31 for 21 post #6

Finding good childcare is hard. Finding great childcare is harder. Finding great childcare for a child with special healthcare needs was really hard but we found a terrific place.

When Tommy was born with Hirschsprung's disease (short segment) and Ds, plus he had a feeding tube early on, we knew the childcare options would be very narrow for us. But we found a GREAT place. Promise.

"At Promise, our philosophy is to use creative ideas to meet the needs of the child in a distinctively Christian context and atomosphere". Their goals include:

"To let the children know they are a promise and a possibility and that they all have potential. To let the children know God loves them and thinks they are special. To show all the children they are loved and that it is good to love others. To help children develop a positive self image. To help children establish self discipline by developing a responsible behavior pattern. To promote good and positive thought of the world and situations."

Today we scheduled Occupational therapy and Speech therapy to happen at Promise. Usually those therapist come to our home but due to schedules today it worked better to happen at Promise. And while I was there I had the opportunity again to marvel at their teachers and all the love in the place that my twins think of as school!

No televisions.
Lots of books.
Circle time.
Friends, and lots of them.
Large play areas.
Lots of love.

They have given Tommy breathing treatments, used his gtube twice a day for milk feedings, given him about as many antibiotics as I have given him, reminded me when he had gone 8 hrs without pooping, wiped away my tears on many occasions and helped us raise two sweet toddler boys... one who happens to have Ds. They have given Tommy an environment of typically developing peers and it has meant alot for his development.