Best Triage School Conference EVER!!!

I can't stop grinning.  My face actually hurts from all the smiling this week.  I'm so happy!  I think I just may be able to go out and look for a job now, that's how 'in control' Dayton's new teacher and educational assistant are!

Teacher, student and parent meetings out here are called Triage Conferences.  We have two a year, and the last four I went to, Dayton kicked, screamed and bawled his little eyes out "NO MAMMA, DON'T MAKE ME GO BACK TO HELL!!!"  And I'm thinking "hell?"  What the hell?  No pun intended.  I just chalked it up, and still do to the fact that he had already been in school for the day, and just didn't want to go back to school again. Plus, he didn't really care for his teachers in the past.  I couldn't blame him.  I didn't want to go there either.  I'd always come home completely deflated, feeling like the worst parent EVER.  But this time was different.

I thought for sure I'd have to fight him to go since there was no school on this day, but he got ready and dressed before I did and couldn't wait to go to school!  What the hell???  Dayton was dragging me out the door this time, with me kicking and screaming:  "Nnnnnnnnoooooooooooo..."

He was practically bouncing in his seat on our car ride to the school, with a big huge grin on his face.  "Mamma, I can't wait to show you my snake pit!  You gonna freak out!"  He knows I'm terrified of spiders and snakes...  Of course he'd chose to make a snake habitat (pit), just to watch me squirm...  But still, I'm thinking "what the hell?"

We pull up to the school, and just before I managed to put my gear shift into park, the boy unbuckled his seat and opened his door.  "Slow down Dayton!  You always wait for mamma!!!"  I get around to his side of the car and his hopping in one place, with his knees close together.  "You gotta go pee buddy?"
"No mamma, hurry up!!!"  Ok....  And he's dragging me to the school.  Should have brought the sled for him to pull me...  Next time...

I'm walking towards his classroom and he stops me and drags me to the office...  Ohhhhhhhh nooooooooo... We stop in front of a glass cabinet.  "Look mamma, which do you think is mine?"  There's all kinds of beautiful animal habitats in the cabinet.  I'm looking for snakes though, because he's already told me...
"Aha!  That one!"
"Nope."  It appears my son is not the only one trying to give his mom a heart attack...
"Hmmmm...  this one?"  There was only one left.  Has to be it...
"Yup!  Whadaya think mamma?  Do ya like it?"
"Oh, absolutely, well done Dayton!"  And he did do a really great job on his project.  "It looks like you took a lot of time and gave your project a lot of thought buddy.  Well done!"

Dayton leads me to his classroom where his teacher is speaking with another parent, so we just sit at his desk and go through his 'profile.'

I was speechless.  There was so much work to show me!  Unbelievable.  I kid you not, I started to cry...  My baby has never produced so much work for any teacher or educational assistant before.  I felt like an idiot for crying, but I couldn't stop!  There was math and spelling and art pictures...  I was so impressed with Dayton's art work, I asked his teacher if we could take it home...  What a fantastic Christmas present for big mamma!!!

We left the empty classroom and went home, both of us smiling, neither one of us wanting to leave.  It was fantastic.  The only reason I didn't stay to say good bye to Dayton's teacher was that I had other places to go...  So, she called me!  Ummmhmmm!  Yup, she called me to apologise for not being around to say goodbye, and to thank ME for Dayton's successful year.  "Are you kidding me?"  I say to her...  "It's due to your work and the educational assistants work and your joint belief in my son that he's having a good year!  I've done nothing different from last year."

This is the same child who's past teachers had claimed that Dayton wouldn't work, couldn't work, and has no desire in his school work.  This is the same child who just last year couldn't write.  The same child who couldn't read.  The same child who's last year teacher had told me she'd have to write a 'novella' every day in order to communicate all of his bad behaviour...

So...  for all of you out there who figured that Dayton is not capable and never would be...  how would one go about spelling the sound of sticking my tongue out and blowing?  You know, like a kindergartner would go after saying:  nener, nener, boo, boo?  That's what I wanna give em...  For them folks not believing in my boy:  "IN YOUR FACE!"  Ma'baybey's rockin' it this year!  We may be a wee bit on the red neck end of thang's and a little wee bit a late bloomin' goin' on here, but we no dummies!  Ma'boy's a rock star!  His new teacher thinks so, and you can bet I do!  I love his teacher...

I wish I could find the school psychologist from school division one who told me my babe was, and I quote "retarded," and that he would never read and write and would never graduate from high school or hold down a job.  What I'd give to be able to rub Dayton's success in his face...

Neeeeener nener...


Consider yourselves hugged,

Lou