My daughter has completed her first two weeks of high school and LOVES it!! When we went to freshmen orientation, I KNEW we had made the right decision--the whole concept of going to high school with other deaf students, having the opportunities available that are not in most big public schools, and having teachers that REALLY understand deaf education--I LOVE my daughter's school and I LOVE the teachers and staff there!! SO much better than what was available at the local public school!!
Even though it is VERY hard for me to be away from her during the week, we plan to have LOTS of fun together on the weekends. And I honestly don't miss things such as nagging her about getting her homework done(none on weekends!) or spending too much time on the internet(very limited at school and has other things to do on the weekends now). Now, our time together is spent enjoying each other's company instead of dealing with "the daily grind" and our bond is really strong.
She is becoming VERY mature and independent--I am worrying less and less about her future as I see the young woman she is becoming. By the time she graduates, I feel quite certain that she will be prepared to live on her own and make her own way in life. I probably was guilty of "babying her" a bit--now that is less of a possibility. Going to deaf school was probably the best thing for BOTH of us--she can now get the best education possible, and I can begin loosening the "apron strings" a bit so that I can "cut the strings" in a few years when she graduates. That is how it should be, and I think I am handling it pretty well--and so is she!
As for her social life: it couldn't be any better, really. Many activities on campus after school, lots of deaf friends, and a really nice deaf boyfriend, too! She is REALLY picking up ASL REALLY fast!!! I am amazed!! She still talks a lot--"Miss Chatterbox"--but everyone at school seems SO PATIENT with her as she learns to sign--many are in the same boat and are just learning, too! The biggest thing that seems to help her ASL learning is talking to her boyfriend--they both can talk quite well, they both lip read well, and he is very fluent in ASL and helps her a lot. This weekend, they have spent hours on videophone together(we just got ours yesterday)--for some reason, his microphone isn't working and he could hear her but she couldn't hear him, but it didn't stop them from signing and lip reading--as I watch my daughter communicate with him, I am amazed at how well she keeps up!! I think he is very sweet to be patient with her and clarify whenever she doesn't understand, though she seems to understand nearly everything he is signing. They usually text message each other and sometimes they send texts back and forth if there is any confusion while on videophone--I LOVE modern technology!! With my daughter's willingness to learn, patient people such as her friends and boyfriend signing slowly with her, and all of these back-up tools such as lip reading and text messaging--oh, and sometimes I talk to her and she interprets what I am saying to others--communication is just flowing freely for her. I am sure that this is helping her adjust to her new environment--she does not feel left out...she fits right in!
For my daughter, going to a deaf school for high school was absolutely the right decision. She is SO happy there!! And I am equally happy to see that her high school years will be good ones!
Even though it is VERY hard for me to be away from her during the week, we plan to have LOTS of fun together on the weekends. And I honestly don't miss things such as nagging her about getting her homework done(none on weekends!) or spending too much time on the internet(very limited at school and has other things to do on the weekends now). Now, our time together is spent enjoying each other's company instead of dealing with "the daily grind" and our bond is really strong.
She is becoming VERY mature and independent--I am worrying less and less about her future as I see the young woman she is becoming. By the time she graduates, I feel quite certain that she will be prepared to live on her own and make her own way in life. I probably was guilty of "babying her" a bit--now that is less of a possibility. Going to deaf school was probably the best thing for BOTH of us--she can now get the best education possible, and I can begin loosening the "apron strings" a bit so that I can "cut the strings" in a few years when she graduates. That is how it should be, and I think I am handling it pretty well--and so is she!
As for her social life: it couldn't be any better, really. Many activities on campus after school, lots of deaf friends, and a really nice deaf boyfriend, too! She is REALLY picking up ASL REALLY fast!!! I am amazed!! She still talks a lot--"Miss Chatterbox"--but everyone at school seems SO PATIENT with her as she learns to sign--many are in the same boat and are just learning, too! The biggest thing that seems to help her ASL learning is talking to her boyfriend--they both can talk quite well, they both lip read well, and he is very fluent in ASL and helps her a lot. This weekend, they have spent hours on videophone together(we just got ours yesterday)--for some reason, his microphone isn't working and he could hear her but she couldn't hear him, but it didn't stop them from signing and lip reading--as I watch my daughter communicate with him, I am amazed at how well she keeps up!! I think he is very sweet to be patient with her and clarify whenever she doesn't understand, though she seems to understand nearly everything he is signing. They usually text message each other and sometimes they send texts back and forth if there is any confusion while on videophone--I LOVE modern technology!! With my daughter's willingness to learn, patient people such as her friends and boyfriend signing slowly with her, and all of these back-up tools such as lip reading and text messaging--oh, and sometimes I talk to her and she interprets what I am saying to others--communication is just flowing freely for her. I am sure that this is helping her adjust to her new environment--she does not feel left out...she fits right in!
For my daughter, going to a deaf school for high school was absolutely the right decision. She is SO happy there!! And I am equally happy to see that her high school years will be good ones!
