Many of you know that one of the reasons we started Sego Lily School in the first place was so that I would never have to hear a teacher, counselor, or principal tell me that my brilliant high-energy child needed to be medicated for ADHD. Corbin, from the time he was quite small, has been a kinesthetic learner - jumping up and down while playing video games, reading books while walking around the house, or doing martial arts moves while playing goalie on the soccer field. I KNEW that there was not (and still is not) anything WRONG with my kid. I also knew that there would be no room for his dynamic movements in a public school classroom. It was a big part of our journey of looking for options, and a big part of what became Sego Lily School.
8 years later, Corbin is perfectly capable of sitting still during a Japanese class. My 5 year old, however, shows many of the same traits - he will get up from dinner 40 times if not reminded. I can't imagine what kindergarten would have been for him this year, as he was told over and over to sit still and stay on task. He always finishes dinner - sure, sometimes it's an hour after everyone else has left the table. And he always finishes his projects, even when a painting takes 3 days. He is simply on his own timelines. At school, none of this is a problem, because school for us doesn't mean sitting still, lining up, and simply doing what is expected of everyone else.
I could add so many stories of so many kids who have come through the Sego doors in similar ways. Jumping from thing to thing, idea to idea, conversation to conversation. Sometimes I want to scream at the parents who come in and tell us all of the things that are wrong with their kids. But we cannot blame them - they are a product of a system that has created these 'diagnosis' for behaviors that are perfectly normal. Especially around young, energetic boys (boys are 3 times more likely to be diagnosed with ADD or ADHD than girls). As schools have gotten more and more regimented, and teachers have had to spend more time teaching for tests (thanks, NCLB!), normal behaviors such as wanting to have conversations with friends, or run around the playground, have been pathologised at an alarming rate. Put simply, a kid who wants to act like a kid now has a serious 'problem' with a capital letter title to go with it. And I won't even get started on the dangers of the drugs so many of these kids have to take. Well, maybe I will, but not today.
