Doing well, no Awesome.

The kiddos school has a big brother/big sister program for reading. They pair up the kindergarteners with a 5th grade class to help teach them reading etc. My kiddo hadn't been paired with someone until today because we wanted to give him a couple of weeks to get used to the routine of changing classrooms and the expected activity. 

 

His BSC and TSS were there. He didn't need them. JD was able to stay on task and was engaged through out the whole activity.  His BSC texted me about it because this is such a big deal. I must admit I got teary eyed. I am so incredibly proud of him everyday but more so on days he overcomes his disability.

 

Too often we focus on the challenges and the barriers that inhibit their inclusion into neuro typical peer activities. We tend to focus on the negatives because they are what we're tackling next. But I want to take time off today to celebrate the positives.

 

What's going well in my 5 year old's world?

• He's so bleeping present and engaged with everything.
• He's using self affirmations to deal with the anxiety and rules.
• He's using words to express his feelings without prompts.
• He's excelling academically.
• He's adjusting so well to a new everything at school- staff, environment, new TSS (1-1 aide), new rules etc.
• He's playing nicely in the playground with classmates.
• He's phenomenal at building legos.
• Plus he remains an excellent hugger.
• And he's a bit (a lot) of a smarta$$.  (he's our kid, of course he is)

I'm so incredibly blessed to have a 5 year old boy who is just the love of my life. He's simply Awesome and a bit of a smart a#$$. If I could bottle up that incredible emotion and sell it, I'd be a billionaire. I write this not to gush about my kid (well maybe an insy bitsy bit) but also to give you hope. This has not happened overnight. But we've also given him time to be a little boy. We have to remember they are people 1st. They are not just their "label".

 

We've screwed up some, maybe lots. But we've never been scared to try something no matter how crazy it sounded- we did dietary interventions, vitamin supplements, detoxed baths (Epsom salt, salt, vinegar, oils). People were like "ya'll are cray cray" and we'd be like "nah, nah, nah, sticks and stones."  But to us, to not question and blindly accept no cure, nothing to be done as fact seems crazy.  So if you think or hear about say sock monkey therapy and it seems to help, we'll probably give it a try too. Because (mostly me), I'm a bit crazy in love with my kids and desperate to try anything to get them to overcome their challenges.  If I give up then I let the negative win and I know he's capable of anything. He just needs time to shine and extra support.

 

So in summary, my kid is doing well. And I'm so freakin proud. I'd probably throw a party if I wasn't so exhausted.