School Successes

We had Teddy's re-evaluation today, which is part of the process for a child in special education that occurs every 3 years. It determines whether a child continues to qualify for services as well as what services and supports are appropriate. No big shocker-Teddy qualifies. These are about the only tests that Teddy has where I'm confident in his ability to score high, but that's OK.

For us as parents, the real successes in school are a team that is committed to his success. He has that. They celebrate his accomplishments, no matter how minor they might seem to someone else. Their consistent approach helps Teddy to be successful through countless repetitions. They meet Teddy where he is and push him to become the best version of himself that he can be. And they know exactly when he's going to try shenanigans because he gives them that devilish grin right before he crashes his bike into the wall or plays in the faucet.

Teddy's adapted PE teacher sent us this picture ... of Teddy pulling his paraprofessional. :-)

The real successes, though, aren't the academic achievements like consistently recognizing a color. Don't get me wrong. That's awesome. But to hear how Teddy makes friends with a 5th grader he sees in the hall and how he always smiles at her when she says, "Hi, Teddy!" ... that's great. What's even better was to hear her reaction and how excited she was the day that Teddy actually waved hello to her. He makes friends wherever he goes. They might not be friends who come over for play dates, but they are friends at his school who interact positively with him, engage with him and celebrate those little things.

The real successes are hearing how socially ready Teddy is to eat lunch with his peers. He wants to be there and loves to see what everyone else is doing. They greet him and wave goodbye when they leave. He's part of their day. He's part of their school.

The real successes are when Teddy gets super excited at the store because he recognizes someone whom Dave doesn't. Teddy pointed out his principal this past weekend, vocalizing and pointing. His principal came over to say hi, and it's clear that Teddy thinks she's awesome.

Those are the things that matter most to us as parents. As much as we want Teddy to thrive and learn new skills, we ultimately want him to be loved and accepted for the wonderful child he is.