Daily writing prompt

What is the last thing you learned?

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My eldest granddaughter is autistic and as a Grandma, my mama bear stuff went into overdrive when my daughter wanted to main stream her into public school. She’s non verbal and looks like an angel, I couldn’t help but think it was a bad idea. Of course I raised a mama bear and should have known my daughter would tend to every moment. She became a para, a person who works with “special” students, so she is on school grounds everyday.

Well, I went to the school for grandparents day today, Fiona is in 4th grade now, and was flabbergasted to how well they have done in giving Fiona some normalcy. They treat her like a student and not a breakable flower. She is allowed to be herself and encouraged to learn, because non-verbal doesn’t mean her brain isn’t smarter than yours and mine.

I proudly watched as she showed me some skills and I realized that all the time I put into her when she was unavailable to us during her heavily withdrawn years was worth it. As a toddler she would only side eye me, push me away, and worse put her fingers in her ears, as if she didn’t like me at all. It took a lot of time and research to understand stem-ing and all the things she does to accommodate her needs, She is allowed to accommodate her needs. she’s not a discipline problem. SO I loved her from afar until one day years into the future, she came to me, sat in my lap and put her hands around my face, brings tears to my eyes just typing that…

My part as a straight up love you machine, allows me to clap for her and spout off to the world that she is awe-tistic! And in her special needs classroom she is loved, adored, and kept safe. Schooling for Fiona has deeply changed her, it has brought her forward in a world she seemed to be rejecting. Standing by my daughter and her choices for her children is my job and being the cheerleader is the best role for a grandma who would Destroy this world if anything happened to her.

We think elders useless because many refuse to be a contributing member of the family or society, old Karens I’m looking at you! But being a useful grandparent is priceless to a family with children who are special needs.