23
Feb
Another day, another substitute assignment … or so I thought. Today I had the pleasure of experiencing severely handicapped middle school children and to say I am exhausted is an understatement. First of all, I was actually mistaken to think that a lesson plan was actually going to be executed. I think the aides looked at me, not only in disgust but disbelief, when I naively asked if the kids could handle a worksheet. Maybe the fact that I had to hand feed them was a sign that navigating a pencil might have been pushing it. I also got a crash course in diaper changing - a task that until now never involved adolescent public hair. And yes, the strong scent of drool in the air and my hypersensitive pregnancy senses were not a good match (hence the gag gif). But it’s moments like this that put everything into perspective … that make you thankful that your children have two eyes and can walk. I’ve always had my own bias and opinions about special education, but it takes a saint to show up everyday and love upon these children. It’s heartbreaking no doubt, especially when you find out that some of my students were not born this way, but became this way out of neglect and abuse or when you find out that they have to be put in homes because mom was too busy trying to sell their wheelchair for crack. At the same time, the rewards and the people you meet are life changing. I guess I must have done something right, because they asked me to come back tomorrow. Oh, it’s gonna be a Friday.
