ML Interest Tag: assessment

Learning the Difference between Expectations & Reality

By Wendy Robles

My son was born on July 31, 2015, along with his twin sister Aria. They were perfect and they were mine! It was one of the happiest days of my life. I waited so long to become a mother. We had had many losses until this pregnancy and I had never felt such joy and happiness. The feeling was incredible. I never realized I could love a person this much until this day. I couldn’t help but think of our future and how bright it would be with these two amazing little humans joining us. We were going to make so many happy memories and have lots of fun. I was ready for our new life to start. We had so many new adventures waiting for us. It was the four of us, we were finally a family.

I started to imagine all of the fun things we would do as a family. I saw us playing together at the park. I was chasing the twins as we played tag, they would chase me too and I could see their beautiful bright smiles. I could see me and my husband pushing them on the swings. I could hear the laughter fill the air, it brought a smile to my face and my eyes filled with tears.

I envisioned us at Sea World cheering during the shows as we ate popcorn and watched the dolphins gracefully emerge from the water and do flips in the air. There was one thing that made me the most excited. That was seeing us board an airplane to visit my parents, the kid’s grandparents, in Wisconsin. They would get to see where I grew up, which is much different than California. I could see them having so much fun playing in the country with the fresh clean Midwest air flowing through their tiny little bodies. The kids would be able to run wild and free through cornfields as I did when I was a child. I couldn’t wait to see their faces light up just like the lightning bugs we would chase on a warm humid summer evening. I had so much to show them about the world I grew up in and I couldn’t wait.

As the twins got closer to turning one, I couldn’t help but notice the difference in their development. My son was much further behind than his twin sister. I started to worry and question everything. Everyone told me he’s a boy, don’t worry. I brought up my concerns to the kid’s pediatrician. She confirmed what everyone else had told me, he’s a boy, they take longer than girls for mostly everything, so don’t worry. I still worried because my motherly instinct knew that something was wrong with my sweet Dom. I knew I had to help him and fast.

I started researching on the internet and became obsessed. I spent many days and nights searching for answers. I got on Facebook groups and asked other moms lots of questions. One Facebook group I found was called Finding Cooper’s Voice. Another Midwest mama, I was intrigued by all of Kate’s posts. I knew then that my son had autism. Now it was time to get the ball rolling. I made appointments to get an assessment done to see if my gut was telling me the truth. I was right, Dom had autism.

I was confused, hurt, and mad. I didn’t know how this happened. Was it my fault, did I not take good enough care of myself when I was pregnant. What did I do wrong? Why did this happen to us? Why did this happen to my son? I couldn’t make sense of it all. I don’t think I will ever understand, but I did know that I had to get it together and help my son.

We started rigorous therapy programs to get Dom all the help he needed. Our lives changed in an instant and it was a drastic change. We had to accept the new normal, our new normal. We did everything we could to help our little guy. I prayed every day for God to help us.

I have learned a lot throughout the years. I’ve learned that some friends will disappear, that family will be your best support system, and that you will have good days, and you will have very difficult days—many more than you want. The most important thing I learned is that the love I have for my son is stronger than anything. I will go to battle for him and stand up for his rights. I will never quit on him and I will always be his biggest advocate. Our family has grown so much and we will always be Dom’s biggest supporters!

feature image via iStock

Wendy Robles lives in California with her husband and twins. She's an ICU Registered Nurse, she advocates for her patients and her son who is on the autism spectrum. Through her blog she tells her experiences of raising a child on the spectrum, the good and the ugly. 

 
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This New Reading Assessment Tool Is a Game-Changer

by Erica Loop

Researchers at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center recently developed a new screening tool that can help to assess preschoolers’ early literacy skills—and the first of its kind type of tool uses a specially designed children’s book.

