them they cannot be near other cfers and they seemes like they knew that and say they will try but they cannot guarantee keeping them apart of course. I was doing okay-ish until I read on here about schooling, germs, cfers, missing school, sickness, kids making fun of them ect... now I cant sleep! Im crying, thinking OMG what am I doing.. is this a bad choice and I cant sleep!!! Im not sure what Im looking for here with my post, maybe to just get it off my chest but I am so scarred! =( BTW they are 7 years old. Thanks for listening and Hello to everyone (again) =D

Jennifer

wahm306 · Oct 31, 2011

Well, I have been on these boards since my twins wre born in 2004 but I do not post much. I had my mind made up that I would homeschool them since they were little. I did that for Kindergarten and until now. My kids have wanted to go to school so bad and I have always struggled with my decision to put them in school or not. They would have kids in girl scouts and softball that they know but its just not the same and all the kids would play with each other because they are in the same school so they know each other more. I made the decision to go talk to the principal and he seems like they will be very accomodating (sp?) ect. The one thing that struck me was the nurse saying they have several children in the school with cf. Not a couple or a few but several. I guess the one thing that I was thinking of was... I am glad they have some information on it and what they need ect that I really didnt even think about them catching bugs ect from them. I did explain to them they cannot be near other cfers and they seemes like they knew that and say they will try but they cannot guarantee keeping them apart of course. I was doing okay-ish until I read on here about schooling, germs, cfers, missing school, sickness, kids making fun of them ect... now I cant sleep! Im crying, thinking OMG what am I doing.. is this a bad choice and I cant sleep!!! Im not sure what Im looking for here with my post, maybe to just get it off my chest but I am so scarred! =( BTW they are 7 years old. Thanks for listening and Hello to everyone (again) =D

Jennifer

jessykt · Oct 31, 2011

Maybe the school would be able to arrange a meeting between you and the other cf parents just to see who has what...i hear cepacia (sp) is the worst thing to catch. If no one has that, maybe it would put your mind more at ease. The thing is, you could be around a person with cf anywhere and not know it. I am very open about having cf, and after class (college) one day, a woman came up to me and said she has it too. We had been in class for about a year together. My very first question was, "Do you have cepacia?" She didn't, so after that we just avoided each other if one was coughing. I just made sure to use hand sanitizer, try my best to stay away from coughing folks, and sometimes I just skipped class if there were just too many people getting sick.

And as much as it stinks, kids will always be made fun of. You have to instill a sense of self-worth in your kiddos to help them over the hump. If you start a conversation early on and continue it, you can talk about what makes people do that. Most of the time it's something that is bugging the TEASER, and that person needs to address it. Of course, that won't help your child's feelings in the moment, but when they understand we all have some burden to carry and different ways of "dealing" with it, they will become better people. They will know their mother is a soft place to fall and can count on you.

jessykt · Oct 31, 2011

Maybe the school would be able to arrange a meeting between you and the other cf parents just to see who has what...i hear cepacia (sp) is the worst thing to catch. If no one has that, maybe it would put your mind more at ease. The thing is, you could be around a person with cf anywhere and not know it. I am very open about having cf, and after class (college) one day, a woman came up to me and said she has it too. We had been in class for about a year together. My very first question was, "Do you have cepacia?" She didn't, so after that we just avoided each other if one was coughing. I just made sure to use hand sanitizer, try my best to stay away from coughing folks, and sometimes I just skipped class if there were just too many people getting sick.

And as much as it stinks, kids will always be made fun of. You have to instill a sense of self-worth in your kiddos to help them over the hump. If you start a conversation early on and continue it, you can talk about what makes people do that. Most of the time it's something that is bugging the TEASER, and that person needs to address it. Of course, that won't help your child's feelings in the moment, but when they understand we all have some burden to carry and different ways of "dealing" with it, they will become better people. They will know their mother is a soft place to fall and can count on you.

jessykt · Oct 31, 2011

Maybe the school would be able to arrange a meeting between you and the other cf parents just to see who has what...i hear cepacia (sp) is the worst thing to catch. If no one has that, maybe it would put your mind more at ease. The thing is, you could be around a person with cf anywhere and not know it. I am very open about having cf, and after class (college) one day, a woman came up to me and said she has it too. We had been in class for about a year together. My very first question was, "Do you have cepacia?" She didn't, so after that we just avoided each other if one was coughing. I just made sure to use hand sanitizer, try my best to stay away from coughing folks, and sometimes I just skipped class if there were just too many people getting sick.
 
