Emily, a fair and chubby child baby, was born into a family of three in the early eighties. Her parents and brother were super happy with the great news and as soon as the mother was released from the hospital, the father went out to buy sweets packets to celebrate by distributing them in his community, putting his older son in charge of the home.
As the father returned home, he met many men on the way in his community and they asked, “What’s up?” And he delivered the joyous news there and then and also distributed a share of the sweets packets. Soon the whole community came to know and by the evening, there were visitors to their home to celebrate the great news with gifts and surprises.
Emily was the hope and joy of the family. Her parents bought beautiful dresses and made her wear them, which looked pretty on her. As they spoilt their little child with gift toys and clothes, they soon were up for a not so good surprise.
Emily started going to school in playgroup at the age of three. In parents- teachers meeting midway in the year, Emily’s parents couldn’t believe what the teachers reported them about her. This is what they wrote:
Emily smiles a lot and is a joy to be around. But we regret to say she is not like her regular playmates. She is slow and left behind in learning rhymes and her A, B, C’s. We would suggest she go to a special school for special children like her. In here, we can do little to help her. Also please provide her a home tutor so that together with her special school, once she starts to go there, she will literally thrive.
It was a big blow for Emily’s parents to hear such a thing about their little daughter. They argued with the teachers to let her remain in playgroup but the teachers were strong on their point and won’t give in.
Unable to convince the teachers, Emily and her parents left for home and feeling disappointed. After feeding her and putting her to sleep, Emily’s parents talked late into the night, discussing and planning what options they had and whether they would make it spending so much more at a special school for Emily.
One day passed. Then two days. And then three. Emily’s parents were still thinking. As if reading their minds, Emily asked, “Don’t I have to go to school today?”
Her parents grew even gloomier. They tried to change their tone of voice to something more positive and said, “Of course. But we are looking for an even better school for you. Just keep playing with your toys. We will get you a home tutor and a very special school for you so that you cope well with the lessons at school.”
Emily started playing happily with her dolls and a toy kitchen set while her parents looked on and felt so much overwhelmed with sorrow that they had to rub their tears away.
Soon enough Emily had a home tutor. And she was also attending a special school for mentally retarded children. Emily’s parents saw how other children with her looked like. Mostly had deformed bodies. This made Emily’s parents feel good about Emily because she was perfectly a beautiful child. The only problem was that she was a bit slow to catch up with her studies otherwise she understood everything as a child of her age should. Her parents were also happy that Emily wore a constant smile on her face, which made her look really good. So she was not altogether mentally retarded unlike her playmates but nevertheless she had to learn her lessons in a special school.
Emily’s parents accepted the hard truth about their daughter and soon it became a routine work for them – taking her to school, bringing her back home, feeding her, letting her take a nap until her tutor arrived who gave special lessons to her.
Yes, the first school of Emily’s life was not so bad about the comments on her. They meant well because now they could see where Emily’s shortcomings were and they were happy with the progress she was making even if it was rather tortoise-like.