The study, published in the journal Pediatrics, looked at how well The Reading House (TRH) book-based assessment tool could identify early literacy skills in children ages three through five. Seventy preschoolers completed standardized assessments and 52 completed MRI’s to measure the gray matter surface of their brains.

girl reading

photo: Andrea Piacquadio via Pexels

The researchers found a connection between a thicker gray matter, or cortex, and higher TRH scores. Of the results, TRH book designer John Hutton, MD said, “We found significantly thicker gray matter cortex in the left-sided areas of the brain in children with higher TRH scores, which align with cortical thickness patterns found in older children and adults with higher reading skills.” Hutton continued, “This is an important neurobiological correlate of screened skills at this formative age, when the brain is growing rapidly.”

While the TRH book assessment is designed for use in pediatric healthcare, early education settings, and schools, its potential extends into the greater community and into the individual child’s life. Hutton noted, “By screening early during pediatric clinic visits, especially in practices serving disadvantaged families, we can hopefully target effective interventions that help children better prepare for kindergarten and improve reading outcomes––literally ‘shaping their brains to read.’ ”

—Erica Loop

 

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The One Thing I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me about Breastfeeding

By Monet Florence Combs CD(DONA)

Editor’s Note: Here at Red Tricycle, we respect and celebrate every mom’s feeding journey. Bottle? Boob? It doesn’t matter—we believe fed is best. Our Spoke Contributor Network is inclusive and open to all parenting journeys—yours, too!

Neither of my breastfeeding experiences went exactly as planned. The first time around, I had no reason to think that I wouldn’t have a full milk supply. I read all the books, I took the class, I even researched what to do if my baby had a tongue-tie, since I knew that ties ran on my husband’s side of the family.

Not once had anyone told me that it might not be possible to make a full supply. I hadn’t seen the signs, because I didn’t know to look for them. I assumed that I would be capable of exclusively breastfeeding, and even had fantasies about making so much that I could donate milk to moms in need.

Surprise! My body had different plans for me. I didn’t know that when my breasts had developed as a teenager, they developed with an under-researched and widely misunderstood deformation called hypoplasia. I always knew they were what I would describe as “weird,” but I had no idea there was a name for their uniqueness.

Hypoplasia is associated with its sister diagnosis, Insufficient Glandular Tissue (IGT). The constricted formation of the breasts that occurs with hypoplasia can cause the glands to become underdeveloped. Hormonal or environmental disruptions during any of the four stages of breast development can cause it. This often equals less milk, but not in every case.

There are many other physiologic factors that can result in low supply, many of which are common for those with hypoplasia, such as thyroid dysfunction, insulin resistance, PCOS, and low prolactin levels. For me, the boxes that I checked (determined by bloodwork or visual assessment) were hypoplasia, hypothyroidism, and insulin resistance. You can see how it was the perfect cocktail for low supply, and how complicated it can be to diagnose the underlying problem(s). It’s largely a process of elimination.

Perpetuating the myth that every biological female is capable of breastfeeding does more harm than good. The above hormonal health issues are not uncommon amongst women of reproductive age. In the low supply community, there is an overarching frustration that, despite all the breastfeeding preparation we go through, not once did anyone ever tell us that it may not be possible to have a full supply.

I’m also a doula, and there’s not much awareness in the birth sphere about physiologic reasons for low milk supply. Moms who experience low supply are usually treated as if they are capable of having a full supply—there’s just something that they’re doing wrong. Just take some fenugreek, eat some oatmeal, and nurse on-demand.

The implication of this one-size-fits-all treatment of low-suppliers is a real shame because these moms don’t get the help they need and may walk away from breastfeeding feeling like a failure. It’s common to internalize the experience, with thoughts like, “What kind of a mother am I if I can’t even feed my own child?”

Last year during World Breastfeeding Week, I shared a bit about my personal story with having a low supply on my Facebook page. A well-meaning doula friend launched into “Well, did you try this?” Yes. Yes, I did. “How about this?” Yes. “Well usually when you do it this way, then this happens…” And so forth. I eventually just stopped replying, painful thoughts bubbling to the surface even though I hadn’t attempted to breastfeed in a year.

