Downs With Ups

This is just a quick piece I put together whilst writing more about learning…

…A strange thing happened on the weekend when we were picnicking at a nearby park.  Poppet spotted the swings as we arrived and impatiently waited until we gave her the okay to go off and have a swing.

Only a minute’s walk away, I went with her to make sure she would be safe and that the other children were going to be hospitable.  After waiting her turn, she hopped on the swing that was the right size for her; the other two swings would have worked but were a bit small.

I turned to look at her as I walked back to our small party.  She was swinging as high as she could.  She adores the swing, so much so that Santa brought her a swing two Christmases ago.  She spends hours in the backyard, flying up into the air, feeling free.

I rejoined our party with the thought that I’d check in on her in a little while, for we weren’t able to see her directly from where we were sitting.

Maybe ten minutes later, a man approached us and asked, “Are you the carers of that girl with special needs?”

We all looked at each other.  Oh no, I thought, my heart sinking.  Has Poppet knocked another child over?  Has she been nasty to someone?

“Yes,” we replied in unison.

“Well, my son would like a turn at the swing and she won’t get off to let anyone else have a go.”

My partner got up and walked over to the swings.  Moments later, a very unhappy Poppet walked towards us with tears in her eyes.  Her exhilaration had come to an abrupt end.

I’m still not sure how to view this little episode.  The man couldn’t have known that the swing was the only play equipment in the park that Poppet could manage, (it actually took several years to help her learn how to master the swing).  He couldn’t have known that she doesn’t have the language skills, nor the ability to join in with the other kids in their games, not to mention the muscle tone to clamber on the play equipment.  And yet, Poppet does need to learn how to share and to do so gracefully.

I must admit, I was a bit miffed with him.  There were two other swings his little boy could use, not to mention the whole playground of equipment that was available to him.

After some cajoling, Poppet came out of her sulks and joined us in a game with the ball.  It turned out to be as much fun as the swing.