Shared by his mother, Sheeham
At my son Yaghya’s graduation, his teacher spoke of her pride in her boys, how hard they had worked, how much they had achieved, and how they had grown. Fighting back tears, she wished them future happiness and goodness.
Gratitude filled my thoughts. The memories rushed back: Yaghya’s first interaction with Jennifer when just 30 months old, when he commenced HANDLE therapy; his first meeting his first teacher in 2014; and his progression through Grade R in 2015. These milestones mark the evolution of my son into a bright little butterfly.
Yet, how does a caterpillar become a butterfly? As a mom the answer came intuitively to me: unconditional love and acceptance make a child thrive. This is what Mindstretch offers. Its ethos is to recognise learners’ challenges and work on their difficulties. But, at the same time, they prioritise individualised development plans to find ways to enhance each child’s strengths. Love, encouragement, acceptance and patience are practiced at Mindstretch. This enables a learning environment with a homely feel.
Unapologetically I cried through the graduation. Why was I crying? Because finding placement for my son at a suitable school had been such a struggle. I cried because the placement battle continued even after his time at Mindstretch. All parents with special needs children can relate to this anxiety. You call and leave messages everywhere, you contact friends of friends to establish what credible schools can be approached, you contact the Department of Education for assistance, and more. Eventually, you live on hope! Hope that your child will once again find a nurturing and caring learning environment.
Today, I can proudly say that Yaghya continues to make good progress as he continues through his schooling.
To the Mindstretch Team, I say
THANK YOU and WELL DONE!
