New school

Yesterday we picked Emma up from school early to take her to see her new school.  She was so excited about it, being very enthusiastic about starting kindergarten in the fall.

Our town has a nice new building for kindergarten and first grade, which I especially like, even if she doesn't notice!

I had the opportunity to meet some of the key staff a week ago when I attended a meeting there to discuss Emma's "special needs".  I met with her new physical therapist (who happens to have Melissa as her boss - funny how that worked out!) and her new occupational therapist.  Also there were her coordinator, the school counselor, a kindergarten teacher, the head of special needs for the district and the school principal!

Now having "special needs" is obviously not a bonus (unless it's giftedness, but we'll get to that later!), however, I have to say that although I think Emma is doing exceptionally well for a child of her age, with or without "S.N." if you are going to get assistance, then a meeting with all those individuals before school begins is quite literally a gift!  They spent an hour with me discussing her last evaluation from the current therapy team and how that translated into school.

I was pretty nervous about this meeting because I wasn't exactly sure of the purpose and Emma was not with me to dazzle them!  So I put on my best dress, practiced my British accent (always a winner, but very much only hints normally) and headed in!

I feel I was doing very well until they asked me what our concerns are for her school career. I didn't know how to answer at first, but they gave me a couple examples and I knew how to answer.  I couldn't though, because I was stifling some powerful sobs emerging from behind my wall of self-control!  Patiently they waited until I was able to utter a few words: "I don't want her to lose who she is."  Understood.

As I proceeded to explain how incredibly self-assured she is, not conceited, but loves herself and knows her limits, I was gripped with the emotion of the possibilities ahead.  I was relieved and pleased in the response from the team. Not only empathy, but also protectiveness over a child they had yet to meet.

I shared a story that a Moebius mom on Facebook had shared, where a teacher told her Moebius child to close her mouth while eating.  The child said that she couldn't.  The teacher told the child not to be silly, "everyone can close their mouth."  The counselor said she felt nauseous when she heard that.  That made me happy!

So when Scott and I took Emma to her "induction", there were already 3 staff members looking for her!  A head start most other kids don't get.  It was also cool that a little girl in Emma's ballet class was there and came bounding up to her, calling her name.  I didn't realize how popular she is!

Despite failing to connect with many of the mom's in her pre-school class on a social level, I have becomes friends with one mom, who says her daughter loves Emma to pieces.  It's great to hear, because I don't see the two of them interacting much before or after school!  Another mom said her little girl had never mentioned anything "different" about Emma, other than how smart she is!

While I'm sure I should be feeling sadness about my baby starting school, but I'm just to eager to see how it goes, to reduce my anxiety about the whole thing!  I guess that's a good thing in some ways.  I'll reserve the sadness for Toby starting school!!