Thirteen Thursday - 13 Things about IEP's

1. Always and I mean always, bring someone to support you. If your spouse or significant other can’t come with you, bring a friend or anyone you trust. Having a second pair of ears is invaluable as well as the comfort of having someone with you that’s “on your side”.

2. Expect and prepare for the worst, but hope for the best. It is better to be pleasantly surprised than to be shocked or in dismay.

3. Don’t let your emotions get the better of you. Your child needs you to advocate for them. By getting emotional and upset you can set the stage for defensive attitudes on both sides. Once people become defensive, it is difficult to get much if anything done.

4. Always bring goodies and a picture of your child. An 8x10 is preferable if you have it and set it up in a prominent place. It reminds everyone why you are there. The goodies make everyone’s tummy happy.

5. Don’t sign the IEP at the meeting. Say that you want to take it home and look it over to make sure you understand everything and don’t have any more questions. It is your right.

6. There is no such thing as a draft IEP.

7. If you do not agree to the IEP, but the administration insists that you need to sign for them to do anything. You can sign it, BUT make sure you write underneath or next to your signature that you do not agree with the IEP.

8. Document everything. Write down what was agreed upon at the IEP. At home, type up a list of what you understood to be agreed upon and then send it to the parties involved verifying the information.

9. Don’t assume everything agreed upon at the meeting verbally will be written into the IEP.

10. If your triennial IEP is coming up, request any testing you want done well in advance of the IEP. This is when the school determines whether the child should continue in special ed. or be exited out. This is the time to do any extensive testing.

11. Remember, the school districts don’t work during the summer. If your child’s annual IEP is in September or October (assuming a start of school at the end of August as it is here), request testing now. The school is way to busy in the fall trying to get everything running smoothly. Any new staff in special ed. will be busy trying to catch up and be familiar with the existing kids as well as incoming special ed. kids. Having the testing begin when school starts can push the annual IEP back and/or have the staff rushed when testing.

12. Shane over at ADHD and LD Resource bloghas a wonderful article called Preparing for your first IEP. She has some great information as well as links to some wonderful resources.

13. One of the best sites for information and help on IEP’s is Wrights Law. They are a great resource for parents and have many articles that you can download about a variety of issues. They also have a free newsletter that you can subscribe to. I have their book “From Emotions to Advocacy” and it has been of great help to me.

There are many, many more resources out there. My goal is to try to blog about a new resource each week. Check back often as I’m continually updating my lists.

Thursday Thirteen - Disney Land

Thirteen fun pictures from Disney Land For the Thanksgiving break, we headed down to the L.A. area to visit with friends and to go to Disney Land. We had a great time and I wanted to share some fun pics with you. I tried to put these pictures up last month, but my computer kept crashing. So here they are now. 1. Kristin and I love the Grizzly River Run in California Adventures. There was no wait, so we rode it twice. It’s the best way to get wet. 2. Tim took this picture of Kristin sulking while waiting in line. 3. There was even rock climbing. 4. Screaming is lots of fun too. 5. The kids love to play in the water. We had to limit them though because it was starting to get cool. 6. Watch out for the crazy guy!!! 7. N is for Naughty or Nice.... 8. It’s a Small World was decorated both inside and outside with holiday decorations. They lit it up at night and it was beautiful. 9. Tim’s good friend from childhood lives in Anaheim (that’s where Disney Land is for those who don’t know) and he always insists we stay with him when we head down there. Dave joined us at Disney Land on Saturday and we had a great time together. 10. In the middle of Tomorrow Land, is a giant ball that the kids can move around, while water pours down it. All the kids and grownups too, love to try rolling it around. 11. "What do you think it is?” Tim and Dave seem to be asking... Tim, of course, had a different thought, but since I try to keep my blog family friendly, I didn’t want to put his comment on. Naughty boy…. 12. “Are we done yet?” Ian can only take so much and when he decides he’s done, that's it! 13. We had a great time.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

technorati tag: Thursday thirteen

Thursday Thirteen - 13 fun pictures from Disney Land

Thirteen fun pictures from Disney Land For the Thanksgiving break, we headed down to the L.A. area to visit with friends and to go to Disney Land. We had a great time and I wanted to share some fun pics with you. 1. Kristin and I love the Grizzly River Run in California Adventures. There was no wait, so we rode it twice. It’s the best way to get wet. 2. I'm shippin' the kids off to their aunt for the rest of the weekend and maybe my hubby will take them, so I can sleep in even more!! Yes, I'm planning on being very lazy. 3. I'm going to take a nice long leisurely shower with no interruptions. 4. I'm going to have a manicure and a pedicure. 5. My hubby and I are going to go wine tasting at all the wonderful local wineries that we never get to go to. 6. I'm not going to study for my class. 7. In fact, I'm not going to do any research into any disorders, special needs or advocacy. 9. I'm going to celebrate my birthday all weekend long! 8. I'm going to go shopping! 10. I'm going to read a good book, just for the pleasure of it. No science journals or articles! 11. My hubby and I are going to spend a nice quiet dinner with each other and if we feel like it maybe we'll go see a movie, maybe we'll just stay in and cuddle. 12. I'm going to end my birthday weekend, Sunday by going to book club with my friends and just spending time talking and drinking wine and maybe discussing the book. 13. I'm going to relax, but I really, really need some time off duty!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

