Another summer is in the books and our kids are going back to school. Lunch-packing season is back in session and parents can get back to working, without wondering how they’re going to keep their kids busy all day.
I am new to being a school mom, as my first born just completed his first year of school in June this year, but I can’t believe how much he has blossomed.
He is four and about to enter his second year of preschool at Inspiration Station here in Airdrie. He was diagnosed with global developmental delay shortly before his third birthday, and this preschool was recommended to us, as it works with children with special needs and has Program Unit Funding (PUF) supports available.
And, honestly, it was the best thing we could have done for him.
He has a severe speech delay and was mostly non-verbal when he started school in September 2023, but, by the end of the school year, his speech had improved drastically. We met with the teachers and aides throughout the year to discuss how he was doing and what goals he would be working towards. By June 2024, he had achieved all of them.
After the first meeting, I was worried about some of the things discussed, like lacking the ability to make meaningful relationships with peers or interacting with classmates without needing adult intervention.
For example, at the school’s Christmas celebration with parents, students were dancing in a circle while holding hands, but my son wasn’t sure how to join in, so an aide stepped in and showed him how to join hands with his classmates.
Only a few months later, he was speaking in full sentences, saying challenging words and making friends. He even started telling me about his friends and I could actually understand what he was talking about. We have already had play dates and he is continuing to build friendships.
Now that he can communicate with me, he is a much happier little person because he feels understood and we can bond over things like music or laugh at something together. Progress is a process that takes time, but every little step contributes to something bigger.
We are so fortunate to have the school system we do and all the teachers and aides who help shape little minds every day. Their patience is incredible and they want to see our kids thrive, too.