If you’re currently struggling with low supply, just know that it’s not always just a supply and demand problem. Seek help from a breastfeeding consultant, and shop around for one that specializes in low supply. There is a wide spectrum of the amount of understanding about the topic even among breastfeeding professionals.

And if you know someone currently in the trenches, please support their efforts and tell them that they’re a good mom, and the size of their supply doesn’t equal the size of their love for their baby. And for goodness sake, whatever you do, don’t shame them for supplementing. Babies have to eat, whether it be their mother’s milk, another mother’s milk, or formula. Remember, the size of your supply does not determine your worth as a mother. Everyone’s journey is different, and every drop counts.

 

 

Monet Florence Combs CD(DONA)
Tinybeans Voices Contributor

Monet Florence Combs CD(DONA) is a mom of two tiny humans and motherhood transition coach who is obsessed with helping improve maternal mental health by teaching new moms how to reprogram their beliefs on her podcast, Birth of a Mother. 

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Give Virtual Education a Boost with These Online Tutors

by Wendy Miller

Distance learning has its perks—and, let’s face it— its challenges. Getting to log in to class in your PJ bottoms is nice, but online schooling means kids aren’t getting the one-on-one time they may receive in a classroom. A personal tutor takes the guesswork out of getting a child to stay focused during a lesson. The following tutoring companies are offering online platforms that let your kids get the help they need from the comfort of their own home. If your child needs literal face time, these DC tutoring companies will also come to you.  Scroll down for the best online tutoring options  to round out your kiddo’s education and ensure they stay on track this year.

eLearning, computer, headphones, zoom call, computer, covid, distance learning, education
photo: iStock

 

Grade Potential

Grade Potential offers the most extensive menu of subjects, promising tutoring in every subject your child can take from elementary through high school, and even including college tutoring and test prep tutoring. They also offer tutoring seven days a week, from early morning to late night, perfect for working around your busy schedule. Though they do still offer in-person sessions, they have migrated most students and tutors to their online platform, making tutoring even easier and more convenient. Plus, without the overhead of a physical location, they promise lower costs to you.

Online: www.gradepotentialtutoring.com

Club Z! Tutoring Services

Club Z! promises availability 24/7 with a 98% satisfaction rate and an increase of two letter grades in two months. If you’re looking for grade-driven results, Club Z! might be exactly what you need. They offer tutoring in several subjects including pre-k, foreign language, and study skills. Plus, they have tutoring specifically for kiddos with ADHD or learning disabilities.  This service comes with a guarantee; if they don’t find you the right tutor, they’ll cover the cost of your first hour of tutoring.  Need help face-to-face, they can also come to you. 

Online: www.clubztutoring.com

photo: GSCSNJ via Flickr

Kumon

Kumon offers reading and math learning. They offer sessions for preschoolers and for advanced learners with an assessment to determine whether your child needs to catch up a bit or is ready to move ahead of the pack. What really sets Kumon apart is that tutor-led instruction includes independent work. Kumon determines where your child may have gaps in their foundational learning, then encourages your child to engage in self-learning to fill those gaps and build on their new foundation. Unlike traditional tutoring, where an instructor offers knowledge that your child may or may not fully grasp, Kumon allows your child to feel the thrill of seeking out education on their own and putting it to use. Kumon offers an online platform, but their regional centers are open and available for face-to-face help. 

Locations: Georgetown, Arlington-Yorktown, Bethesda-Brookmont, Bethesda-Chevy Chase, Silver Spring, McLean, Falls Church, Kensington

Online: www.kumon.com

Launch Math & Science Centers

Launch offers a robust menu of tutoring options  that focus on math and science. Launch makes math and science fun, but perhaps one of its most unique and useful features is that they make the work provided by your child’s school the focus of each session. Each minute of the session will not only ensure your child is gaining a better understanding of the subject, but is productively spent on work that gets counted towards their grades rather than random practice assignments.They have remote learning support, called Launch Study Hall, as well as summer and holiday camps, enrichment classes, and even an option to customize a class for your child and a few friends.