 And as much as it stinks, kids will always be made fun of. You have to instill a sense of self-worth in your kiddos to help them over the hump. If you start a conversation early on and continue it, you can talk about what makes people do that. Most of the time it's something that is bugging the TEASER, and that person needs to address it. Of course, that won't help your child's feelings in the moment, but when they understand we all have some burden to carry and different ways of "dealing" with it, they will become better people. They will know their mother is a soft place to fall and can count on you.

concernedmom · Oct 31, 2011

How big is the school? I know the school can't release the names/conditions/etc of the other children without the parents' consent; however, they should at least be able to tell you how many children have it. And, if the school is largish, which grades the other children are in.

Depending on the size of the school, "several" may not be too difficult to avoid if they are different grades from your twins. Our school is largish (1300 students K-5, 6 classrooms/grade.) Having multiple children with cf at a school this size is not as concerning as say at a school of 300 with only 2 classrooms/grade.

Of course, I'd want to know how they handle times kids aren't in the regular classroom such as (1) lunch periods (ours is by grade so not an issue unless there happens to be another child with CF in the same grade), (2) gym, art, etc. (do they stay with their class or would there be overlap?), (3) and any applicable pull-outs like gifted/talented, resource, speech therapy, etc, (4) nurse (to ensure two cf kids aren't there at the same time also what the protocal is for cleaning between children, and (5) extracurriculars such as sports, choir, academic bowls, etc.

Also, what's the protocal for cleaning the shared classrooms and/or lunch tables in between classes?

concernedmom · Oct 31, 2011

How big is the school? I know the school can't release the names/conditions/etc of the other children without the parents' consent; however, they should at least be able to tell you how many children have it. And, if the school is largish, which grades the other children are in.

Depending on the size of the school, "several" may not be too difficult to avoid if they are different grades from your twins. Our school is largish (1300 students K-5, 6 classrooms/grade.) Having multiple children with cf at a school this size is not as concerning as say at a school of 300 with only 2 classrooms/grade.

Of course, I'd want to know how they handle times kids aren't in the regular classroom such as (1) lunch periods (ours is by grade so not an issue unless there happens to be another child with CF in the same grade), (2) gym, art, etc. (do they stay with their class or would there be overlap?), (3) and any applicable pull-outs like gifted/talented, resource, speech therapy, etc, (4) nurse (to ensure two cf kids aren't there at the same time also what the protocal is for cleaning between children, and (5) extracurriculars such as sports, choir, academic bowls, etc.

Also, what's the protocal for cleaning the shared classrooms and/or lunch tables in between classes?

concernedmom · Oct 31, 2011

How big is the school? I know the school can't release the names/conditions/etc of the other children without the parents' consent; however, they should at least be able to tell you how many children have it. And, if the school is largish, which grades the other children are in.
 
 Depending on the size of the school, "several" may not be too difficult to avoid if they are different grades from your twins. Our school is largish (1300 students K-5, 6 classrooms/grade.) Having multiple children with cf at a school this size is not as concerning as say at a school of 300 with only 2 classrooms/grade.
 
 Of course, I'd want to know how they handle times kids aren't in the regular classroom such as (1) lunch periods (ours is by grade so not an issue unless there happens to be another child with CF in the same grade), (2) gym, art, etc. (do they stay with their class or would there be overlap?), (3) and any applicable pull-outs like gifted/talented, resource, speech therapy, etc, (4) nurse (to ensure two cf kids aren't there at the same time also what the protocal is for cleaning between children, and (5) extracurriculars such as sports, choir, academic bowls, etc.
 
 Also, what's the protocal for cleaning the shared classrooms and/or lunch tables in between classes?

Ratatosk · Oct 31, 2011

Could be the children are quite a bit older and that several means they've dealt with it in the past over the course of several years.

When DS was diagnosed, I wasn't too concerned as he was the youngest of the local people wcf in the area; however, two years later, they began doing State newborn screening and 5 were diagnosed in our city the first month. He's still the first child in our school district to have CF; however, next year there will be another child two years younger than him attending the same elementary school, so we'll need to visit with the teachers and staff about making sure they're kept apart, which shouldn't be an issue due to separate recess and lunch schedules.

