Today was your sports day at school. This is your fourth year in school, yet I don't think you've actually had a sports day before (due to Covid and lockdowns) and definitely not one where we have been able to come and see you.
Whenever we get an invitation from school to attend something for you I'm never quite sure how its going to go. It seems easier for you to keep home and school very separate, you seem to struggle when the lines blur and when people cross over the boundaries and are not in the setting they should be. So when we received the letter to come and see you at sports day, if I'm honest, I wasn't sure what to do.
How I thought it could go
Would you even want me to come? (Mixing me with school has been tricky before)
Would you struggle to take part if you saw me?
Would me being there confuse you? Me or your teacher, who should you be with?
Would you find it really overwhelming with me and lots of other grown ups being there, watching?
Would you be so overwhelmed that you then shut down and couldn't take part in the activities?
Will you end up having a seizure?
Would you miss me if I didn't come? Would you see other mums and dads and then think where's my Mummy? etc
So, my boy. it is never an easy one, deciding on whether to come to any of these events because the worst thing possible is for me to be the reason that you really struggle with something.
How it went
Micah Seth, your sports day was beautiful! You were beautiful!
You looked for me
You did your big wave
You beamed at me with your huge gorgeous smile across the playground
You were happy I was there
You took part in a total of 8 activities (some on your own and some with support)
You stayed in the line (with gentle reminding and prompting)
You waited your turn (whilst flapping away and stimming)
You passed things onto the next child when you had finished your turn
You high-fived one of the girls in your team
You tried to concentrate and stay focused
You asked each time if I was coming to the next activity
You smiled your way through holding hockey sticks, throwing basketballs, bouncing tennis balls, running and collecting balls, throwing bean bags, throwing wellies, running and jumping and throwing javelins.
And then my boy, if that wasn't enough, you went on to do something more than I could have asked, imagined or hoped for. You ran a race!
You ran, overflowing with happiness and excitement, waving and shouting mummy the whole way (yes, slightly distracted and definitely running at the back) but boy you did it! You ran! You ran the whole race! You reached the finish line! And all in a straight line, too!
And let me tell you this precious boy, you loved it and you had a blast!
Beautiful and different
I came away from watching you today and I couldn't stop smiling, chuckling and having a little cry to myself (happy tears). I just thought it was beautiful. You, my boy, were beautiful.
You were happy
You were proud of yourself and what you achieved
You didn't compare yourself to anyone
You were...you!
And yes, it also looked different for you. Different to the other children. Different because you had extra support. You had someone by your side to guide you, prompt you, remind you, help you stay focused, to physically help you with some of the activities, and someone you could look to for reassurance and encouragement. You had a running buddy (which you loved). You had a teacher at the finish line keeping you focused and cheering you on (which you loved). So yes, it looked different. But boy was it beautiful; you were totally included and beautifully supported.
I don't know what the next sports day will look like for you. I don't know how you might find it another year but I'm taking this one and I'm treasuring it.
Well done gorgeous boy! You did it! You did sports day and you completely smashed it!
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