Online:: launchmath.com

photo: Rawpixels 

 

TestingMom.com

If your kid does well in school overall but they struggle with tests, TestingMom.com is the answer. With thousands of questions from the most-given major tests, your student will have plenty of chances to practice their testing skills in a low-pressure environment long before the big day arrives. TestingMom.com offers printables, interactive games, and practice tests so that the learning is always fun and interesting. They use a unique system to help your child reinforce existing abilities and beat common test-taking mistakes so that they can knock it out of the park when they take the real test.

Online: testingmom.com

—Wendy Miller

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Become a Junior Fire Marshal with This Online Training Academy

by Jennifer Swartvagher

Families looking for new and exciting educational avenues can touch on exciting topics beyond the scope of the basic core subjects. The new Junior Fire Marshal Online Training Academy from The Hartford is a fun, interactive way to teach kids about fire prevention at home and turn everyday kids into everyday heroes.  The online academy includes a variety of lessons. 

Junior Fire Marshal Training Academy

Your kids will learn more about smoke alarms, escape plans, safe meeting paces and how to respond in case of a fire emergency. 

Each lesson comes with an interactive Q&A activity including which items are safe or only for grown-ups and creating a fire escape plan to share with their families. The Junior Fire Marshal Online Training Academy culminates in an assessment where students earn the title of Junior Fire Marshal and receive a printable Certificate of Completion to help show off their new superpower.

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15 Things You Know as a Mom of Little Boys

By Noelle Kirchner

Photo: Noelle Kirchner

We have hunkered down over spring break due to the coronavirus, which has meant lots of family movie watching. One of the first flicks we were sure to catch was the last in the Star Wars series, The Rise of Skywalker. It brought me back to this article that I penned four years ago and still holds true. I added a new point to the list as well. Moms of boys, I hope this makes you smile…

My boys, ages four and six, watched the Star Wars trilogy for the first time this winter. They couldn’t wait to reenact the scenes. They became proud owners of matching lightsabers, courtesy of their grandparents.

The sabers glow red and make a sound upon impact. One afternoon after jostling, my older son ran to me in amazement. Apparently, they had just fought with their eyes closed and their lightsabers still met. He proudly announced that they now knew the ways of the Force.

While I knew they needed an outlet for their energy, especially when it was too cold to go outside, I worried the sabers would miss their intended target and leave a welt on someone’s cheek. As I laid down the respective ground rules before their next jostle, like keeping their eyes OPEN, my older son said proudly, “Mommy, you don’t have to worry. We have training.” And there was no doubt in his mind that this was the case.

This experience, among many, has matriculated in the following list. Moms of little boys know the adventure of raising them is often one with distinct markings. Along the path of wanting to raise gentlemen, I’ve had to be an observer of a world that’s very different from my own. I balance every day the desire to mold them and let go, being respectful of their boyishness. Here is what I’ve learned while maneuvering their dynamic, yet endearing world:

1. What’s cool has nothing to do with conversation or pampering—it’s watching Star Wars and memorizing every line.

2. Sword fighting requires no rules or training, at least in the way that you view training. Yoda, can you help here please?

3. Boys often bond through sports and wrestling. Sometimes they remind you of puppies. In a cute way.

4. Hugs and playful punches express equal endearment.

5. The only drama they know is playing until someone gets hurt.

6. Their pockets are always full—of something. Sometimes you’d prefer not to know. But you’d better find out BEFORE doing the wash.

7. Stones really do look prettier after the wash though.

8. Boys need a special place to stash their treasures. These treasures might include: a rock, stick, dead bug, baseball card, or money. All have equivalent value despite your assessment.

