Heaven Sent!

Liam started daycare in August of 2010. This was a monumental event in our lives considering when I first learned of Liam's vision problem I thought I'd never return to work, I'd be his sole care-giver for eternity, that no daycare in the land would accept him, that my life was over - again, this was back during my DARK DAYS when I could barely peel myself out of bed, aka, the dark pit I continued to fall deeper and deeper into. I couldn't have been any more selfish or wrong!!!

One of Liam's
first days at daycare
 

Enter Schoolhouse Playcare...we know the centre and ladies well as my middle son Brady attended this very daycare from infancy until he started JK. The ladies in the infant room have been nothing less than extraordinary with Liam! They’ve all been so open to my never-ending suggestions and constant ramblings about all things 'vision', so patient about having to do a little/a lot extra with Liam, and very welcoming to the steady stream of resource professionals who visit Liam in his daycare setting. I was absolutely terrified that the ladies wouldn’t know what to do with Liam and would be apprehensive about having him in their care – within the first days of starting daycare my fears had all but vanished!

By December of 2010 Liam’s daycare hired Enhanced Staff Worker, Sal. Because of Liam’s disability, he is entitled to a one-on-one teacher during his time at daycare. Sal is has been heaven-sent! She reminds me of a friend, Melissa, who cared for my oldest son Lukas, now 7 years old, when he was a baby – tragically, Melissa and her dad were killed in a car accident 5 years ago when Lukas and her own daughter were just babies. Melissa did wonderful things with Lukas and I will forever love and remember her for that. I feel as though we’ve been blessed with that same type of person having Sal in our lives for Liam. She spends 6 hours a day with Liam teaching him about everything and anything! Sal has developed her own IPP (Individual Program Plan) where she outlines his development in various areas; cognitive, physical, sensory, and social/emotional. Sal has identified his strengths and needs in each of these areas and every day she works on activities with Liam to help him meet goals she has set out for him. Are there really people like this in the world….YES!!! Sal has accompanied me to Liam’s visual playgroups and even to his Speech/Language development appointments at Grandview Children’s Centre! My biggest fear is that some other daycare or children’s facility will gobble her up because she has SO MUCH TO OFFER! But just for now she’s all Liam’s! We LOVE her and she loves him – but really, what’s not to love! (insert big proud mom smile here…)

At the end of each work day I make my way to pick up Liam and he is always found HAPPY in the arms of Sal or our other Angel, Monika. These girls are truly 'heaven-sent' and we are so blessed to have them in Liam's life!