Special Connections with Children

When I was a child care worker I had the pleasure of working with two children who needed extra therapy with language, motor skills, and developmental delays. They were 3 and 4 years old, and I'd have to say they were the most challenging children I had ever worked with. They had so much to overcome, but every day they would give it their best effort. Some days were better than others, and I really wondered what was going to become of them. Their mother had been a teen parent in a marriage that didn't work, and there were custody issues and career issues that she struggled with all the time. It was heartbreaking some days watching them try to fit in with their peers. When you work in childcare or as a preschool teacher ( which I did for about 17 years), there are some children who will always stand out for you. They take a special part of your heart and when they or you move on, you hope that they will find the happiness and success you wish for them. These two children have managed to stay in touch with me by chance, over the years in the oddest of ways. They discovered I was working at Chapters and would then visit me on the evenings I worked. I would catch up with them and their mom and I watched them grow into young men.
Then we discovered that they lived down the street from me- they landed on my step one year trick or treating. So every now and then I would get to connect and share in their successes.
It is never going to be easy for them, but their mom has done all the right things now. They will most likely be in special schools or special programs, but they will always do their best.
Today I discovered that they were delivering my Edmonton Examiner so I opened the door and said hi. They seemed very happy to see me, and one of them wanted to visit me because he is writing a story. I told him to put it into my mail box and I'll email him. He seemed very excited by the prospect. I can't believe that they will now be 13 and 14 years old in May.
They will always have a special place in my heart. And I'm so glad their mom was able to support them so much. Nice memories and a special connection that working in the childcare field gave me.