This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine; This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine; This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine; Let it shine, Let it shine, Let it shine. ~ Harry Dixon Loes (1895-1965)
The other day as I was going through pictures of my children on my computer, I found a video I’d taken of my oldest daughter, Jaimie, at her first Christmas concert when she was in Kindergarten. I teared up watching her holding up her tiny plastic candle, singing “This Little Light of Mine”. She swayed from side to side, singing her heart out, raising that candle as high as she could, while the other kids moved their bodies to the actions they’d been rehearsing for months. And it was beautiful.
I’m not sure of the exact meaning behind the lyrics of this song. I remember singing it at Sunday school classes or in school assemblies and had always thought it was a song about letting what’s good about us shine through. Jaimie’s Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. P., must have felt the same way as she’d chosen Jaimie’s class to sing the song for that year’s Christmas concert with Jaimie in mind.
I loved Mrs. P. She was our stepping stone on getting Jaimie off to the right start at school. We’d had such a frustrating time trying to get Jaimie any sort of assistance because we kept being told that because she ‘only had Sensory Processing Disorder’, she didn’t qualify for anything. Her speech was good, she didn’t have severe motor skill issues, and she didn’t have any behavioral issues (none that she displayed when being obsesrved, anyway.) But Mrs. P. took the time to listen to my concerns and asked questions about Jaimie’s past struggles in school and on a social level. And it was she who got the school officials to listen, it was at her request that Jaimie had another teacher in the room, she got Jaimie some of the classroom tools for Jaimie to feel more comfortable (eg: pencil grips, textured seat cushions, a tent with different pillows and blankets and an IKEA egg chair.) and helped me educate the other teachers and school staff about SPD, sensory issues and childhood anxiety. With all of that support, however, Mrs. P. refused to let Jaimie use her struggles as an excuse to not try.
“Children simply need the right tools so they can shine,” she said to me often. “It’s okay if Jaimie feels afraid but we need to at least get her there trying. She has a light others need to see and I’m going to help you bring it out.”
And she did.
She helped me set up ‘baby step’ IEP goals that involved getting Jaimie to tolerate various sensations, strenthening her fine/gross motor skills, giving her options of coping rather than running away, teaching her to use her words to express anxiety or distress rather than melting down, creating social stories for her to refer to when changes or ‘new’ situations arose and even gave Jaimie the opportunity to make friends (For those who follow my blog, ‘The Gift’, Maddie was the person Mrs. P. paired Jaimie up with right from the start. They eventually became best of friends.)
What Mrs. P. did, and I continue doing today, is gave Jaimie the tools she needed to change ‘I can’t…” to “I did it!” All that means is caring enough to see all the wonderful things about Jaimie aside from what her struggles are, then using those things as a source of strength. Mrs. P. got Jaimie doing things, trying things and exploring things in ways I never could at home. I think it was partially why by the time she began OT therapy, Jaimie was much more receptive and interactive.
Today when I look at the video of Jaimie singing and holding up her little plastic candle, I can see the light that started to glimmer then, and shines so brightly now. And I owe a great deal of it to one beautiful teacher who cared enough to let Jaimie see the light in herself so she could feel brave enough to share it with the world.
Children simply need the right tools so they can shine–Let it shine!
CHYNNA TAMARA LAIRD – is a psychology student, freelance writer and multi award-winning author living in Edmonton, Alberta with her partner, Steve, and their three daughters [Jaimie (eight), Jordhan (six), and baby Sophie (two)] and baby boy, Xander (four). Her passion is helping children and families living with Sensory Processing Disorder and other special needs.
You’ll find her work in many online and in-print parenting, inspirational, Christian and writing publications in Canada, United States, Australia, and Britain. In addition, she’s authored an award-winning children’s book (I’m Not Weird, I Have SPD), two memoirs (the multi award-winning, Not Just Spirited: A Mom’s Sensational Journey With SPD and White Elephants), a Young Adult novel (Blackbird Flies) and a follow-up book to Not Just Spirited about her family’s journey with the Sensory Diet.
Please visit Chynna’s website at www.lilywolfwords.ca, as well as her blogs at www.the-gift-blog.com and www.seethewhiteelephants.com, to get a feel for her work and what inspires her.