Be Proactive

I pick up Cody from school the other day and the following conversation takes place:

Me: "How was your day?"
Cody "Not good." he says very mournfully. I am thinking, darn the class fish died.
Me "Oh what happen?"
Cody "Because...everyone wasn't being proactive."
Me "Proactive? Everyone wasn't being proactive?"
Cody "Yep they weren't they were being bad."

I was floored. I knew he in a proactive school, they have the seven habits and the first one is to be proactive. They have a cheer. Be Proactive Be Be proactive. So I know he knows the word and probably does practice it. Still to hear your five year old tell you that people in his class weren't being proactive and this meant he had a bad day. Well it was rather funny.
This philosophy is actually based on a book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People - by Stephen R. Covey which I didn't know. The seven habits are (in case you are curious):
1. Habit one: Be Proactive. (ah ha.)
2  Habit two: Begin with the end in mind
3. Habit three: Put first things first
4. Think win-win
5. Seek first to understand, then to be understood.
6. Synergize
7. Sharpen the saw.

There are definitions, whole chapters devoted to these, and I am sure Cody is learning about all of them. But most important folks ...be proactive. Its amazing what kids are learning these days.

I feel that my son marches to a beat of this own drum. Don't we all. I had a meeting with his teacher this week. The reason for the meeting was because he was having trouble interacting with kids in class. After the meeting with his teacher and the school psychologist it was decided that in addition to his speech and occupational therapy he should now also attend a social interaction group. To work on his social skills.

I feel a few ways about this. First of all, I am glad that he is in a school system that is on top of things. That really pays attention to its students. I feel very lucky that my son is getting this kind of attention. Especially knowing that there are so many children who get pushed through and don't get the help they need to succeed. I really wish every child had this much attention.

Second though, I wonder is all this really necessary? I get the speech and occupational therapy I do. But social awkwardness? He inherited that from his parents. No joke. Personally, I think he does just fine. But I only see him with other kids at the park. I don't see him all day, for five days with the same group of kids, so what do I know, I am just the mom. I agreed to having a social interaction group, I mean hey what can it hurt. Apparently he even has a friend that goes to this group. I want him to be healthy, happy and to succeed in life and I want him to have the tools to do that. If this is what needs to be done then great. However, they did all this testing last December. Cody had just turned four. Just entered Pre-K (after being on a hiatus for two years from any kind of formal day care). So I am not sure how accurate these test were. I know, I know it sounds like a bias mom, making up excuses for her son. Honestly though, anyone who knows Cody would agree. I want them to re-test. I want them to re-test by December, and I guarantee those scores would be much better. This is where I get annoyed. Again, I am find with all these extra special classes...but I hate the PDD-NOS label. (which they are still branding him with). Its fine if he has it...but to use that test from a year ago...i don't know...doesn't seem like they are getting all the information. And fine. If my son has PDD-NOS and I have to make certain allowances in daily life to accommodate it, fine I will. Why? Because to me its not my son who has PDD-NOS or social awkwardness or speech issues or occupational problems...its CODY. My squash. Who I love more then anything. He is unique. I celebrate his uniqueness, I embrace it and I will work with it. Not try to conform him into what is suppose to be 'normal'. I know that isn't what the school is trying to do...I guess I am just tired of the labels. Tired of them trying to fit kids into these little boxes. Sometimes, you don't have a square kid. Sometimes you have a triangle. And really, triangles are more fun.