Jacquelyn’s sensory processing disorder makes swimming really difficult for her. It’s not because she isn’t coordinated, it’s because she can’t stand the feel of water on her face or the movement and yelling of all the other children. Jacquelyn was very proud of herself today for “jumping” off the steps alone with floaties on. Then this happened…
Random little girl: I bet you can’t do this!
Jacq, watching intently: Yes. That’s something I can’t do.
Random little girl: Can you do this?
Jacq: I can’t do a lot of swim things.
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After having a conversation about kindergarten with a random lady at the pool, she tells her five year old daughter that Jacquelyn just finished kindergarten and loved it! Then this happened…
Little girl: How old is she?
Her mom: Six.
Little girl, right in front of Jacq: But she’s so small.
Many times loving Jacquelyn breaks my heart.
maybe her body is small, but her SPIRIT is HUGE! see look how she shines!
The conversations of children are ususally not loaded with all of the baggage that adults like to ascribe. Usually they are matter-of-fact. For example, my step son’s friend pointed out recently that my stepson’s mother was dead, and he had no mother. True enough. It wasn’t meant to be mean or cold, and it wasn’t taken that way. An adult would think “Oh, how horrible, he’s reminding Christopher of something that’s so sad!” but we should ask ourselves WHY should we go there? It was just “Your mom died. You don’t have a mother.” Not judging, just stating.
I love the way children talk to each other. They are ususally accepting. “Monica can’t do that” doesn’t mean Monica is a loser. It means she can’t do that. Probably that’s true, and accepting it is not such a bad thing.
Suzanne, thank for your comment but I think you missed the point. I’m sad that my child suffers from a disorder that prevents her from participating in typical childhood activities. And sometimes I worry a little bit because she is 6.5 years old and only weighs 36 pounds. I agree with you that the other child was just stating a fact.
…humble quiet little “wow”. Parenting can, sometimes, be defined as heartbreaking. Love the blog.