Comments on our perfectly imperfect life: a letter to parents.

Great letter and thanks for sharing it!!

2012-01-31T09:50:59.403-05:00

Great letter and thanks for sharing it!!

Candor is key to understanding situations we are n...

2012-01-28T21:53:29.129-05:00

Candor is key to understanding situations we are not familiar with. Well written and it seems you have inspired others to do the same! What an activist!

Yes! post! post!

2012-01-28T01:32:44.765-05:00

Yes! post! post!

okay...i will also be stealing this when it comes ...

2012-01-27T18:57:58.123-05:00

okay...i will also be stealing this when it comes time for miss maggie rae to start school :) you did it just perfect!

plagerize away! :) yes, she is included 100% of th...

2012-01-27T18:53:29.867-05:00

plagerize away! :) yes, she is included 100% of the time. dang, i can't remember what i have said and not said about her placement. i have to do an inclusive post of all of that.

I might have to plagerize your letter heavily next...

2012-01-27T18:30:57.468-05:00

I might have to plagerize your letter heavily next year! That is a great idea, and well executed. Is Payton in full inclusion? We kept Charlie in preschool an extra year, and are considering SO many options for next year, but leaning toward inclusion.

Oh Bethany...seriously LOVE this! Thanks for shar...

2012-01-27T14:31:27.035-05:00

Oh Bethany...seriously LOVE this! Thanks for sharing this idea...I too hope to be able to write a letter like this in a couple of years. Every single student that is in Payton's class along with her teacher are sooo blesssed to have her in their class. She is going to change so many people's lives!...

Absolutely beautiful!!! You are an awesome mom! It...

2012-01-24T01:10:07.430-05:00

Absolutely beautiful!!! You are an awesome mom! It's no surprise that you were blessed with such a special little girl!!! ( this letter is the only proof I need). I pray that I can be as eloquent as you were when my 3 month old enters the world of education! Little Payton is a doll!

That is quite alright to add my blog to the resour...

2012-01-23T22:44:21.571-05:00

That is quite alright to add my blog to the resource list. We have to keep helping others that follow us! My oldest son has a little girl in his class with DS. They sent a letter early in the year and it brought tears to my eyes. I do think it is important for other families to understand we have the same expectations with our children as they do their own. Your children are stunning! I love seeing Payton's cheerleading picture! My son plays Upward and I remember crying watching the girls last year because we had just received our diagnosis. I cried because I didn't think Hailey would be able to participate the same as other girls. Now, that I'm in this journey a little more (yes, only 11 months into it)...I realize the biggest decision will be hers...to cheer or play basketball :-)

Great letter - I had the same internal debate at t...

2012-01-23T14:49:44.342-05:00

Great letter - I had the same internal debate at the beginning of kindergarten this year and couldn't come up with a valuable letter for parents although I did do an "All About me Packet" for the teachers that was really well received. Maybe next year I will steal your letter!!!

Love this idea and it was a great way to explain i...

2012-01-21T23:00:29.436-05:00

Love this idea and it was a great way to explain it wish I would of thought of something like that but her kindergarten teacher was awesome about answering the kids questions we have a great school but thanks for sharing great ideas it helps so much

Aww, that's awesome! I can't wait to read ...

2012-01-21T20:40:03.762-05:00

Aww, that's awesome! I can't wait to read your blog ... I read the Johnson family's blog ... love them!!

My girls both had reverse inclusion preschool clas...

2012-01-21T20:38:18.253-05:00

My girls both had reverse inclusion preschool classes too... we loved it too! But yeah, things get so different. In preschool settings like that, the SN sort of rule it. In kindergarten, it's the other way around. :) I'm sure Em will do great!!

<3 Thank you so much. :) And yeah, I giggled at...

2012-01-21T20:36:20.531-05:00

<3 Thank you so much. :) And yeah, I giggled at your comment!

Thank you so much for linking me! I hadn't hea...

2012-01-21T20:35:39.551-05:00

Thank you so much for linking me! I hadn't heard his story, but am off to read! :)

I just happened across this from a search regardin...

