Cheerleaders

I have been so aware, recently, of the many people rallying around Matthew during this huge time of learning for him. We celebrate each of his milestones enthusiastically at our house, but we are joined by a whole host of people who are helping him grow alongside us.

People like Anaga, our speech therapist, who literally gets tears in her eyes every time Matthew does something new and amazing. She’s regularly saying to me, “that’s beautiful—that’s SO beautiful.” She did this the first time he signed “more” to her during a session, or when he came up and grabbed her hands and pulled her to the other side of the room. She’s one of his biggest cheerleaders, watching him learn and grow each week.

Then there is the amazing staff at the Acorn Learning Center where Matthew goes to preschool two days a week. Three teachers are with him on Wednesdays and Thursdays, not to mention a whole group of amazing student Early Childhood Education majors (both female and male!) who spend time with both my boys at preschool. It seems like every day, when I come to pick them up, one of the teachers has something amazing to tell me about Matthew. Along with us, they are watching him develop and learn—and it’s thrilling to them. Their excitement is contagious, and is a huge encouragement to us on a journey that often feels snail-slow at times.

And finally there is my family, especially my parents who live down the block and care for Matthew every Wednesday afternoon. They delight in his growing and learning. They read books to him, play games, talk to him, take him outside on walks and for playtime in the backyard, feed him, and carry him around. And they are witness to Matthew’s development and share all his new “doings” with enthusiasm when I come to pick him up.

It takes a village to raise a child. I know some people think this line is cliché, overused, and they might be right. But the sentiment is dead on: There is no way we’d be doing all this with Matthew if we didn’t have the support of people around us. But these days, even more than support, it’s the shared enthusiasm and the community of cheerleaders who are most important. Important to us, yes. But even more so important to Matthew. He will grow up knowing that there is a wide circle of people around him who believe in him, who are excited to see him learn new things, and who will be beside him no matter where life leads.

What a gift this is for all of us.

Here is Anaga, doing speech therapy with Matthew. It's ball play time!