A Proud Mom's Story
(Editors Note: This is a
story about a girl who stutters and her mom, who is very proud
of her.)
Summer vacation was about over and back-to-school time was just
around the corner.
Before a new school year begins, we make a phone call to our daughter’s
new teacher, to tell him or her a little about our daughter, including
her strong points and weak points, of which she doesn’t
have many at all, of course! We also let the teacher know that
our daughter happens to stutter. We give the new teacher some
helpful information about stuttering and say thank-you and have
a great year. We try to keep the conversation short and sweet,
because we know teachers are very busy at this time of year, and
we don’t want to annoy her before school even starts.
So, our daughter goes off to school. The first week she tells
me that her teacher is doing something different this year. Each
week, there will be a “Student-Of-The Week”. It will
be their special time for the whole week, the class will get to
know them and a little bit about their lives. On Friday of that
week, they get to bring a VIP (very important person) with them
to class. This VIP can be someone in their life who has done or
is doing something that is special or makes an impression on them.
My daughter tells me, her mother, that she wants me to be her
VIP and tell her class about my tennis playing ability. Well,
the thought of speaking in front of her class and teacher is VERY
scary. So I said, well that sounds great, but I was secretly hoping
that by the times her week came, she would think of someone else
to bring to class.
By the time the second week of school is well under way, I get
a phone call from Gianna’s teacher. She tells me about the “Student-Of-The-Week” and
tells me she wants Gianna to be the first one, because she stutters
and the teacher wanted her to be the first one to feel really
special. I was OK with that. Her teacher also had some concerns
about Gianna being shy and quiet, and that it might have to do
with her stuttering.
I told her that as parents of a child who stutters we try not
to associate things she may or may not do based on her stuttering.
Maybe she is being quiet because it is a new class and she doesn’t
know a lot of the children and the children don’t know her.
That’s when I came up with a great idea. I would come in
briefly and talk about the tennis thing, but her father would
be the true VIP. You see, Gianna’s father also stutters,
and speaks at parents groups, colleges, etc about stuttering.
I ran this past my daughter and she was thrilled.
Friday comes and we put together a few special things to help
the kids understand what it feels like when someone gets stuck
on words and we have Friends tee shirts for all the children and
the teacher. At the end of the day, her classmates seem
to understand and are curious about the whole subject of stuttering
and very open about how to make Gianna feel comfortable. They
ask questions, and at the end of the day, the teacher asks, “So
class, what have we learned about stuttering?” One little
girl says, “That is is OK to stutter”.
I conclude by saying that people who stutter just want you to
know that they stutter. It is something that they do, and sometimes
it is hard. We had everyone put his or her Friends tee shirts
on and we took a picture. WHAT A DAY! I really felt something
special happened that afternoon. Something special for my daughter,
Gianna.
This was a true story, from a mother whose daughter just happens
to stutter.
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