When our oldest son was in second grade, he came home from school one day and excitedly share that he got to go play games at the end of the day with a new friend. I was thrilled our shy new kid on the block had been singled out for something fun. I later learned that the child who had invited him spent part of his day in the SCORES class, a class with supports and social skills instruction for children with autism. Jack hadn't mentioned anything about this new kid having autism but when I met him, I could immediately tell. Jack however just enjoyed having a new friend.
Fast forward 8 years, our own sweet girl will likely soon need the support of a SCORES class. She is funny, kind and makes us smile every day. She is also intractable, frustrating and lacks the social and language skills of a typical kid her age. This weekend one of the little girls in her class at school had a party and our sweet, weird kid, who longs to have a friend was not invited. Y'all I was gutted. She didn't seem to notice (we saw the party and cars lining the street) and we tried to make her weekend fun. But guys, I am heartbroken. My sweet girl longs to know others and be known, in spite of her challenges.
So here is what I want to say to all your parents of kids who don't need extra support at school - encourage and celebrate your kid making friends with kids like my girl. I guarantee both kids will be better for it.
with care,
Beth