Thank you Miss Tania!

How do you thank someone who has made such a difference in your child's life that there are literally no words to describe it?

I'll give it my best shot.

My family was blessed last school year to have a teacher's aide assigned to Noah who is truly passionate about children, most particularly preschoolers with special needs.

When Noah started preschool almost two years ago he was a completely different person.  He would throw himself on the floor and scream every day when I dropped him off, and every day again when I picked him up.  I would often have to carry him to the car and hold him down into his carseat so I could get him belted in.  I had to put his shoes and coat on for him at school because he couldn't do it himself.  (He turned 3 right after he started preschool last year.)  He wouldn't even acknowledge if someone said his name.  When I looked through our family pictures, I could only find two images of him smiling.

Tania was always patient with Noah, whether he was having a meltdown, disturbing group time in class, or just not sitting still.  She was the first person to tell me that Noah was autistic.  We knew that something was off with him, and suspected he may be autistic, but she was the first to confirm that whenever we managed to get him diagnosed, we already knew what we were dealing with.  She helped me to adjust to that reality, showing me that the key to dealing with my autistic child was in accepting him for who he was, and helping him to be everything he is capable of being.

Miss Tania stayed by Noah's side throughout the school year, helping him to do things that come naturally to most of us, but were so very difficult for him.  At the end of the year she gave him a big hug and gave me dozens of pictures she had taken of him throughout the school year.  They're all in a preschool photo album, a record of his progress last year.

And this school year we were doubly blessed to have Miss Tania back as Noah's full-time in-school teacher's aide once again.  We were sooooo happy when we heard that news!  And once again Miss Tania was patient and loving and wonderful through Noah's obsessions with his backpack, his boots, puzzles.  Through his bouts of frustration and aggression with her and his fellow students.  She helped administer his new look and learn therapy as well as his music therapy program.  (And by helped, I mean she did all the work with some advice and supervision of Noah's Occupational Therapist and Speech Therapists.)

And now, at the end of Noah's second year in preschool, his second and likely last year with the amazing and wonderful Miss Tania, these are the things that Noah now does on a regular basis:

-He puts on and takes off his shoes and coat all by himself.  (Even his coat zipper!)

-He arrives at and leaves the school calmly, just like any other kid.

-He smiles!  All the time!

-He makes eye contact, even seeks it out when he wants something.  (This is absolutely huge for an autistic individual.  Eye contact is a very basic and integral part of human social interaction, which most autists find difficult or even impossible.)

-He can follow simple directions and will respond when you say his name. 

Most of this amazing progress can be attributed directly to Miss Tania, and her care and dedication.  She saw the potential in my child, and helped him to reach it.  And I will always remember her as the very first person (even before me!) to do so.

Miss Tania, you were like our Mary Poppins, swooping in and transforming our child, our family.  And I would honestly love to keep you forever, but I know I can't.  There are other children who need you as much as we did two years ago.  We still need you, and we will all miss you so very much, but I think there are little boys and girls out there who need you more. 

On behalf of myself, Derek, Noah and Sean, we love you and wish you the very best, and we will all miss you very very much.  (And I am crying as I write this.)

Thank you. 

Love,
     -Nan