Wow… so we are now elbow deep in the program in week 5 of 8.

What a crazy crazy ride. It may have been more fun to be riding the roller coaster at Disneyland but the highs definitely wouldn’t be as high – though maybe we can plan that for our next family holiday (Mr V. are you taking notes?!)

The focus for Milla has been on focusing, organisational, sorting and scanning skills. This not only gives structure for current everyday thinking but also lays the foundation for reading and writing. This is done through structured games which follow a pattern, drawing and lots and lots of repetition. Each lesson with each therapist builds on the previous one and draws on the previously acquired skills. She is picking up new concepts super quickly and has further strengthened her bonds with her therapists.

She’s also been focusing on physio work (strengthening her upper body to help her with her future writing) and of course continuing to work really hard on her speech. She has been making great gains here, but unfortunately progress is slow. No one starts speaking in one day, particularly a child with dyspraxia. I know it is difficult for people at home to understand that there is progress, with them often asking “well, is she talking yet?”. No, she isn’t. But she is doing amazing things for her, and it will happen when it happens. She needs the encouragement and the support, not the pressure that people at home are unintentionally applying. This is just one of the reasons that coming to this program has been so great for her. It has allowed her to be surrounded by supportive and positive people and her progress has been fantastic as a result.

As much fun as we are having here we are really missing our home – daily FaceTime calls with Lulu are the highlight of Milla’s day (even if Lulu isn’t quite as interested!). It is less than a month until ‘the reunion’, though maybe I have been watching too much Netflix and have built this up – I imagine us running through the hotel foyer into each other’s arms!

The gains have definitely outweighed the challenges and I am so so proud of all that Milla has achieved. She has taken a new country, language, culture, cuisine and support network in her stride, all while doing great things. Her achievements are not easily quantified – they’re slight and they’re subtle but overall they are huge. But we cannot pretend there have not been exceptionally challenging days. When both Milla and I haven’t been sleeping the breakdowns have been fairly epic (Netflix ain’t got nothing on me!) but apparently the staff at the institute were surprised that it hadn’t happened earlier!

24/7 parenting is the hardest thing you can do… nothing could have prepared me for this. I am sleeping right next to her, she watches me while I shower and I am in classes with her. There is no dropping her off at kinder, no asking Mr V. to mind her while I go out with friends, no 6am beach runs or after dinner walks. When I do get a babysitter, rather than being a spontaneous and fun adventure, it’s a planned and coordinated arrangement and I’m watching my phone for a call or watching to clock knowing that I have to get back there. The quality time together is wonderful but I am dreaming of the first drop off back at kinder – not only for my sanity but for hers too!

Hope you’re having a wonderful week,

J x