Student Of The Month

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Last Friday, Arizona was awarded Student of the Month. Everyone was excited for her, but Arizona doesn’t like when things are exciting. For one, people tend to get louder and clap and say things like, “WOW! Amazing job! I’m SO PROUD OF YOU.” And for my little peanut, this is overwhelming.

Arizona’s teacher gave me a heads up that she would be receiving the award. Normally, I like to prep her ahead of time, where and when I can, if I think she’ll have an adverse reaction to something. This time, though, I wanted her to work it out on her own and see where she would land.

The day started off fairly smoothly. The Student of the Month award doesn’t take place until after lunch. Coincidentally, I was at the school for Arizona’s yearly IEP (link to IEP post) and just wrapping up the meeting when the assembly was about to start. I saw the first graders in the hallway and noticed Arizona straggling behind the rest of the classmates. She had just found out she was receiving the award and was having a hard time mustering up the courage to make it into the auditorium. She saw me in the hallway and started telling me how she worried she was about having her name announced over the microphone and worried, again, about her friends clapping and cheering.

A few hours later, I picked her up from school. Do you know this girl came running to me with a huge smile on her face? “Mommy! I’m student of the month! Are you proud?” I just smiled back, and quietly said, “Well done, my love. Well done.”