Friends and People Who Know Us...

T1 is growing up in a rural village.  He has been part of a Parent and Baby group, 2's Group, Playgroup, School Nursery in this village and has started school with the same children he went to all these groups with.  I feel that this has been incredibly helpful to T1 and our family.

There are 15 children in T1's class at school and they all know him extremely well.  These children are exceptionally caring and thoughtful towards T1.  If he is feeling distressed or upset, they often draw him pictures of aeroplanes to calm him down or cheer him up.  Of course, T1 has his 'cross' days when he can get rather grumpy with the other children but most of them seem to cope with it and tell T1 straight when he is in the wrong, which is very helpful because this is how T1 will learn about social rules, as and when they happen and when he gets immediate feedback from the other children.

T1 got a folder of things to take home at the end of Primary 1.  In this folder there must have been at least 20 or so drawings of aeroplanes and flags from the other children in T1's class.  I felt tearful then looking at those drawings and I'm tearful now writing this because I know that T1 is so incredibly lucky growing up with these children who seem to care about him, understand him so well and cope around him whatever mood he's in!  I can't thank them all enough!

I am also thankful to the parents of the children in T1's class.  The majority of them have known T1 from when he was very young.  A lot of them will have done some parent duty at playgroup or nursery and will have perhaps noticed some of T1's differences.  They seem to have a really good understanding of T1 and are very supportive of DP and I.  At times I could be seen as being a bit over cautious with T1 e.g. not leaving him at parties alone because I wonder how he will cope.  Some of the other parents have encouraged me to leave him which has given me more confidence to do so in the future.  I feel really lucky to trust the other parents enough to know T1, to keep an eye on him and to contact me if I was needed.  If any of them are reading this now then let me say a huge thank you to you, your support has been invaluable :-)