Yup, it's Friday and I haven't posted in a few days.  Right now I'm off to substitute teach, so this is just the prelude to a longer post upon my return.

My husband summed my deaf daughter's behavior up last night, he said, "She's just sees living with us as living in another orphanage with other kids."  Well, yes, I guess that says it all.

More, later today.

I'm noticing a different 'air' about my deaf daughter lately.  A little more centered, less silly, a slight bit of focus.  I do hope this lasts and it's not just a passing fancy.  Her American Sign is improving so communication is getting better.

Cara shared with me some thoughts on setting her in the right direction.  It took a while before I could think of something, but I finally got it.  She lost the privilege of the computer for three days.  I explained it, I had her explain it back, and she understood that she didn't follow rules and therefore lost the computer privilege.  Yeah, that lasted one day.  My dh came and said, she was on the computer, he told her to get off, and few minutes later she was back on again!  I was ready to explode, I had it up to the hilt at this point!  I brought her into the room and let her have it in Sign.  My fingers really fly when I'm mad!  I said, "You don't break rules, why did you go on the computer when you were not allowed to for 3 days?"  No answer. I said, "Tell me!"  Again only a slight hand movement. I said, "Did you go on the computer, yes or no?"  A small "Yes".  "Why?" I asked.  She said she wanted to watch a TV program on it. "Why," I asked yet again, "you know you don't use the computer for three day because you broke the rules, right?"   "Right", she signed slowly.   "You don't break rules, it's not OK to do that.  If you do not break any rules for 5 days,  then you will earn one hour of computer time.  That is 5 days of not breaking one rule, only then you will receive an hour of computer time."  And I went over exactly what days those were, Fri, Sat, Sun, Mon, Tues., and have 1 hour of computer time on Wed if she obeyed all the rules.  (Thank goodness I had taught her the days of the week before.)  I saw something 'click' when the conversation finished.  Today she was more somber, none of the 'cutesy' stuff she usually displays.   She did try to go on the computer - again - today, and her sister said "NO!"  She came to me complaining that her sister told her no when she went on the computer.  I looked in total shock at her and signed, "That is because you broke the rules and you have no computer for 5 days."  She had this look on her face that sort of said, 'this isn't going away'.  She turned around and walked out of the room.

My daughter that I'm homeschooling just loves it more each day.  Today we did composition writing, the map of the USA, geology, the Incas and Mayas, the CA gold Rush, and a few other things.  Ya know, I'm making this up as I go along because I haven't a clue how to do this homeschool thing.

My eldest daughter walked past me an hour past her bedtime.  I looked at her and said, "Why are you not in bed?"  She replied, "I needed to finish downloading some albums."  "And you think THAT is a good reason for not going to bed on time?"  No answer.  "Excuse me, I asked, you think that is a valid reason for not going to bed on time?"  She said "Yes".  And I said, "Oh well then, that good reason of yours makes you lose your iPOD to me".  She hands me her iPOD and goes upstairs.

Can't wait for tomorrow....