Meet the Teacher

My kids had 'meet the teacher' today at preschool. That's right....I said kids. You probably already know this, because I've been telling everyone within a 10 foot radius that Lilah, too, is going to Mother's Day Out this fall. Partly because I am really excited to have someone else 'teaching' her. Partly because, oh my word, the potential of being alone in my house for any time whatsoever is thrilling. But, mostly, because I am experiencing shock and awe that this sweet little program wants her.

I know, that sounds terrible, right? She's beautiful, sweet, loving, blah, blah, blah. She is all those things, but she's hard work. She's heavy and fussy and almost totally dependent. And this program is under no obligation to take her, much less ask if I would please send her this year. But they did. "She'll be no more trouble than any of the others" they said. "We would love to have her", they told me. And that, to any mother, but especially this mother is music.

Because, with my healthy child, I never worried that he'd be wanted. But, with her, I have visions of years of schooling where she is really neither wanted nor loved by her teachers. It's top 5 of my 'keep me awake at night' fears....that she will be and feel like a burden.

Her sweet teachers were fantastic and they were cool as cucumbers throughout the medical dissertation that started with heart failure and ended with seizures... after mentions of g-tube, scholeosis, and nissen fundoplication. They carted L around the room, showing her different toys, while I explained how (little) she communicates and where the safe places in the room would be for her. I think Lilah is going to love it....she needs and wants the social interaction and we all need a change of pace around here. I have high hopes:)

I just want her to be wanted. And whatever her 'educational' future holds, I am sure thankful that it gets to start off like this. In a sweet little school, full of typical peers...wanted and (I hope) loved.