My kiddo's first Christmas Present:...

....O.K. it's mine too...

Dear Educator,
Thank you so much for teaching my child. I am so grateful for all of your work. The leniency and understanding you have shown while working with my special needs child.
You are such an intricate part in their healing and helping form the person they will be. For that I and my husband are exceedingly grateful.
We continue to being devoted to you and your classroom, and when we have opportunity love to help, enhance and support you and your class whenever we can. Please continue to ask, and we will continue to do what we can, when we can.

As the holidays have arrived so has more anxiety, more difficulty concentrating, more loss and anger and feelings of shame. Imagine how a child of shame feels every time an adult asks “have you been good this year, is Santa bringing you anything”. Many children wiggle under such a question. My son/daughter stays awake at night stewing, worrying, raging, and stressing over these simple things. It is something they can not turn off.

As images of “families” and special times of warm feelings and goodness to all touch all of us so deeply via media and community activities, this season reminds my child, what they lack. Much like looking in a window, watching things from the outside, we are still working and teaching him/her how to get to the other side.

During this season, we are giving our child, no our family a gift. Between Thanksgiving and New Years, we do not do Homework in our home. Call it religious if needs be, we truly want the extra time and energy used for family time, and service. They will be learning, they will be reading, I might even have reports for the to hand in…but, they will not be completing any sent home work, unless they want to.

Thank you for being part of my child’s healing,
Happy Holidays,
The Crapo Family