A great TA

[Guest guest]

I mentioned before that my daughter was fully included this year for the first

time. She has a great TA who seems to really “get” her.

Today the TA told me something that happened and it really proved to me that she

understood where we coming from and where we wanted to go.

It was picture day at school. When asked to smile and say cheese, my daughter

raised both hands like she was cheering. She does this a lot. The photographer

asked the TA if my daughter could keep her hands down. The TA replied, “She’s

sitting right there, why don’t you ask her?”

When she told me of this conversation she said, “You must get this a lot.” I

do, as many of you probably do too, and I was thrilled that this woman handled

it so perfectly

__________________________________________________

[Guest guest]

This is such a common experience.... just the other night and I had

a Girls Night Out - dinner and shopping at the mall. She got sucked into

the makeup counter at Macy's - and had the woman there put the brightest

red lipstick on her... and she loved it!

She decided to buy it - made a big point of telling them she would buy it

with HER money ( she does get SSI) and as we were writing out the check

together, one of the women behind the counter was commenting on how *cute*

she was.... and asked me " How old is she? "

I turned to .... acted like I had no clue...

" - ummm.... how old are you? "

" I'm nineteen! Going to be twenty in three months! Want to see my Photo

ID? "

From that point on... she ran the conversation directly....

:-)

--

Kathy

mom to the almost-not-teenager

and yes.... her dad *freaked* at the red lips....

*********** REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

On 9/24/2004 at 4:12 PM Yemaya opined:

| I mentioned before that my daughter was fully included this year

| for the first time. She has a great TA who seems to really “get”

her.

|

| Today the TA told me something that happened and it really proved to me

| that she understood where we coming from and where we wanted to go.

|

| It was picture day at school. When asked to smile and say cheese, my

| daughter raised both hands like she was cheering. She does this a lot.

| The photographer asked the TA if my daughter could keep her hands

| down. The TA replied, “She’s sitting right there, why don’t you

ask

| her?”

| When she told me of this conversation she said, “You must get this a

| lot.” I do, as many of you probably do too, and I was thrilled that

| this woman handled it so perfectly

|

*********** END OF REPLY SEPARATOR ***********

[Guest guest]

In a similar vein, the new Resource teacher (who I think is GREAT so far) really

understands that we want treated as much as possible like the typical

kids. He has been having lunch with her in the cafeteria occasionally so that

the aide can get a break, and he told us last night at Back to School Night that

she always looks at him and bats her big brown eyes and says " Mr. Lyman, would

you please carry my lunch tray? " He told me that it just kills him because she

just melts him when she does this she's so darn cute, but he tells her " Hey,

look around, am I carrying any other 1st graders lunch trays??? " .... he's just a

crack up, and so gentle and kind, and she apparently just laughs and carries her

own tray to the table. He says it's tough because he just wants to say " Oh

, I'd love to carry your tray for you " :-)

It makes me smile, thinking about their lunch conversations, and him telling me

how much he enjoys his time with ..... I think he enjoys having a break

from the daily stress because she is really funny and makes him laugh (that

wonderful skill so many of our kids have). Plus, it also gives him a great

chance to see her with her classmates when she's relaxed and having fun, rather

than not doing her work!

, mom to (8), (6 DS), and (5)