Education
Since Henry was 3 our lives have been very "Henry-centric". That’s not to say that Henry rules the roost, but our lives are mostly centered around Henry’s interests. This is especially true as Henry gets more involved with clubs, camps, and sports, and as more demands and responsibilities are placed on Henry. Since Kelley is an educator, clearly we value education, but we also believe in enriching that education and exploring Henry’s fascination with topics like Big Ben, the Liberty Bell, the Statue of Liberty, Titanic, and 9/11.
When Henry was 3 we experienced our own version of the British invasion! Somehow through British programming Henry was fascinated with Big Ben. We couldn’t get enough movies with the famous landmark and the next thing we knew Henry wanted to fly across the pond to London! Somehow through children’s programming, Henry also learned that the Liberty Bell was created in the same foundry as Big Ben. Ahhh! An American connection and a trip we can actually take! So we flew to Philadelphia one Labor Day weekend to visit family and had a day trip to Independence Hall to boot!
Ever since Henry was 3 we have enrolled him in sports. Having come from families that have started their children in soccer, we thought that would be a good starting point. Since then, Henry has played not only soccer, but has done gymnastics, baseball, basketball, tennis, and now swim team. We hope Henry finds a sport that has meaning to him as he works towards fitness and health goals. Fitness and health are not the only goals we are hoping Henry achieves- teamwork, commitment, overcoming adversity, and perseverance are valuable life lessons in many scenarios that Henry may encounter.
We believe that summer camps offer opportunities to expand in other enrichment activities that Henry would not otherwise get during the school year. Throughout the years, Henry has attended an art camp, a computer programming camp, Kelley’s camp for Deaf/hard-of-hearing and visually impaired children, scout camp, and vacation bible school. With the right role models and support, we believe that camps provide opportunities for socializing with peers outside Henry’s social group (including those with exceptionalities), eliminate screen time, and provide exercise. They also add to personal growth, learning and development, and they provide lifelong memories.
