Progress Reports

This past Friday, I was at work when I received a text from Kennedy's FABULOUS teacher telling me that she was sending home a progress report for me to see.  In fact, she said it would be perfect blog material. :)  So I picked Kennedy up and before I even got her in the car, I was searching through her backpack for the progress report that I had anticipated seeing all afternoon.  The report listed the class average and also listed Kennedy's individual score.  And........wait for it.........she was AT or ABOVE the class average on all but one score!!!!  I almost couldn't believe it!!  She scored "at exceptation" on nearly every score except one in which she scored "approaching expectation." 


We recently got Kennedy's report card as well and again, it was progress across the board.  She has consistently made improvements throughout the school year.  Of course, we still have things to work on, I love seeing the progress every quarter. 


How's that for a child that I was told would "probably always be in special classes" and may never be as smart as other kids??  That just goes to show that doctors are not always right.  Unfortunately, I think too many times, when doctors give their "professional opinions," we have a tendency to believe nothing more (or less) is possible.  Sure, I could have given up on Kennedy, and at times I was probably closer to giving up than I care to admit.  But where would Kennedy be today if I hadn't pushed her to do her very best?  I would have only held her back and not seen her potential!  And who knows what that child is capable of accomplishing in her lifetime.  I could have just heard her diagnosis, came home, and not expected much from her while we watched our lives waste away.  But instead, I've pushed her and encouraged her to become independent.  I'm not always going to be on this earth and it's my job to prepare Kennedy to be self-sufficient.  I don't baby her---at least not too much any more.  And now, I have a bright little girl who is holding her own in a regular Kindergarten classroom!  A little girl, by the way, that tells me every morning that she wants to "go to Western" she she grows up.  I think that's a pretty realistic dream if I say so myself!