I went out to greet the mini-bus this afternoon. Howie was returning home from his second day of his Extended School Year program.
I stepped up into the bus. Mrs. S, the bus monitor, looked at me.
“I have to tell you…”
Gulp. Waiting for shoe to drop.
“Howie has been doing an amazing job on the bus these past two days. It’s awesome.”
Howie’s whole body puffed up with pride. Mrs. S said it looked like he grew an inch in that very moment.
“Inside and out,” I said.
He came bouncing off the bus with a huge smile.
“Did that make you feel good when Mrs. S said that?” I asked.
“Yes. It did.”
And then the smile got bigger.
When you’re smiling…
“Now take some silly ones of me!”
Who could say no?
“I’m going to move fast to make it blurry!”
“Now I’m a tiger!”
And we went happily into the house.
I’m not going to focus on the fact that his log sheet said he had a hard time at the program today and had to be removed. And I’m not even going to think about the three times he hit his home therapist today because she asked him to clean up. In this moment…it’s just about that smile and the pride it represents.
And right now, that’s enough for me.
“When you’re smiling
When you’re smiling
The whole world smiles with you
When you’re laughing
When you’re laughing
The sun comes shining through” – When You’re Smiling by Louis Armstrong
July 11, 2012 at 7:49 pm
smiling at this post ….
July 11, 2012 at 11:02 pm
LOVE that smile! He’s so cute I just wanna give him great big squeezy hugs!
July 11, 2012 at 11:12 pm
You know he would LOVE that!!
July 12, 2012 at 12:13 am
What a cutie!! And what a wonderful thing for the bus driver to say. All children – all people, really – need to be “puffed up” like that every now and then. Hopefully he will carry that with him for a while.
July 12, 2012 at 3:17 am
Love it when I brace myself for yet another report of an issue and instead hear something lovely like that. Good for you for celebrating that moment and ignoring the other stuff. Ya gotta grab those victories. Yay.
Lisa
July 12, 2012 at 6:22 am
Oh, I loved this! He is just delicious- I’d give him all the squeezy hugs he could handle! I read recently that this is the best way to give praise- about the other person but in their presence. I’ve been making a conscious effort to do it whenever I can- as you say, it makes them grow!
July 12, 2012 at 9:06 am
I have sooo been there and I admire you for taking the best part of the day and going with it. Those blasted log sheets can totally ruin the day, can’t they?
Here’s hoping that Howie has LOTS of opportunities to grow inside and out with ESY!
July 12, 2012 at 11:42 am
So nice to see the puffing up with pride at his own accomplishments! I love those moments, our little guys don’t get to have nearly enough of them.
July 13, 2012 at 2:03 pm
And wow, what a smile he has! I love how great he felt about that compliment. And I like that that’s what you’re choosing to focus on.
July 14, 2012 at 10:15 pm
How wonderful to get a compliment like that! Riding the bus can be tough for these kiddos. This post brought to my mind a note sent home in the spring from the bus para. It listed “expected behaviors” on the bus, specifically written for my son. Number 3 was “keep your clothes on.” LOL.
July 14, 2012 at 11:13 pm
Is it bad that I love that?