Lucky

Han and Kit attend after school care a couple of times a week - they love it. One of the workers there was chatting to me about Hannah a couple of weeks ago - at the end of our conversation she said "You are so lucky". She meant to have Hannah - I liked her perceptiveness because that is of course how I feel about both my chilldren - but it is the first time I can recall someone saying that to me about Hannah. It isn't that usual for someone to say it about having a child witha disability - where they are actually referring to the whole child (disability and all) as part of my good fortune. You know - it was strange but her words really made me smile - because I think she 'gets it' and that is great.

Over the weekend we encouraged Hannah to rest up for school and I desparately tried to catch up on schoolwork (our marking reporting regime is in full swing) and a little uni work too. I was just feeling that things were slowly coming back under control when Kit starts vomiting everywhere!! Poor Darling. He had a restless night and so we kept him home from school yesterday. DH stayed at home and I went to work. I took Hannah to school on the way. I was nervous about how she'd go. She had missed 4 days last week and was going without Kit - for the first time. In the past at her other care centres she would not have wanted to do that. I rang after school care to let them know she'd be there. I was worried she'd be quite tired by the time she got there and also that without Kit she may get confused and not go!

As I walked with her from the car to school it occurred to me that all my apprehension was bout how she would feel today. I had every confidence that the other kids would be happy to see her back (and they were) and that the teachers would take the very best care of her. It was such a good feeling. Later at work one of my students who has a sibling with DS gave an oral presentation about her class research project into the impact of DS on the family. One of her points was stressors on the parents and undder that she metntioned how parents are often reluctant or unable to trust anyone else to look after their child with DS. I smiled as I listened becasue I know that she is right - and I am so glad that that is not how I feel about Hannah's school, quite the opposite. I trust that they will take excellent care of my gorgeous girl.

Still as soon as my last class was done I raced over to get her. The after school workers were keen to tell me what a great day she'd had and how she was fine with them. that same worker who'd told me how lucky I was once again mentioned how great my kids were - she commented on how bright Kit was - and also said something like "and so is this little one...' nodding at Hannah. I couldn't agree more - she is bright and beautiful - on the inside (and outside) - intelligence like beauty is in the eye of the beholder and in the eyes of those who love us is the best sort. It is not a narrow box of IQ assessments for any child, their beauty and intelligence is innate - we just need to be open enough and have the opportunity to appreciate it.