ABCs & 123s

The first few weeks of the girls living with us we have concentrated on making them feel loved and secure.  We have told them over and over that they are Brave, Strong, Smart, Talented little girls.  Now that they have the security (most, except food) we are able to explore the learning gaps they have.

I want to cry.  Sissy is unable to identify colors, is weak on shapes, has only started to learn songs (just learned the "ABC song") can count to 8, but has no concept of what any number really is, can not identify any alphabets.  She is 3 years and 8 months old.

Every day we try to watch some TV that is focused on a learning gap.  Leap Frog's Phonics is almost on repeat this week.  We have managed to watch very little Tinkerbell.  Our books we choose are focused on shapes, ABCs, feelings.  Our vehicles both have nursery rhyme CDs playing.  Somehow without overwhelming the poor girl we have to make up 3 1/2 years of learning as quickly as possible.

Squirrel's truck is blue.  Every day that she picks up the kids we tell them she is going to pick them up in the Big Blue Truck.  Sissy keeps calling the truck red.  If I could just get Red, Orange, Yellow, Green and Blue I would be ecstatic.

When we talk about numbers we thought she had some concepts.  She can count until 8 or so, but when you ask her for 3 pieces she can not identify 3 items.  When you cook and you count scoops she can do so.  Her numbers seem to be a memorized sequence rather than a concept.

Shapes are okay.  We can get triangle and circle.  Square and rectangle are still missing.

Alphabets.  Missing.  Sissy can not identify a single alphabet.  We have ABC books, puzzle, bath letters, shows.  We have no retention... yet.

My heart hopes that this is just a lack of exposure and not that this will be something she will be battling her whole life.  Are there greater issues here?  I don't know.  I think we have picked the best school possible to try to help bridge the gap she has.  Perhaps by December we will know.

We are not as concerned about Bug... she pays attention as we work with Sissy and she is able to pick some items out.  She also doesn't seem to get as frustrated.  We know that Big Sister has some gaps as well, but I wonder what their teenage siblings are missing.  As frustrating as this is at least we are able to help now rather than let this poor little thing fall further behind.  This just makes me even more furious at the bioparents and makes it harder and harder to support reunification.