Update to Reframing Post

I have to update you on events that have transpired since my last post.  Remember the 4-year-old who called Atticus’ mouth ‘gross’ last Friday?  Well, around 2:00 pm that following Saturday, our doorbell rang.  Brian answered the door and I could tell it was something more than a UPS delivery or something like that, so I went to check it out.  It was the 4-year-old, accompanied by her mother and father.  In the 4-year-old’s hand was a card and a jar filled with an Easter egg (which I’m assuming has candy in it).  I knew right away what was going on.  Her parents had found out about the comment and were very upset.  The 4-year-old went on to apologize for what she had said, as did her parents.  They were really upset to hear that she had used that word directed at Atticus.

What an amazingly powerful lesson this little girl learned, all because of Atticus.  Not only was I so grateful that these parents took that event so seriously and decided to teach their child a lesson from it, but I was also grateful that one (or both) of the other two adults who were present on Friday night took it upon themselves to have a talk with the girl’s parents and bring this to their attention.  The girl’s parents weren’t there when she called Atticus’s mouth ‘gross’, so one of the other two adults who were there felt that it was important enough to have that potentially awkward conversation with her parents.  I am also grateful to them for having everyone’s best interest in mind and for caring enough about Atticus to have that talk.

The following day, Atticus was outside playing again.  Another neighborhood kid was also out.  This kid had also used the word ‘disgusting’ in describing Atticus’ mouth maybe about a month ago.  I’m pretty sure she remembered Atticus from that day at the park, but this day their interactions were very different.  He was talking, saying ‘airplane’, ‘car’, etc (naming things around him).  She was surprised that he could talk.  She started trying to teach him how to jump and was them showing him different letters that were written on the sidewalk in colored chalk.  Both she and her father were pretty surprised at all of the letters and numbers that Atticus knows.  “How old is he?” asked her dad.  “Almost two,” I answered.  “Wow,” the father replied.

I gave her dad a good lesson on lymphatic malformation, whether he wanted it or not.  I explained that he’s just like any other kid – he just was born with a big tongue and lower lip. That is where Atticus’ business cards will come in handy.  Of course, I didn’t have any on me at the time, but going forward I will be better about that.

Maybe I should even stick a card in all the neighborhood mailboxes – or at least in the houses that have kids.  Kids as questions, naturally, and this will help their parents to know what to tell them.

I feel like progress was made this weekend.  Brian and I are coming to terms with the fact that ugly things might be said about Atticus.  We need to be prepared, be strong, and model those attributes for Atticus.  I’m starting to think though that once kids get over the fact that his mouth looks different from theirs, it’s just not going to be a big deal.  Especially once they get past the tongue/lip and see his amazing personality, and how smart he is.  He has the kind of personality that draws people towards him.  I mean, how can you resist this face?!