I think one of the things every parent can agree on is that they want their child to be accepted. This is true of parents of typical kids and special-needs kids alike.
When I was pregnant with Alyssa one of the things I always said was that I wanted to raise a child people liked to be around.
Alyssa is shy to the point of being stand-offish. She can come across as offensive in her shyness sometimes. We're working on that.
But kids seem to like her. She has lots of friends at school, she makes friends easily at the park and in the classes we've put her in.
Olivia is not nearly as shy as Alyssa, but she's still...aloof. When she's around other kids she tends to stand back and watch the action, taking part only on the sidelines. She'd prefer to be with her adult caregiver (me, Tom, my mom.)
At gymnastics last week Miss Maggie was trying to corrale the girls into a group so they could practice their recital routine. Oh, the chaos. There are about ten little girls in this class ranging in age from a very young three to about six.
Miss Maggie told the girls to choose a partner so they could practice the new routine she was trying to figure out.
I watched from my corner of the gym and three little girls made straight for Olivia. The one who got to her first grabbed her hand hand held it gently. The other two girls glowered a bit and chose to be partners with each other.
Miss Maggie and I looked at each other and she made and "Awww...." face. We were both so sappily happy that those girls were 'fighting' over Olivia.
I want her to have friends, to be accepted for all that she has to offer the world. I've never really worried that she wouldn't be accepted but having this blatant proof that my girl is one of the crowd, one of the kids that other kids want to be near, it was heartmelting.
It does a hovering mama's heart a lot of good to see her child embraced by others, to know that one of the people she thinks is the most amazing in the world is just one of the kids in a group of other kids.
Alyssa's proven that she can fit right in and Olivia's doing the same thing right before my eyes. I am one lucky, blessed mommy.
A mom, a dad and two daughters. We're living ordinary lives with a twist of 5p- (Cri du Chat) for spice. But we're about so much more than our younger daughter's genetic diagnosis.
3 comments:
Adding my awwwwwwwww!
This is one of the most amazing things about our girls...they sure do bring out the best in everyone!!!
Ohhh that is great! What a sweet story. Everyone wants to be accepted and it is so sweet when you see children genuinely getting along. it captures the most natural and pure friendships! O will be an amazing example to other kids!
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