From the day babies are born, it is very common to hear mothers ask one another about developmental milestones. Does she feed every three hours? Is he sleeping through the night yet? Has she rolled over?
The comparisons continue into each stage of childhood where we worry if our babies don't have enough babble vocabulary, or if the first steps have come too late. By the time the children reach kindergarten, the questions shift in tone as parents like to boast through examination. Is John able to count to 20? My Karen is reading three letter words. How about your daughter?
But what happens if your child isn't a little Einstein? What if they hate to read and fail their spelling tests no matter how many times you drill the words? My oldest daughter is one who has really struggled through the last few years of school. We have worked with her for hours a day, hired a private tutor, and now we are left with the possibility that there may be some learning disabilities.
My girl is so precious to my heart. She is observant and calculated. She is fearless and bold. She loves to please others. But when it comes time to learn the curriculum, she is frustrated and feels stupid. This breaks my heart.
My husband and I have made the decision to go forward with substantial testing to determine if there may be problems with dyslexia or another learning disability. But, what if nothing is found? What if I don't have the "A" student who will be class valedictorian? If she does the best she can do, and barely makes it through, I will still be proud.
She may be judged by the world, but she will be adored by me. I have had the privilege of watching her grow from a strong-willed toddler into a tender hearted little lady. And while there will be years of work ahead, I pray that my attitude toward her will be one of total acceptance. My highest calling is to show her what love is, and to teach her just who she is in this world.
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