Hope

My B-man is getting older.  Kids are great noticers.  They remember stuff.  I've been concerned this year about kids starting to remember B's outbursts and meltdowns.  This year he's had a couple of rough ones.  Most of them start in his classroom, with other kids.  I don't want him to be ostracized because of his rough times. 

I'm not a mom who wants or needs her kids to be super popular.  I've always wanted them to have one good friend.  One person who got them and had their back.  One person they'd stand up for as well.  One person who picks them first and who they pick first.  Someone who gets them. 

My concern has been that B's behaviors would keep people from getting him. 

As I said yesterday, B had a Valentine.  He'd asked a cute little girl in his class to be his Valentine and she'd said yes.  He took her a Hersey's Chocolate bar and my Harry Potter owl for her to see since she likes Harry Potter.  At bedtime, he wondered what she would bring him.  I don't know the little girl or her parents so I didn't know how she'd respond to being B's Valentine.  I told him she might not bring anything but that was ok because it was nice to have a Valentine. He was cool with that and excited about the day.  In the morning he wanted to make sure to dress nice for his Valentine.  He also wanted to wear red. 

He had a great time at the class party.  Ryan went because I was teaching.  Ryan said B introduced himself to his Valentine's mom in addition to working the crowd telling parents about his new pet sitting business (Lord, help me).  A friend of mine sent me a picture of B and his Valentine.  He's right, she is a cute little girl.

B's Valentine wrote him a letter.  A letter that made me cry.  A letter more valuable than any gift.  In the letter she tells B why she likes him.  "My favorit thing about you is that your sweet, kind and generoos. Your allways kind to people even if they're rude or unkind to you.  Your creative and silly." (typed exactly from a letter from a 3rd grader)

This sweet letter gave me hope. Hope that he does have and will have one good friend.  Hope that people will continue to see his positive, wonderful traits.  Hope that B's behavior wouldn't keep people from knowing the real him. The him that I love. The him that so many of you love.