Dear friends,
One of the perks of my job is that when I’m needing an emotional reset or a reminder of my purpose, I can simply walk downstairs into one of the most beautiful and inspirational child development centers I’ve ever encountered and plop myself down wherever the action is in a classroom.
A couple of weeks ago, I had one of those moments and needed a little toddler time. My first stop was in Ms. Sashi’s classroom, where four little ones were working with playdough. One very little girl, age 2, was very intently cutting the playdough into tiny pieces, each no bigger than a bead on a necklace. She had the scissors balanced across her forefinger and thumb, but her teacher did not correct her, explaining to me that she would figure it out herself and that to correct her at this stage would only cause a power struggle.
Another child, who looked four, but who was also two, bounced back and forth from the table to another play area, finding it hard to settle in one place. His language was unclear and limited to one or two words at a time. I asked about his assessment results, seeing clear developmental delays in speech and social emotional skills. His teacher explained that his mother doesn’t want him labeled at such a young age. This leaves the work of intensive intervention to the teachers.
This concern is not uncommon. Parents are so afraid of having their children labeled as they enter school. They’re concerned that having a label means that they’ve failed as a parent. Our work is to both help understand that enrolling their children in special services now, before they are three gives them the best possible chance at success by the time they get to kindergarten, AND, to understand that seeking help for their children equates to success as a parent.
But removing stigma and old beliefs is hard. Removing judgement – from yourself or others – is hard. At Center for Transforming Lives, our In Her Shoes approach means we meet every child and parent where they are. They want to hold the scissors sideways until they are ready to do it the easier way. We’ll support you. Not ready to refer your child? We’ll support you. But, we’re going to continue to help you think differently, help you understand that avoiding a label today may result in a much stronger label later, working with you until you change your mind. And, until then, we’ll find a way to provide the services that make a difference.
Last year, 93% of children were ready for school. Not 100%, but we’re working on it.
Be well,
Carol Klocek
Chief Executive Officer
Categories: Words on the Wing