9. What’s gross is often either interesting or funny or both.

10. It’s not their stuff unless they can mess with it. And mess with it means tie ropes to it, punch holes in it, dunk it in water to “experiment” with it, launch it, etc…

11. They prefer to be on the move…to anywhere and at anytime.

12. Still, going shopping requires motivation, unless you’re buying food or sporting equipment.

13. Speaking of food, when you cook a meal they enjoy, they really do feel your love (and this doesn’t change as they get older).

14. A favorite shirt isn’t truly a favorite unless you have to pry it off of their bodies to wash it. The word dirty isn’t in their vocabulary and certainly doesn’t apply to anything beloved.

15. Sometimes when they hold you, they make little gestures they only do with you, and you remember them as your baby. Those are the best moments of your day.

This post originally appeared on Mamapedia.

Noelle Kirchner believes we don’t have to live with full schedules and thin souls. A mom of boys, she's a minister who's published in places like the TODAY Show Parenting Team, Huff Post Parents and iBelieve.com. Her television show, Chaos to Calm, features parenting hot topics and has hosted three New York Times bestselling authors.

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A New Ship Is Coming to Disney Cruise Line & It’ll Make All Your Dreams Come True

by Erica Loop

If your “wish” is to cruise the high seas with Disney, you’ll have an all-new option soon! Disney recently revealed that it’s adding a fifth ship, the Wish, to its Cruise Line.

What can you expect from the Wish? Like Disney Cruise Line’s other ships (the Fantasy, Wonder, Dream and Magic), the Wish will feature a beloved character adorning the stern—and this time it’s Rapunzel.

https://www.instagram.com/p/B1mVXJLnbme/

According to Disney Parks, Experiences and Products Chairman Bob Chapek, in a press release, “There couldn’t be a better name for our incredible new ship because making wishes come true is part of the Disney DNA and is at the heart of so many of our cherished stories.” Chapek continued, “Each Disney Cruise Line ship is unique, with a name that embodies the excitement of sailing with Disney and the power of our stories.”

Along with the Rapunzel-themed stern, the Wish will feature a three-story atrium and plenty of amenities. Even though this new ship may make your wishes come true, you’ll have to wait until January 2022 for it to set sail.

Disney also announced a second island destination in the Bahamas. Construction on Lighthouse Point, located on the island of Eleuthera, will begin sometime between 2020 and 2023. Before breaking ground Disney will submit an Environmental Impact Assessment and Environmental Management Plan for the Government of The Bahamas to review and accept.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Disney

 

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Can Teen Acne Translate into Later Success? Here’s What Science Says

by Erica Loop

Recent research may have found the upside of adolescent acne. As it turns out, the perpetual pimples of the teen years may lead to increased GPA, better grades in some high school subjects, a higher likelihood of completing a college degree and increased eventual earnings as an adult.

The study, which was published in the Journal of Human Capital, used data from thousands of now-adults participating in the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health. The participants, who were in junior and senior high school during the 1994-95 school year were followed for decades, into their 20s and 30s.

photo: Luis Quintero via Pexels

Along with questions about grades and social life, the then-teen participants were also surveyed about their self-esteem and skin. Years later researchers asked the teens-turned-adults about college attainment and career earnings.

After reviewing the data the researchers found an association between having acne as a teen and doing better in school—specifically, English, history, math and science. The acne-prone participants were also more likely to go to college and, for the females, were more likely to outearn peers.

While there’s no clear explanation between the acne-grades or acne-earnings associations, the researchers believe the acne-prone teens may have spent less time socializing and more time studying—leading to long-term benefits. But not all experts agree with this assessment.

Child and family psychologist, Jennifer Harstein, told TODAY, “It doesn’t mean that they don’t have friends or aren’t social, it just may mean that when they have a flare-up, they tend to isolate more.” Harstein also added, “Not all people with acne have the same kinds of self-consciousness about it. Many can recognize that this is a part of development and a result of hormones shifting.”

Whatever the reason is for the acne-success connection, this study goes to show teens really can triumph over adversity!

