kiddos
I saw a stunning display of selflessness today. And to most people it would have been nothing, just kids being goofy, but it struck me as profound and wonderful, and it was one of several moments today that made me want to scoop up a kid, hug them, and tell them that they are wonderful. I did all but the hug, cuz im not allowed to really hug them like that.
We were walking back from lunch. My little autistic guy has had an all around rough day. He isn't handling the new room transition well, and he has been melting down for two days. He talks to people that aren't there, screams for so long that i had to take the rest of the class outside to have english today, and stutters worse than I've heard him in a while, he's just all around agitated. We got him to lunch and he got through it okay, but when we were leaving, he starts screaming about the mushrooms and that he's scared of the mushrooms and that he can't go back to the room because of the mushrooms. Well I didnt see a single one, im guessing they werent there at all, but we obviously couldnt tell him that. So another of my little boys came up to him, looked at me for approval, i nodded at him, and he said, " V (in lieu of names)where is it? where's the mushroom?". my V pointed out the nonexistant mushroom, and S ran over and stomped on it, then said "are there any more", and as V hollered at him where they were "there's one up on the hill! and over there! and right here!", S stomped every one of the mushrooms none of us could see, and then came up to V and said "I got em all. I promise. It's okay. Come walk with me." and he held out his hand, and slowly, V took his hand and walked with him back to the classroom.
it never ceases to amaze me. S couldn't possibly have understood what was going on with V, or why he was doing it, or why he should care. But he saw the genuine fear on his face, he realized its importance to V, and so he made it important to him for a minute to ease someone's fear and take care of them, even if it didnt make sense. I am priveledged to know such amazing kids.
I'm exhausted. And stressed out. And I love my job.
We were walking back from lunch. My little autistic guy has had an all around rough day. He isn't handling the new room transition well, and he has been melting down for two days. He talks to people that aren't there, screams for so long that i had to take the rest of the class outside to have english today, and stutters worse than I've heard him in a while, he's just all around agitated. We got him to lunch and he got through it okay, but when we were leaving, he starts screaming about the mushrooms and that he's scared of the mushrooms and that he can't go back to the room because of the mushrooms. Well I didnt see a single one, im guessing they werent there at all, but we obviously couldnt tell him that. So another of my little boys came up to him, looked at me for approval, i nodded at him, and he said, " V (in lieu of names)where is it? where's the mushroom?". my V pointed out the nonexistant mushroom, and S ran over and stomped on it, then said "are there any more", and as V hollered at him where they were "there's one up on the hill! and over there! and right here!", S stomped every one of the mushrooms none of us could see, and then came up to V and said "I got em all. I promise. It's okay. Come walk with me." and he held out his hand, and slowly, V took his hand and walked with him back to the classroom.
it never ceases to amaze me. S couldn't possibly have understood what was going on with V, or why he was doing it, or why he should care. But he saw the genuine fear on his face, he realized its importance to V, and so he made it important to him for a minute to ease someone's fear and take care of them, even if it didnt make sense. I am priveledged to know such amazing kids.
I'm exhausted. And stressed out. And I love my job.