The Year was 2019 and Bridget owned it.
In January of 2019 she rang in the New Year, touched the snow for the first time without panicking and rocked a Bat Mitzvah. Continue reading
The Year was 2019
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Christmas Cards
Last week Bridget’s class was doing a Pen Pal project. Her class had partnered with other Unique classrooms to send Christmas Cards to one another from across the country. The parents in her class were asked to send in our family Christmas card.
Except I haven’t done a Christmas card since she was two and tortured by the fat man in a red suit. Continue reading
The Gift
Every year I am asked, “What do you want for Christmas?”. This is always hard for me, because I don’t like to say what I want. I want to be happy with what I have. This year was different. When I have already been given the perfect gift and do not need anything else.
This was the first year Bridget hosted a birthday party. Continue reading
Dear Teacher
Dear Teacher (ESP/Therapist),
This is not about how much we know you care about our children. We know you struggle with them (some days) and you never give up on them. It’s about the process in reporting their progress that hurts. It also doesn’t make sense.
How can a standard report card accurately state how my child (or any child with an intellectual disability) is doing in 4th grade? Continue reading
Be kind
As children get older, it becomes more difficult to be inclusive. Bridget’s age, it’s kind of forced inclusion. Every kid gets invited to the birthday party. Kids spend most of their day in one class, so a teacher is more apt to see what child needs the extra attention and what child just needs to visit the take a break chair. As her sister ages through the school system, I notice there are fewer children with special needs in her circle. Continue reading
Mermaid is Bridget’s Spirit Animal
I always miss summer. Other than hockey season, summer is my favorite time of the year. Yet this year, summer was so special for Bridget it makes autumn harder for me to accept. This year Bridget didn’t just rock summer she conquered more milestones that I could have imagined back in June. Continue reading
Back to school, bring on the IEP
How often do you look at your child’s IEP? I know I used to look at it right before an IEP meeting, then I would review it afterwards, sign and move on. I learned my lessons over the years.
For those who are just entering the IEP there are a few facts to remember. Continue reading
It gets less scary because she has a village
Bridget starts 4th grade today.
It’s crazy to me, but this year I am not scared. I’m lucky because this year her classmates include her hero Jake, a friend since preschool, her best buddies S & A who have included her in their group since 2nd grade and other true friends that look out for her. She gets invited to playdates and birthday parties, not because they have to but because they want Bridget to be with them. Continue reading
It all comes together
Bridget is ten years old and has spent 9 years and 3 months of that time in therapy. First it was physical therapy. Then feeding. Over time occupational therapy was added and finally speech therapy. We would take minor breaks over the years but they were more mini-vacations than actual breaks. She has always had at minimum one therapy a week. Bridget works very hard to live her best life.
We live with the motto, they said she would never so let’s prove them wrong. Continue reading
When it’s more than participation
This summer Bridget was beyond lucky to participate in the Sail Cape Cod adaptive sailing program thru the Special Olympics and Kennedy Donovan Center. Adult and teenage volunteers taught Bridget and her peers every aspect of sailing. They learned to tack, to raise the sail and to race.
Just like almost every child that lives on Cape Cod, Bridget got to experience the sea.
On her own.
