good company
February 13, 2013 § 7 Comments
Today I shared a milestone with two very special companions, my husband and son. Together we met with our son’s principal, special education coordinator, teacher representative, speech therapist, social worker, and aide to review this year’s academic experiences and outline our goals for the coming year. This was the first time our son accompanied us to his annual Individualized Education Program.
Prior to our meeting I diagrammed the room where we would meet, marking who would be in attendance and most likely where they might sit. I wrote our son into the picture, too, before outlining the process of introductions and formalities. I was prepared for my son’s voice, but the sight of his deliberate signature on the list of participants in attendance was a source of pride. His pen stroke centered him in a significant moment, a beginning that he will reference for years as he joins us in mapping his future.
Sitting between my husband and son I cast a silent note of thanks into the air around us. On this day we were a team within a team; a room of invested and inspired individuals working together in harmony for a young man with big dreams and endless potential.
Yes, a significant event. In the spirit of good teamwork I think it’s safe to expect some good news on a regular basis. Your pride in your son shows nicely–as it should!
Thank you. We try so hard to prepare our children for the world around them, but nothing prepares us for the joy of watching them move through the world confidently with a sense of direction and integrity.
It is without doubt the finest reward we receive as parents.
Hey… now this touches home for me. My daughter is 28 and she and I have been to countless IEP’s. We have raised her to not notice her disability and in so doing she views the rest of us in the world as special. When I have to travel my daughter is the first to say ” its ok I will watch Nanny for you”. I as well as you have been blessed…. though many times we have to remind ourselves of this.
Thanks for a very well written post… oh… I am also a teacher and will be sharing your note to my special colleagues. So much hate and misunderstanding in the teaching community lately, so this will bring their spirits up a lil.
I have come to view my children’s challenges as opportunities for me to grow as an individual through motherhood. So many of my acts of advocacy as a parent have nudged me into the uncomfortable space of visible vulnerability and yet each time I set down my defenses and reach out for help I have been met by educators extending a helping hand.
Thank your colleagues for me for their commitment, and yours, to educate and inspire our children to move beyond challenges towards possibility.
I like your daughter’s perspective. She sounds like a phenomenal young woman and you sound like a terrific father.
To others, all of your hard work and sacrifice are visible, and may seem overwhelming to them. But they can’t possibly appreciate the rewards you and your family enjoy. It sounds as though your son is a lucky kid — and again, in ways other people might not understand.
Thank you for such a lovely compliment. Hopefully in sharing our story pieces of our experience inform and create a greater awareness. As for my son, I am unquestionably the lucky one.