If you read my blog from yesterday, I shared all about Levi’s amazing EA and alluded also to his amazing teacher. This year has been such a huge developmental one for him. To give you some point of reference – he had a substitute teacher for a week and it took us 4.5 MONTHS to get him almost back to normal. Saying he’s a sensitive child would be the understatement of the year. But Mrs. L won his heart. In fact, half the time, I’m no longer “mommy”. I’m Mrs. L. He officially asked my permission to just change my name to that so it would be easier for him to remember (names are hard when you’re ASD – even mommy and daddy names).

She just gets him at a level that VERY few people have. She is his safe person. We had to do a few classroom tours over the summer to practice getting Levi into the building, let alone into the classroom, and she just quietly did her work at her desk. Do you know how many people understand that the correct answer is to NOT engage with an anxious child? Almost no one. I have had to tell so many adults “Please, please stop talking. Don’t say hi. ABSOLUTELY don’t ask him how he’s doing because his brain is then going to have to process a verbal answer and he’s already at max.” People think it’s ignoring the child, but it’s not. It’s being there, being a presence, being safe and without expectation for them to come to you. These things can all be “taught” but I’ve met only a handful of people that instinctually just know. Guys, at some point in the school year, I stopped having my phone right beside me at all time. I’ve NEVER BEEN CALLED. Why? Because she’s got him. I’m going to miss her with my whole heart in grade 1.

So as the best thank you I could think of, we did a family photo shoot for them which worked out perfectly as it’s one of her son’s graduating years so we snuck in some grad photos as well! Also, her entire family is hilarious as you might guess from some of these pics, lol!