Monday 18 August 2008

To our brave Lotte

Today was a special day. Today you went to school, a school where you will be like all the other children, and yet, not quite..
Despite the difficult start in your life you got the opportunity to live "hearing" between other hearing people.

Today was a day with many, many challenges and for us, your parents, a day with a lot of symbolism. You had to keep yourself up in a situation that you cannot control. Where you do not have the overview, where you do not understand all the information that is provided.
You were in a strange environment with new people. Until recently being in such a situation, without mummy and daddy, a situation like that would have been a problem. However, during the last summer holiday you have grown mentally with huge steps.
It goes together with understanding the world better. Exploring the world around you more freely. Being able to cope better with the situation like the one of today.
Today has put you in a situation that was difficult. A new social environment with new rules, new expectations. A situation where not everything is clear to you, and you will have to deal with it. Your intelligence helped you to deal with it... you are great in assessing a situation and anticipating it.

We will not forget this morning. Again you surprised us. We think we have some idea about how exiting this must be for you. For example, before the summer holiday, visiting the school you didn't want to let go of mummies hand and we were not allowed to go further than two meters from you.
But today you showed us how much you have grown.

You were on our lap, and when the children who were starting school were called to the front to the teacher, you asked mummy if she would join you. Of course she would...

Children were called up, and lined up on the stage.
Then, when it was apparent that you would be called, your body got tense and filled with determination. Your name was called and you jumped from your mothers lap, climbed on the stage, gave the teacher a hand, and lined up next to all the other children. No chance - and no need - for mummy to join you.
You did not even look back. You already decided that this was something YOU were going to do. Finished with kindergarten, you turned 6, and this was part of it. YOUR part. Going to school.

And then you were there.. proudly on the stage, smiling at us.

"Look mum - dad - I can do it myself.."

WOW!

After that you joined the other children to the classroom, and cherished your newly found independence. You found the table with your name and joined in with the other children, taking in your new environment.

You have shown us your courage. You showed us how you can make things happen by just wanting it.
You left us in awe while taking the new road to your new and exiting world. A world you are making your own using pure will-power, determination and trust.



We watch you with pride, with joy, admiration, and the wonderful feeling that all is well... that all is as it should be..!

--- Mous ---

4 comments:

Mom to Toes said...

Amazing!

I have tears.

Laurie said...

I got the goose bumps as I read this beautiful post! Lotte has grown up! And is confident because of YOU! Thank you for sharing!

Dy said...

Wow...just wow!

Abbie said...

After reading this, all I did was smile! Thank you for sharing her first day :)

(Some) Milestones

  • 2013-08: Grade 6
  • 2012-08: Grade 5
  • 2011-08: Grade 4
  • 2011-03: BTE's on the ear
  • 2010-08: Grade 3
  • 2009-08: Grade 2
  • 2008-08: Mainstream School (6y. old)
  • 2006-10: All-hearing Kindergarten (4y. old)
  • 2004-11-22: CI activated (27 m. old)
  • 2004-10-04: Bi-lateral CI (26 m. old)
  • 2003-08: Deaf/HOH/CI Pre-school/"DEAF" Kindergarten (12m. old)
  • 2003-07: HA's fitted (11 m. old)
  • 2003-06: Diagnosed deaf. Start sign-language (10m. old)
  • 2002-11: Suspicion loss of hearing (4 m. old)
  • 2002-08: Born - A fierce LION
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