Ratatosk · Oct 31, 2011

Could be the children are quite a bit older and that several means they've dealt with it in the past over the course of several years.

When DS was diagnosed, I wasn't too concerned as he was the youngest of the local people wcf in the area; however, two years later, they began doing State newborn screening and 5 were diagnosed in our city the first month. He's still the first child in our school district to have CF; however, next year there will be another child two years younger than him attending the same elementary school, so we'll need to visit with the teachers and staff about making sure they're kept apart, which shouldn't be an issue due to separate recess and lunch schedules.

Ratatosk · Oct 31, 2011

Could be the children are quite a bit older and that several means they've dealt with it in the past over the course of several years.
 
 When DS was diagnosed, I wasn't too concerned as he was the youngest of the local people wcf in the area; however, two years later, they began doing State newborn screening and 5 were diagnosed in our city the first month. He's still the first child in our school district to have CF; however, next year there will be another child two years younger than him attending the same elementary school, so we'll need to visit with the teachers and staff about making sure they're kept apart, which shouldn't be an issue due to separate recess and lunch schedules.

PatrickM · Oct 31, 2011

Hi Jennifer,

I think if your kids have asked to go to school as terrifying as it may seem you should try it. You can meet with the school and I would ask the school to contact the other CF parents and ask them if they would mind talking to you. That may put your mind at ease. Hopefully these are not kids in the same grade, but I think even that can be managed.

There are parts of school that are hard, for all kids and especially kids with an added challenge like CF. That said, there is so much social and emotional growth that can be gained in school as well. So many great teachers they can learn from.

My son is 14 and just started high school. He is constantly pushing me to allow him to do things I just don't want him to do, like going out on the weekend nights, sleeping at friends houses, going away for the weekend with friends. I just want him to stay home where I can take care of him.

That isn't realistic though, and that isn't the life I want him to lead. Unless I feel he would really be putting his health at risk I try to let him do the things he wants to do. I know this is scary for you and you have pretty much been able to protect your kids by homeschooling them, but being out there in the real world so to speak every day will give them experiences that will allow them to grow and live life fully. That is just "my" perspective and I wish you the very best making this hard decision.

Tara

PatrickM · Oct 31, 2011

Hi Jennifer,

I think if your kids have asked to go to school as terrifying as it may seem you should try it. You can meet with the school and I would ask the school to contact the other CF parents and ask them if they would mind talking to you. That may put your mind at ease. Hopefully these are not kids in the same grade, but I think even that can be managed.

There are parts of school that are hard, for all kids and especially kids with an added challenge like CF. That said, there is so much social and emotional growth that can be gained in school as well. So many great teachers they can learn from.

My son is 14 and just started high school. He is constantly pushing me to allow him to do things I just don't want him to do, like going out on the weekend nights, sleeping at friends houses, going away for the weekend with friends. I just want him to stay home where I can take care of him.

That isn't realistic though, and that isn't the life I want him to lead. Unless I feel he would really be putting his health at risk I try to let him do the things he wants to do. I know this is scary for you and you have pretty much been able to protect your kids by homeschooling them, but being out there in the real world so to speak every day will give them experiences that will allow them to grow and live life fully. That is just "my" perspective and I wish you the very best making this hard decision.

Tara

PatrickM · Oct 31, 2011

Hi Jennifer,
 
 I think if your kids have asked to go to school as terrifying as it may seem you should try it. You can meet with the school and I would ask the school to contact the other CF parents and ask them if they would mind talking to you. That may put your mind at ease. Hopefully these are not kids in the same grade, but I think even that can be managed.
 
 There are parts of school that are hard, for all kids and especially kids with an added challenge like CF. That said, there is so much social and emotional growth that can be gained in school as well. So many great teachers they can learn from.
 
 My son is 14 and just started high school. He is constantly pushing me to allow him to do things I just don't want him to do, like going out on the weekend nights, sleeping at friends houses, going away for the weekend with friends. I just want him to stay home where I can take care of him.

That isn't realistic though, and that isn't the life I want him to lead. Unless I feel he would really be putting his health at risk I try to let him do the things he wants to do. I know this is scary for you and you have pretty much been able to protect your kids by homeschooling them, but being out there in the real world so to speak every day will give them experiences that will allow them to grow and live life fully. That is just "my" perspective and I wish you the very best making this hard decision.
 
 Tara

schooling option

wahm306

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Ratatosk

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