Everything is going to be okay! I have to tell myself that a lot lately...especially with what's been going on in the news with the dad that sent his Autistic son to school with a wire. The horrible horrible things the adults said to this boy were completely uncalled for (and he is supposed to be able to look up to them)! Every time I think about him going to school (not preschool but Elementary school and up) I get knots in my stomach! What if someone treats my baby like that? What if they call him a bastard or tell him to shut up? What if he is mistreated everyday and will have no way of letting me know? Then those thoughts turn into what if no one likes him? What if he has no friends? What if the kids treat him the same way? Tonight...those thoughts were settled if only a little bit...
The clan went to Pa's softball game tonight. Just before the game ended we decided to let the three little rascal's that were with us go play on the playground. Matthew was having a blast with all the other kids and so was Kayden. I got a little pain in the heart watching all the kids run and laugh and climb the stairs and go down the slide...then there's my Grant Man...being held by Ma and going down the slide. Was he happy...OF COURSE!!! But it was what happened after this that brought tears to my eyes!
There were several little kids on the playground. They all started asking my mom questions about Grant. Pretty soon they were all wanting to play with him. One little girl (who I found out is 12) just carried Grant around and went down the slide with him. Another little girl who is in Kindergarten helped him go down the slide, too. They were so excited to be playing with Grant. The 12 year old couldn't get over how cute he was. Then she started asking me questions. One question she asked was if he could talk. I explained to her that he is just learning how to say words and he only says a few things. Then this little 12 year old girl said something to me that made my soul smile. Her response to Grant "that's okay, Grant, I understand you." Wow!! I never, NEVER would have thought I would be hearing a young girl say something like that to Grant "that's okay I understand you" and boy did his face light up. To some of you that phrase may not mean a whole lot but when you have a child with special needs that you don't know if anyone other than yourself understands him then it means the world. She told him goodbye and that she would see him next week and they would play some more.
As we walked away I had an overwhelming since of calmness. Sitting here thinking about those questions: what if no one likes him? What if he has no friends? What if the kids treat him the same way? I don't think I will have to worry about that :)
