For any Special family the IEP meetings could be something to look forward to or it could mean a nightmare.. and If your kid is 16, these meeting in many ways define his adulthood or atleast shape his future in some forms. We were very fortunate to get the best team always. but IEP meetings are always a reminder how far Anand has come and how not so easy his world is.
Last week was tough on many of us. It has been a very challenging week in many ways for all of us. we sure are re-examining our belief system and trying to get a sense of things happening around us. in this uncertain time people around you make or break your world. Today was one of those days when a mother, a woman in me got her strength back. World is a better place, we cannot lose our hope, things will be alright.
So this morning Ashish and I walked in to school with knots in my stomach. I always knew Anand is in good hands. The team is wonderful and they would do the best they can but the mother in me..what to do with her, this day is just hard, very hard.. reminds me in some way how the world is different for my boy. Just to keep my mind in right place I wore Saree, needed something to cheer me up. off course it has to be a blue one. This story at that time was no where in my mind.
Anand is a junior, this is our third year with school for him, Ajey was in Franklin High for two years and we didn’t have to go to school often for him. I bet his teachers dint know his mother at all. But with Anand its a different story. His mother is in school all the time :)
His subject teachers change every year but some of the members in the team had been with us since 9th grade. so few of them know us very well by now.
As I walked in and met his first teacher in the office and we went to the meeting room. I notice some of the teachers in the blue but nothing more than that. Thought some fundraiser going on in school.
I think I was too busy collecting compliments for my saree. What’s new right? Meeting progressed and for the first time in all these years we heard Anand speak. with more than 10+ people in the room, they made him feel comfortable enough to show us his world through his eyes. I just couldn’t be any prouder, happier and grateful. After Anand left we all talked about his needs, difficulties, strength and what to do next. They were a TEAM, a strong team, who knew my son well and were willing to make him successful and his life better.
Finally I heard that they wore blue for me, they read my blog and decided to show up in blue. That moment.. I just didn’t cry but my heart melt and they just bought a mother over for nothing. I wish i could show them how grateful I am to have them in my life. Those hugs will assure me always that Anand is well taken care of.
I guess that was the moment I thought the world is still a better place, as long as we have wonderful teachers our kids are in great place. They will turn out alright.
