Sometimes I Wish I Were An Octopus

Have any of you ever wished you were an octopus? Have you ever thought that your two hands sometimes were not enough? That is how I feel EVERY.SINGLE.DAY! 

Here are 5 Reasons why I wish that I had 8 hands (ok they have tentacles) like an octopus:

1. There are just too many little hands to hold

Everyday I face the problem of kids fighting over who gets to hold my hand, especially when I have been outside the school and everyone runs to greet me upon my return. They all want to walk me to my house, and they ALL want to hold my hand...... this proves difficult when I only have two hands and they often are full of groceries at this time!

2. Trying to teach a child to walk without a treadmill and without a body weight support system requires more than two hands

In the United States, when working on walking with someone that has trouble supporting themselves, we stick them in a harness and put them on a treadmill. This way as a therapist you can help them move their legs properly... So I have a walker with underarm supports and while a child is walking I am also aiding in pushing them, trying to help control their legs, trying to make them move their legs, and trying to be prepared for them to fall! While I love this type of thing, sometimes it is just too much! On Monday my sweet friend Clare came back. However, she has been seriously sick and any strength she had she completely lost.... her legs are like spaghetti noodles while she tries to walk and of course every teacher has their solution as to how I can help her better... and of course my solution is GET ME A TREADMILL! But then I remember I live in Africa and I have to tough it out.

Clare learning to play Boccia ball

3. Trying to make a child do an exercise properly while also trying to entertain the child proves difficult

4. When you cook inside and your sink to do dishes is outside it would greatly reduce the number of trips in and out!

5. Esther... as you all know I love this little girl, but sometimes she terorrizes me during therapy :) Along with just about every other 2 year old she loves to dump and throw everything. If I had an extra arm (or 6) I could more easily control her while also doing therapy.

At my house Esther is the most entertained with my tape measure.... she played with it FOREVER!

Now do you understand? :)

Meet Our New Students:

Apio

Apio is one of our smarter students. She is one of only a handful of students at the school that is able to read! She is starting in our most advanced group, but is struggling to make friends :( 

Apio

Ayati

This girl made friends the instant she arrived... she is very warm and has no problems socializing with everyone! However, as Ugandans say she is VERY VERY stubborn! She likes to hit the bigger boys and then cries profusely when she is hit back, and if she doesn't want to do something, by no means can you make her do it! To add to that she does not understand English or Luganda, but is quickly learning! The other day, after I had been gone all weekend, she told me "Teacher you've been missing me"!

Ayati

I hope you all have a great weekend! I am definitely sad to be missing summer at home. My friend Bobbie (from Indiana) and I agreed that summer is definitely the best time to be in the midwest!