The Good Note

Abbie’s notes home from preschool are a mix of positives and negatives. When I first look at the notes, I search for clues as to whether I’m about to celebrate or cry. Words like “hit,” “threw,” or “leak” mean I need to take a deep breath before reading in detail.

Today’s note had good signs. Specifically, it had eight exclamation points, two stars, and a smiley face. They don’t just give those away for pedestrian accomplishments like counting to 20.

The stars were at the top of the note. They accompanied “She requested to go potty & went!!!!” Hooray Abbie. It’s very encouraging to see that our hard work on the potty during spring break is paying off.

The smiley face was at the bottom of the note. It followed the comment “Abbie is closing lips making ‘P’ sounds. Yeah!!!!” The “P” sound is one of the hardest for Abbie. Abbie has trouble with any sound involving the lips (p, b, f) and guttural noises (g, k). She usually skips sounds she can’t make, but after a little hard work and a lot of tantrums, she’s making an effort now. It’s good to see her making the same effort at school when I’m not around to prod her.

I congratulated Abbie, and put away her school paraphernalia. I was planning a celebration, but when I found Abbie she had pooped in her pull-up, and dumped the contents on the floor. That brought me back to crying.