Hey ... look at me!

It's no secret.

Eli has struggled in school.

For as long as I can remember.

He's been on an IEP (individual education plan) since 3rd grade (which isn't easy to get on btw).
Which basically means he's not on the same level as his peers in his class.  And not on the same level meaning ... a full grade and a half behind his peers. Not able to catch up.  But also they couldn't pin a specific learning disability that was causing this. Which means he has to be taken out of the classroom every day.  For individual learning.  Which he HATES.  He was embarrassed by it.  He was frustrated by it.  He didn't want to go out with the "special kids".  He was always very aware.  So there was a struggle with this program for a couple of years.  He would cry at home .. saying please don't make him leave the classroom.  He would get clever .. and hide .. and just "forget" to leave.  By the 5th grade they would trust that he could go out on his own during the time he knew he was supposed to.  Yeah ... that was a disaster.  He would pretend he didn't have a clue he was supposed to leave ... and later get in trouble.

Then that lead into .. when he did leave the classroom for individual learning he would completely tune it out.  Because he didn't want to be there.

It broke my heart at home .. he would cry.  He would beg. Plead. Please mom .. if you don't make me go this year I promise promise I will work so hard in my class and get good grades.  I will do it.  Problem was .. that wasn't even realistic.  No matter how hard he tried .. it was a goal he couldn't attain.  The frustration that centered around all of this was a constant battle.  I was always in contact with his regular teacher and his special ed teacher.

This is what struggle in 5th grade looked like ...

 (making him go to school after all morning of begging me to not make him)

But the last three months of 5th grade .. something happened inside of Eli.  I don't know what.  His teachers can't explain it either.  But it was undeniable.  Maybe this is why there wasn't ever a specific learning disability that was diagnosed.  Maybe because he had it inside of him the entire time.  There's a lot to be said for pure will power.  He hit that point where ... he was determined.  Enough was enough. He started showing growth during the outside classroom.  First with spelling.  He no longer needed extra help.  He stayed in the classroom for that subject.  Then it was writing.  All of the sudden there wasn't even a need to take him out.  Lastly was math.  Which had become a recent struggle in the past year.  Slowly they let him stay in the regular classroom for a longer periods of time.

That's when I got the phone call to come in for a meeting.  They tested him and discovered there was no longer a need to pull him out of the classroom.  Less than three months he was able to completely catch up to his grade level.  Unreal.  They evaluated and watched him for the last month to make sure he was pretty stable and still thriving in the classroom before completely dis-enrolling him in the program.

As his mom .. it really was like a miracle taking place right before my very eyes.  It's amazing how his confidence grew in something as little as staying in the classroom with all his "regular" friends.  I no longer heard how "unfair and hard" school was.  There was a re-energized excitement to get to school every morning.  This was a different child.

He started bringing home these ... (two within two weeks ... first time since he's been in school period)

Instead of the "quarter-horseshoe referrals".  Which were too frequent.

And this during the last month of school ...

An A.  His first A ever.  On a unit test.  A unit math test.  A unit math test ... that was the same unit math test all of the other students in his classroom received.  He also reads books.  Like picks up a book at home.  On his own.  Because he wants to.  He exceeded his AR goals .. his teacher had to raise the goals because they were becoming too easy for him to reach.  Sometimes I would walk into my bedroom and he would be reading a book in my bed.  I would have to turn around and walk out because I immediately started crying.

To even say I'm proud of this child .. is a gross understatement.  Do I believe in miracles?  I do. Miracles exist inside each and every one of us.  My child is living proof.

Pretty sure we will have new struggles in the upcoming years.  But this particular struggle is in the wake of our boat.  Eli can't even be fully aware of what he has done.  The power he has within.  But it sure taught me a valuable lesson.  I'm hoping when there are times in his life where he will struggle again ... that he digs deep and grabs on to what he's had there all along.