—Erica Loop

 

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This New App from Google Listens to Your Child & Helps Them Learn How To Read

by Erica Loop

A new app wants to help your child become a reader! Developed by Google’s experimental workshop Area 120, Rivet is a reading app that goes way beyond simple story-time software.

According to stats from The Nation’s Report Card, only 36 percent of fourth graders are at or above the National Assessment of Educational Progress proficient mark and that number drops to 34 percent in eighth graders. Here’s where Rivet comes in.

The app bridges literacy and technology, creating an entirely interactive way to learn the basics—and all on your smartphone or tablet. Along with a library of 2,000 plus free books, Rivet uses advanced speech technology to help children as they read. This includes providing real-time feedback.

What else can Rivet do? If your child is stuck on a word, all they need to do is tap it to hear how it’s pronounced. The app also listens to your child as they read and points out which parts of a word they say correctly or incorrectly. Rivet also provides definitions and translations into more than 25 languages, making it an ideal app for non-native English speakers.

The app, which recently finished Beta testing, is available for Android and iOS devices (the real-time feedback feature is still yet to come for iOS) in the Play Store or App Store.

—Erica Loop

Featured photo: Drew Rae via Pexels 

 

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Sometimes You Need to Seize the Day (Here’s How I Make It Happen as a Single Mom)

By Angela Jones

A couple years ago, I wrote a post called Adventures in Single Motherhood.  I had recently been divorced and I was crippled with insecurity and fear which had an immense effect on my sense of adventure.  Since my divorce, I have done some intense rebuilding.  A tearing down to the studs and starting over type of rebuilding.

I have read lots of books and done lots of work to undo the damage which was causing the insecurity and fear.  In my self-assessment, I discovered that the number one, most important thing in my life that brings me joy is adventure.  Aside from parenting, of course, but we’re talking about trying to reignite the spark within me and figure out what apart from being a mom makes me tick.

Two years ago, my family and I decided we were going to embark on an adventure to the UK to reconnect with our family’s roots.  We decided the summer of 2019 was the year we were going.  We hadn’t all been there together as a family since 1982, and I hadn’t been back myself since the early 90’s.

My daughter has been obsessed with London since she was about 4-years-old and when her best friend went two years ago, she lost her mind with jealousy.  This was going to be a special trip.

But when it came time to actually book everything, schedules, life and outside priorities got in the way, and one by one family members started dropping like dominos, until the last two pieces standing were my daughter and I.

I’m so much more confident than I was two years ago, when we lived in Phoenix and I didn’t have the guts to travel the four-hour drive to the Grand Canyon with my daughter by myself. But I wasn’t sure I could do a two-week stint in a foreign country alone with my 11-year-old.  I also knew opportunities for these types of adventures don’t come around often, and sometimes you need to seize the day!

I started to warm up to the idea of doing the trip alone – a special mother daughter trip.  When I told my daughter the family trip had fallen apart and it was just her and I left, she didn’t skip a beat when she asked, “Well, can we just go by ourselves, then?”  And I didn’t skip a beat when I replied, “Of course we can.”

Two days later our trip was booked.  She helped pick the hotels, we got our British Rail pass, {because why stop at visiting one country, let’s visit two} and we made a list of all the things we want to do while we’re there.  No pub crawls for mom, but it will still be the adventure of a lifetime!

The journey of single motherhood has been an interesting one to say the least.  It’s a difficult adjustment to make, going from life with a partner, back to life on your own, but with a little help, and a lot of self-love that has reignited the spark within me, we have settled into a groove.  We are ready for the next adventure!  Because the wanderlust never left, I just needed a reminder that the power was always within me.

Angela is a freelance writer/publicist.  She loves coffee and wine, and spends her days filling her 9 year-old daughter’s head with 1970’s and 80’s pop culture.  She has a rescue cat named Violet, as in Beauregarde, and don't play 80’s Trivial Pursuit with her, because she wins every time.

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