So Special

Me: Hey, Ana. I heard you had some questions about Child A (a child with special needs).

Ana: Yes. Is he--um--special? **

Me: Yes, he was born with some challenges. All of us have things we need to work on, some are more obvious than others. Like Ell works on using his left hand. What are some things that are challenging for you (I'm thinking, pottying).

Ana: Oh yeah. That's easy. Like Jumprope.

Me: Yeah, like jumprope.

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**Re: terminology...I've grown into using "child with special needs" (vs. "typically developing"). We don't use the term "special," and I generally shirk to its usage, particularly because it's used in a casual/drerogatory way as in "her haircut sure is 'special')...Ana's just putting her on words on what she's observed. That these kids tend to stand out a little bit because they are different. Or maybe she's noticed the extra dose of love El seems to have, and that, is indeed, special.