The end of the school year can be a difficult time for many parents. There are so many social events to attend, dance concerts, end of year sporting activities, school Christmas events, street parties and the one that leaves many full of dread the end of year awards ceremonies.
I’m a firm believer in rewarding outstanding effort, after all I have had a child who took home many awards and earned every last one of them, but I am also the parent of that child’s siblings and it can be incredibly hard for a child to miss out when they really have tried hard all year, but their idea of effort and the school merits idea of effort are two very different things.
I wish there was an award for neurodiverse children. That special human with a natural flair for all things extraordinary. Those children who face so many challenges just getting themselves to school and staying there. If I’m being honest their parents or careers probably deserve a merit award too!
The child who struggles to sit still all year but tries with all their might and still gets in trouble for bouncing their legs or moving more than their teacher thinks they should, despite the fact that they really can’t stay still.
The child who hates loud noises but cringes and tolerates the noise level in a classroom when their peers are loud and boisterous and then comes home and needs to be left alone in a quiet place to recover.
An award for the child who couldn’t read well at the start of the year or write a coherent sentence but can now write a short story albeit not war and peace but put pencil to paper all the same.
The courageous child who is athletically gifted and represents the school at district for most sports but suffers with such severe anxiety that he hides it from his peers and teachers so no one knows how scared he is about being in the spotlight.
That child who struggles socially and has wandered the school yard for endless hours alone hoping no one notices but of course everyone does.
These little super humans who don’t hear their name called for an award at the end of year assembly, need to be reminded by you their people that they should be proud of every step they took throughout the year because whilst an academic award is exceptional, a child who manages to tread water in a neurotypical world is also exceptional.
So to all of our beautiful, brave, neurodiverse children, well done. We are proud of you and we will continue to cheer loudly for you every day.
“Today you are You, that is truer than true. There is no one alive who is Youer than You.”― Dr. Seuss,
Staying Focused 
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