School Blessings

We are so fortunate to have Teddy’s 4^th grade teacher be Ms. Ellingson. You see, Ms. Ellingson is our beloved childcare provider, otherwise known as Siggy.

She was Teddy’s paraprofessional in the 2019-2020 school year while she was in college. Her college scheduled didn’t align with the paraprofessional schedule, so she switched to subbing only that spring semester. At that time, she asked if we could use childcare occasionally, and I immediately jumped at that offer before she even finished her sentence.

And then COVID happened, and she became our saving grace to get us through the rest of that virtual school year. She became truly part of the family when we saw her and not our own families. She celebrated that first COVID Thanksgiving with us, has lived with us in between her apartments and is very much family now.

Although Teddy struggles with boundaries with her at school, realistically he struggles with boundaries with everyone at school. It’s worth it, though, to get the extra insight into his school days. His regular teacher does an incredible job communicating and sending notes daily, but there’s only so much you can share in a quick note for every child. Siggy can share with us what happens in Ms. Ellingson’s class, the ways Teddy interacts with his peers, how they accept him and interact with him and his successes (and struggles).

Evidence of boundary issues at home with Siggy.

For example, we know that when Teddy is in his 4^th grade classroom for science lessons, he may start at his desk with his paraprofessional. But when he gets squirrely, he walks around the classroom with Ms. Ellingson checking out the other students’ projects with her. I think that he gets so many more opportunities to interact with the support of his paras and the tolerance of Ms. Ellingson who knows what to expect from him and his peers when they join her classroom.

We’re dang lucky. Actually, we’re blessed beyond measure in this regard.