Isn't that sweetest little face of hope you've ever seen? #BiasedMom. My hope for her is very different. But I still have a lot of hope for her.
Landree's school sent home a yellow piece of paper with the word "Hope" on it. The assignment was for the parents to write down their hope for their child for the school year. I love this. I know her principal loves to get the parents involved. That is so meaningful. I wrote:
"Our hope for Landree is that she will continue to grow and make progress, and that she is seen for the person she is {an amazing one} and not seen as a disability."
That's my hope. Because behind that disability is a child who is sweet, funny, stubborn, laid back, sensitive and determined. So many great qualities. I'm very thankful for her school for giving me, the parent, the opportunity to voice that hope.
I love how WISD keeps parents super informed on social media. It's nice to see updates of the students and what they're doing/learning. Landree's teacher is A-MAZING at this! She has her own classroom FB page and posts pictures of what they do everyday. When I was teaching, I tried to post often, but I didn't do it that frequently. And she has TWO classrooms to keep up with, you guys. I so appreciate it, and it means so much to me as a parent of a child with special needs to see what they're doing, learning and if they're participating.
As the girls got dressed for school today, I dressed them in their yellow to represent hope. I knew there would be lots of pictures posted today all over social media from the schools of the kids in their yellow. It's fun for parents to see their kids during the day while they're at school. I love looking for mine. Unfortunately, somehow, the kiddos in PPCD, SACC and other areas of SPED never make the shot with the superintendent or on the school FB pages. It's a little hard to accept. Its hard to know that I dressed my four year old with special needs in her yellow today, but no pictures are posted of her class participating with the rest of the school. Just like she wears her college shirt every Thursday just like my second grader who doesn't have special needs, does too. And I will catch a glimpse of AB included in school pics but not Landree.
Am I bitter? Eh. Maybe a little. But more than that, I am trying to be hopeful. I am hopeful that on special days like today, ALL kids in the district are being included. I'm hopeful that the student who will never pass the STAAR test has hope and is encouraged to do what he can, and know he's still valued although he will never help the district be commended on their test ratings. I'm hopeful that the students with special needs and disabilities (physical and learning) are encouraged by their peers, parents, teachers, principals and district leaders to treat EVERYONE with love and respect and not see the differences but encourage one another to treat everyone with kindness.
It's not easy being different. Different isn't always accepted. But there is hope for those students too. And believe me, their moms and dads have just as much, if not more, hope for them. They can achieve great things, as well.
So, here's to hope for both of my girls. Whom I have the same amount of hopes and dreams for each. They just look different. But one hope that is the same and at the top of my list, is the hope their words and actions are kind, loving and reflect Christ. I hope whatever they do they're pointing back to him and they're working for The Kingdom.
Happy WISD Hope Day.
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