technorati tag: thursday thirteen

Thursday Thirteen - Thirteen ways I'm going to celebrate my Birthday

Thirteen ways I'm going to celebrate my birthday Saturday is my birthday! Yea! So my Thursday thirteen is about the 13 wonderful great ways I'm going to celebrate my birthday. 1. I'm going to sleep in and I'm not going to get up early no matter who wakes me up! 2. I'm shippin' the kids off to their aunt for the rest of the weekend and maybe my hubby will take them, so I can sleep in even more!! Yes, I'm planning on being very lazy. 3. I'm going to take a nice long leisurely shower with no interruptions. 4. I'm going to have a manicure and a pedicure. 5. My hubby and I are going to go wine tasting at all the wonderful local wineries that we never get to go to. 6. I'm not going to study for my class. 7. In fact, I'm not going to do any research into any disorders, special needs or advocacy. 9. I'm going to celebrate my birthday all weekend long! 8. I'm going to go shopping! 10. I'm going to read a good book, just for the pleasure of it. No science journals or articles! 11. My hubby and I are going to spend a nice quiet dinner with each other and if we feel like it maybe we'll go see a movie, maybe we'll just stay in and cuddle. 12. I'm going to end my birthday weekend, Sunday by going to book club with my friends and just spending time talking and drinking wine and maybe discussing the book. 13. I'm going to relax, but I really, really need some time off duty! Links to other Thursday Thirteen's!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

technorati tag: thursday thirteen

Thursday Thirteen - Hand Collected Minerals

Thirteen minerals my husband and I have hand collected The mineral images seen below were downloaded from the mindat.org website. We don't have the means currently of taking pictures of the small crystals that we usually collect. However, these images are very similar to the minerals in our collection. Blogger is NOT cooperating with me, so you will have to wait for the pictures. I'm soooo bummed. 1) Olivenite from Majuba Hill, Nevada. Actually I found the vug and I pointed it out to him. We were collecting underground in an abandoned copper-tin mine. 2) Chalcophyllite from Majuba Hill 3) Clinoclase from Majuba Hill 4) Aurichalcite from the Hidden Treasure mine in Utah. Here is Tim in the mine. 5) Topaz from the Thomas Range in Utah 6) Austinite from Gold Hill mine in Utah 7) Artinite from San Benito County in California 8) Tetrahedrite from the Sunshine mine in Idaho. We went 5,000 feet underground in a working silver mine. 9) Carminite from Gold Hill mine 10) Hemimorphite from the Santa Eulalia district, Chihuahua, Mexico 11) Brochantite from Broken Toe Mine, Nevada 12) Azurite from the Centennial Eureka mine, Utah 13) Realgar from the Getchell mine, Nevada

The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. It's easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

technorati tag: thursday thirteen

Thirteen Things about how your kids can drive you up the wall My children were driving me bonkers today, so I thought I'd blow off some steam with today's Thursday Thirteen. Normally they are very sweet and helpful, but there are those days.... 1. All of a sudden, without prior knowledge they don't like their favorite foods. In our house it went like this: "Let's have _____ for dinner." "I don't like that." "What do you mean you don't like that? You've always liked that." "No I don't." "Since when?" "Since always. "You used to ask for this all the time." "Well, I can change my mind." True, you can, but tonight? I need more ideas for recipes. 2. You're trying to get work done on the computer. "Can I play a game?" "Not right now I have to finish this." "When will you be done?" "It's going to take me awhile." "Are you done?" 5 minutes later, no make that 2 minutes... "Are you done?" Sigh... 3. You're exhausted, but they can't sleep. 4. They wake you up in the middle of the night to tell you about a nightmare and proceed to tell you about it for several minutes. Then they get mad at you because you fell asleep! 5. They can't find their shoes, their backpack, their lunch box, you name it when there are places for those things that have never, ever changed the entire time they've been in school. 6. You send them upstairs to brush their teeth "quickly, so we can leave" and they "disappear" for 10 minutes, but no teeth have been brushed. 7. Why do they have to take my toothpaste (which is the same as theirs), leave it in their bathroom and then brush their teeth in my bathroom? Weren't they just here? 8. They lament about how they have to get up early every day and they can't wait till Saturday so they can sleep in and when Saturday actually comes, they wake up at the same time as always and then get mad at you for sleeping in. 9. They leave their things everywhere and give you a look when you ask them to pick up. 10. You put their things on the stairs for them to pick up when they go upstairs and they walk right by. "Could you please take these things upstairs with you?" "What things?" 11. They beg to have a certain friend over, and they fight with them the entire time they're here. Why? 12. They ask for a special day with you and when that day comes, they'd rather play with their friend. 13. They know where your secret stash of candy is and raid it. Hey, that's mine for when I'm stressed out and need a chocolate fix! Links to other Thursday Thirteen's!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others comments. ItÂ’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well! I will link to everyone who participates and leaves a link to their 13 things. Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

technorati tag: thursday thirteen