2012-01-21T20:26:52.571-05:00

I just happened across this from a search regarding something completely different so I believe God led me here. My daughter is 2 and has Apraxia as well. It has been quite a tough year this past year trying to figure out what was going on with her but I agree with everyone's comments here this was perfect! I am definitely going to do something like this for when she begins kindergarten in a few years. I too feel its great to have the transparency and educate others so they learn more and appreciate the amazing qualities our children have to offer. I've learned SOOOOO much in this past year and love to share with others our journey as well. Thanks for this post! Loved it!

Oh wow, I just saw this on the FB group. I love t...

2012-01-21T17:15:33.296-05:00

Oh wow, I just saw this on the FB group. I love this as a mommy and a teacher. I'm saving this for four years down the line when I need to write my own!

I loved this letter, we decided not to do a letter...

2012-01-21T12:26:55.263-05:00

I loved this letter, we decided not to do a letter for our son, but the teacher did a whole unit on differences. THey loved it, his small stature due to dwarfism was no different then someone's curly hair! We do believe like you that being open to questions, and not hiding the fact that he is boviously different, but how amazingly alike he is really has helped. I love when the kids come up and say he is their favorite friend!

Bethany that was awesome! I don't know if you...

2012-01-21T10:27:09.490-05:00

Bethany that was awesome! I don't know if you know who Aaron Shust is, Christian singer? He has a blog
http://aaronshust.blogspot.com/ and he and his wife just had their 3rd son and believe he has Down Syndrome. He's still in NICU. Anyway, I posted a message on his blog the first day and directed him to your blog because you're so informative and positive. I don't know if he'll visit or not because he's had about a million posts thus far, but you never know!!! But, I hope he does because a post like that is just what he and his wife need to see!

Super letter!! I was just saying to a friend that ...

2012-01-21T08:52:30.148-05:00

Super letter!! I was just saying to a friend that right now Em is in preschool and I have been totally spoiled! it has been amazing! She is in a spit class with her typical peers and other children with special needs. Life there is blissful! But when it's time for kindergarten I feel things will change. Your letter is superb! And if I were on the receiving end of it, I would have greatly appreciated it.

I L.O.V.E. T.H.I.S!!! Thank so much for sharing, ...

2012-01-21T06:15:29.802-05:00

I L.O.V.E. T.H.I.S!!! Thank so much for sharing, I may have to come back to this in a few years :) and seriously, Payton is a doll face!

Oh, I think that letter is courageous and eloquent...

2012-01-20T15:52:20.968-05:00

Oh, I think that letter is courageous and eloquent and perfect and lovely. It sounds so much like what I would love for people to know about Pudge. I'll have to solicit your services when the time comes. :0) Of course, a year later, when it's time for Biggs to enter the system, I can probably manage that note on my own. "Biggie's a weird duck. We know this. Children willing to donate their time in tolerance of his weirdness will be handsomely rewarded at classroom parties." I'm only mildly joking...
Thank you yet again for sharing the example of your girls with the world. The beauty of your family is perpetually astounding.

GREAT letter, thanks for sharing it, Bethany!!!!!!...

2012-01-20T15:44:51.216-05:00

GREAT letter, thanks for sharing it, Bethany!!!!!!!

Especially like the idea of a Q&A on the back ...

2012-01-20T15:31:58.393-05:00

Especially like the idea of a Q&A on the back - haven't seen that done before! Awesome letter :)

What a great letter. Jake is now in an inclusive t...

2012-01-20T14:07:08.859-05:00

What a great letter. Jake is now in an inclusive type school situation and has his own aide. He stuggles with speech. When I skype him he is harder to understand then when I am with him. He is learning to read and becuse his fingers are still weak, ( He goes to OT & PT every week), his spelling test is to pick the correctly spelled word from a choice of three.Saturday a friend from his class come to the house to play. His friend has no disabilities and I think it is so wonderful of Jake's step-mother and this other Mom to take the time and effort to do this. He is treated like all the others in his class.