Something interesting to think about......

As we prepare Emma Sage to head off to public school......yes, sadly, I have to return to work, so I must send my sweet pea to school, as I can't do both and homeschool her. [This is not to say that I won't continue to school her on top of school [co-schooling I call it] as I have done with all of her siblings.

So the topic of Retarding Environments has come up, as Little Miss is very quick to assess the situation she is in and if she feels those around here do not presume competence or hold the bar too low, she will play right into it and give them 'exactly' what they assume.

This came to play this week at two different events. The first was at her first Special Olympic meeting. She was paired with two lovely teenage girls, who began to treat her like she was a 'baby' and BAM......Emma Sage was seen doing a 'flop and drop' on the track....something she NEVER does with us, as she knows better. I had to have a little talk with the girls to talk to her as they would any six year old and to know that she is to never behave like that again [they were giggling and thinking it was cute].

and then today, off to floor hockey we went. This is a program at the YMCA, where all the children are just grouped by age [5 & 6 year olds]......and here, no one treats her any differently than any of the other children...they are all just five and six year olds learning and playing the game of floor hockey. Guess what....no flop and drop......just a little girl who plays and plays, listens to the directions, talks with the other children and is having lots of fun.

So, I have written Emma Sage's Mission Statement, I have ordered the DVD from Norman Kunc called INCLUSIVE EDUCATION: Rediscovering Our Right to Belong and when I head to our first meeting on April 3rd, I will make sure that all those who work with Emma Sage at school will Presume Competence.


The girls.....these three are the only girls in the league........out of 20 some boys [who play like they are professional hockey players and are going for the Stanly Cup] They all get along so well.

Waiting for the puck to come out to back up the front line.


Playing the game.......right there, intense and loving it!!!


I love this photograph....this instructor is so good with Emma Sage, he always encourages and helps her play her position.


This photograph was so neat, as the sun shining on the wall looked like an arrow pointing at my little player as she is bathed in light. She is getting ready to do the 'end of the game, hand smack'....which is one of her favorite parts of the game.

A funny thing....all the children treat her just as they do everyone else. In warm ups today, Emma Sage would get her turn and then go to the line...but instead of going all the way to the back, she would 'cut'....which did not fly for all the boy players on her team, who pushed her back behind them....all the way till she was at the end. It is so great to watch children figure it out. After a few pushes towards the back, Emma Sage figured out all on her own that she should just go all the way to the back on her own [or be put there by her teammates! lol!!!!]

and this one is a picture that just breaks a Momma's heart......

My little girl got wacked pretty good in the thick of the game and her coach was consoling her........needless to say, as soon as she saw the puck come back towards her, the tears dried up and she was off running and hitting the puck!!!