J is British!

[Malika]

Thanks - it could also have been that I did not organise the original application very well, relying more on emotional than legal arguments (not realising I had to do that, since I was not using a lawyer) Anyway, all's well that ends well.

 

[susiestar]

Congrats!! That does open up a lot of doors for him, even if you don't plan to live in the UK right now. It is always better to have choices than to not haa\ve them, esp for our kids. I have long believed that part of my ob as a mom was to make sure as many doors were open for my kids as possible, not because they wanted to go through those doors, but to give them the choice of going through them or not. Does that make sense? Anyway, you totally win the Warrior Mom award for this! It opens so many options for the future for J, and that is wonderful!

 

[whatamess]

This may be your most important advocacy moment thus far! Congratulations!

 

[SuZir]

Sorry, that I'm being so nosy, but is there any chance you could get J (privately) thoroughly evaluated during the summer in Britain, or maybe in Belgium if it would be easier for J in French. France seems to be very tracking it's feet on neurologiocal issues and having better understanding what kind of support J may need later could be invaluable in your decisions. I think you would especially need an evaluation on possible learning disabilities.

If it turns out that he doesn't likely need that much extra help with learning, that would take care of the second bigger obstacle between you and Morocco (I have kind of gathered that would be an environment you would like the best.) If some one on one help from tutor will be an only extra he will need, I'm sure you can have that also there. And J having British citizenship taking care of the worst con of moving to Morocco...

 

[Malika]

Hi SuZir! Well, I'd say I'm reasonably devoted to J's welfare, but going as far as organising flights, hotels, psychologists (is it even possible when you don't live there?) in Belgium this summer... well, it's a bridge too far, I'm afraid. We have a neuro-psychologist evaluation scheduled for April 26th here in the big city and she is going to test for IQ, cognitive difficulties (dyslexia and things like that), and apparently some behavioural tests too. It's enough for the moment. Thanks for your concern, though

 

[SuZir]

Yes, it certainly would be very impractical to do. So hopefully this neuropsychologist will give you clues also to possible learning challenges. It doesn't seem that J's current teacher could be much of the help, but did you plan to have him in school during your stay in Morocco this late spring/summer? Maybe just experienced teacher's take could be useful too? What does a tutor you use think?

Yeah, yeah, I am being even nosier, (sorry) but having some understanding if J's learning troubles are likely to cause just minor challenges or if he may end up needing more substantial help could make it so much easier for you to plan ahead. Of course him doing well with the tutor's help would kind of indicate a former and then you really would be free to decide there to live.

 

[Malika]

Call me naive, but I honestly think many of J's difficulties and shortcomings in the educational realm will be resolved once I find the right learning environment for him...

 

[Marguerite]

This is wonderful news, Malika!

It opens up more scope for you and for J.

Marg

 

[Malika]

Yes, it certainly would be very impractical to do. So hopefully this neuropsychologist will give you clues also to possible learning challenges. It doesn't seem that J's current teacher could be much of the help, but did you plan to have him in school during your stay in Morocco this late spring/summer? Maybe just experienced teacher's take could be useful too? What does a tutor you use think?

The tutor thinks there is no great reason to worry even though J is so far "behind" the girls in his class.
J is going to return to the same French nursery where he was when he was three, for the summer term. Apparently the children (slightly younger than him) are at the same stage of reading as he is.
My take on school is that you need to learn to read and write, and do basic maths but beyond that... it's what you want for your child and how you understand education in itself. We may end up living in Morocco if I can find a school for him there - there are two possibilities of alternative-type schools there.