Then she is taken to her kindergarten room where she can join in on language and math lessons and more hands-on activities to help further develop her phonics, numeracy and fine motor skills.
As a teacher, I know how much effort this detailed schedule took to put together. But the team did it without complaint and with my child’s best interests in mind.
One of our biggest concerns about Avery moving up to grade one was literally her moving up…the stairs. Holy Himalaya they’re steep. And busy. For a child with dicey balancing skills, this is a legitimate worry. This is why the schedule has Avery travelling up and down the stairs after the crowds have dispersed and always under careful supervision. See why we feel so fortunate?
Friends and family often ask how Avery fairs socially in the grade one classroom. “Does she have friends? Is she happy?”
Avery is 100% happy. Social skills and the ability to draw people in is one of her strongest assets. She is honestly one of the most polite children you’ll ever meet. She doles out sincere please and thank-yous for the littlest nicety and makes even the grumpiest stranger smile with a “Thank yooooo!” said in her sweet voice.
For a child whom we feared may never attend a mainstream school, to be thriving in such a way is incredible. Last week when our girl was called up in front of the school to receive an award for “super manners and polite attitude” my husband and I couldn’t have been more proud. The only person more touched was her brother, smiling broadly and clapping wildly from the audience as she received her certificate.
“She looked so happy,” he told us. And of course she said, “Thank you” when she accepted the award.
Parenting is wrought with challenges, but sweet milestones like these make all it worth it and we look forward to celebrating many more amazing milestones to come.
Comments
One response to “Manners and Milestones”
Those public school stairs are scary even when you're 30 and don't have trouble balancing. Go Avery! xo