Included

One of the things I worried about the most with Aeson was would he be included?  Would he be accepted?  We live in a small town and sometimes small towns come with small minds.  He sticks out in an environment that doesn't have a large population of special needs children.  And not only does he not speak English but the English he does speak comes with a Down Syndrome speech deficit.  That being said, our school district is a fully inclusive district meaning that a child with special needs attends as many classes with typically developing peers as they are emotionally and mentally able to handle.  Currently Aeson is in a life skills classroom most of the day (due to not speaking English) but attends mainstream PE, lunch and theater.  We had his first ARD meeting last week and, after discussing all his current academic achievements, I ventured to ask how he was doing socially.  I had no doubts that, in his own class, he would do well.  He is a very affectionate and social kid.  But how would he do with the other kids?  Junior high is an amazingly awkward age where conformity is key to survival.  And, again, Aeson sticks out.  He's also spent his entire life in an environment where everyone was "different" so he doesn't see himself as an oddity.  I was so happy to hear that kids called him by name and waved to him as he went down the hall.  I had a parent approach me last night at a church function to tell me that their daughter had come home and started learning Russian so she could speak to him and make him feel welcome.  And at a slumber party this past weekend, eight six and seven year old girls didn't hesitate to include Aeson in the pillow fights and staircase sledding.  They were curious to know why he "speaks funny" but after a brief explanation about coming from another country and learning to speak English they thought of him no differently than they do any other kid.  One of the girls told her mother when she came to pick her up that, "Aeson is fun to play with."

Insert smiley face here.

So well done, Bellville.  You are raising an amazing bunch of kiddos and I'm so lucky to have my kid among them.