Window on the Clearwater
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Editor's Note: Window on the Clearwater has joined the Wednesday's Child network to help spread the word about children that are waiting for families to give them the loving care that they need. Each Wednesday we will profile a different child. For more information about Wednesday's Child and how you can be involved check the web site at: http://www.idahowednesdayschild.org/.

Tyler & Ryan

Age: 7-8

Tyler

"I'm Tyler and I like to draw! I also like to watch TV and play games. I like rock music, too. It makes my brain smart and it makes me happy. I like chocolate cake a lot. I like going to the park and playing soccer with my family. I rode on a plane. It was scary, but fun. It made me dizzy!"

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Tyler is very skilled at working with his hands and enjoys building things out of clay and LEGO. His adoption worker believes he might have a future in a technical field such as computers or engineering. "With the right parent(s) and access to community and educational resources, I imagine Tyler will overcome some of his delays. Perhaps he'll be designing and creating in individual work." According to this worker, Tyler wakes up and hits the ground running. "He moves quickly from one activity to another, requiring redirection from time to time, but he's such an adventurous and funny boy."

Tyler loves to draw or color for hours. His fertile imagination easily flows onto a blank page. In a world populated with robot monkeys and lots of good guys getting bad guys, his fantasies often continue outdoors as he plays with his trucks and cars in the sand. Recently at the zoo he was drawn to an artificial dinosaur dig, scooping sand and brushing it from white half-buried bones. Tyler earnestly told the story of "T-Wex" a ferocious beast who ate smaller dinosaurs, died and was covered by the sand. Tyler got very excited about his "find" until he noticed the bones were made of hard plastic. "Hey, these are fake! They twicked me!" He dropped his scoop and whisk broom and ran to the next exhibit. These are the kind of humorous explorations adoptive parents could share with Tyler as he discovers every detail of a world that is so fascinating to him!

Initially, Tyler functioned far behind his age group. Medication therapy has made a world of difference, especially in managing attention and high energy challenges. He's focusing longer on tasks at hand and making better choices. Speech articulation and occupational therapy help him tackle important areas related to communication, mastery of sensory motor skills and coordination. Now in third grade, Tyler benefits from having academic and behavioral supports in the classroom. Because he does better with a clear routine and step-by-step instructions, he would benefit from parents who will gently prompt and remind about family rules. Every day is a new day for Tyler when it comes to his routine. His many challenges will require professional support as well as family commitment.

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Ryan

"My name is Ryan. I like to play computer, color, ride bikes, swing, do puzzles and fix things. And I like to fix my room. I really like to swim. I can hold my breath under the water for a really long time.

I like to go camping, play in the park and play with my [foster] Dad. I want a dad who takes care of us and likes to play with us. I would like to play sports with him."

Ryan is a social child who thrives on adult attention. Sometimes that interaction becomes frustrating to him when speech challenges make it hard for him to be understood. Ryan's motivation to learn new tasks will carry him through this difficulty. This is a boy who practices until he gets it right!

In his foster home, Ryan is a social and caring child. He shows his affection easily and often to his foster parents and siblings and does not appear to have any issues with attachment. He is into group endeavors compared to his brother's solitary pursuits. Ryan takes pride in being organized and in doing well at school. He loves to ask adults interview questions and write their answers on paper: 'How do you spell your name, how old are you?'

Ryan is making great progress through mental disability services. He understands directions and figures out how things work. Educationally, he functions quite well in a mainstream class, with some supports throughout the day in a resource class. Now in second grade, Ryan has extra academic, behavioral, and speech supports. He also engages in physical therapy weekly in the community.

Both of these fun-loving and curious brothers have speech and communication delays. In order for them to progress in these areas, they will need at least one dedicated parent who will work with them on a daily basis. Work within the educational community will be critical if the boys are to maximize their individual potential. They also need folks who will ensure safety. Both share a need for exploration and adventure, yet they jump in with both feet without regard to surroundings. Their parent(s) will need to be vigilant and keep them within a safe distance. Despite some doubts that one couple or individual will be able to meet individual needs, Tyler's and Ryan's adoption team hope they can remain together within one family. Would your family be up for that adventure?

Tyler & Ryan are available for adoption through the State of Oregon. For contact information, please contact the Idaho CareLine at 1-800-926-2588.

Portrait by Pomerelle Portrait Design Studios

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Window on the Clearwater
P.O. Box 2444
Orofino, ID 83544
208-476-0733
Fax: 208-476-3407
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