Here is a big brag that I'm excited to share!

DS5 has a classmate with (I believe) cerebral palsy, who requires support from an educational assistant. The EA and I were chatting at drop-off this week, and she said she is impressed at how sensitive DS is to the boy's inclusion in the class. She said he often reads to the boy, checks in on him to see if he is content, and asks questions about his care. Apparently DS also seeks out this boy and other children on the playground who look lonely and tries to engage with them.

I was so proud to hear this! At first, DS seemed a bit uncertain about making friends with his classmates because he found it difficult to find common ground in play activities, and he found some of their behaviours chaotic and unpredictable. Realistically, he will not have all his friendship needs met with his current class, and I see him longing for a deeper connection with someone his age. I'm trying to find some like-minded friends outside school, and think that he will need his own academic challenges to allow him to be the mentee in class, too. But that doesn't sour the fact that he is being a genuine sweetheart at school.

What is to give light must endure burning.