Day 29 – When you are the Principal having your child attend
school with you can be the greatest blessing.
It could also be a gigantic curse if things aren’t going so well. My
school is filled with extraordinary people and Baby Girl’s village is BIG. But things were tough when it was time for
her to start school and even though I felt like inclusion in a regular
education classroom was the right choice for Baby Girl I was not sure. I was worried about everything. Would she sit
and attend for instruction or story time? Would she be able to show them what
she did know? Would she learn to read? What would happen with the bathroom
situation? Would the dining room
overwhelm her? Would she melt down and cry and disturb the entire class? Would the other children like her? All of
that kept me awake at night - plus the fears that every parent has when their
baby starts school. I knew she would need
the perfect blend of love, kindness, compassion AND high expectations,
structure, accountability. I also knew
we needed a team who would look past my role and be real with me as her
Mama. It has not always been easy. We have all questioned ourselves and our
knowledge, experimented with different instructional approaches and supports,
and joined forces for a united front when necessary. We have also celebrated the highs (there have
been TOO MANY to name) and we have worried and wept together at the lows (which
have thankfully been few and far between).
They took her in as a barely tamed Kindergartner and have transformed
her into an amazingly confident first grader who will be ready to brave second
grade in August! Pictured is the
education arm of Baby Girl’s dream team from the past two formative years, her
expertly skilled Exceptional Student Education teacher, her two masterful Regular
Education teachers (who happened to also be her older sister’s K and 1
teachers), and her precious Para (who it just so happens was her preschool
teacher). They have poured love and learning into her and it has challenged and
changed her life forever. PS – The
second photo is of the two precious souls who made extended daycare work for
her all this time. They have been loving
and patient beyond measure and I am beyond grateful. One of them is lovingly referred to as her
second mama. They both just get her and
have provided much needed respite for us even outside of school as well.
#30facesofautism
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