Awards Season

Posted byAbPosted inADHD, adoption, FASD, gratitude, growth mindset, Parenting, schoolTags:, , , , ,

We all need recognition sometimes, as it boosts confidence, motivation and self esteem.

It’s Sunday night and T is taking a bath while I’m relaxing with the Oscars.

They just handed the first award to Kieran Culkin for Supporting Actor and he gave a joyful speech.

Oscars night has changed since my 20s when friends would come over to watch it together.

I thought about my dear late friend Jenny, who was one of those who came every year.

In my 40s, it’s a solitary experience, because I’m passed out by 9 pm. Good thing for PVRs!

There’s something fun about watching the Oscars and seeing people win and be lauded.

When I was in my teens, I’d daydream about winning for Best Screenplay and would practice my speech in the shower.

There is something affirming about being recognized for a job well done, especially if that recognition is from your peers.

The hubby proudly displays my Grade 9 Math Trophy at home and points to it when he wants to get out of doing math homework with T. 😂

When I think of T, a bright, kind, funny child with learning difficulties because of ADHD and FASD, I wonder what the academic journey holds for him.

I worry about how challenges and frustrations may erode his confidence and self esteem.

Thankfully, with the right supports in place, T has experienced successes despite ongoing challenges.

We celebrate his wins – like his first A on his report card – because all of us, especially children, need to hear ongoing positive feedback.

On Friday, amidst a busy day at work and the shitshow at the Oval Office, the hubby and I received lovely photos from T’s child youth worker.

T received a recognition award for demonstrating the character trait of Fairness.

The photo showed him holding his certificate, standing in front of a large TV with a description of the award up on the screen:

“Fairness begins with a genuine sense of equality – treating everyone with respect, playing by the rules, and keeping an open mind whether we’re working or playing together. When we nurture this sense of fairness, we help create a classroom community where each person feels valued and balanced opportunities are shared.

Throughout this month, certain students have stood out for their strong sense of fairness. Their honesty, empathy, and considerate actions have ensured that all classmates feel respected and have equal chances to succeed.”

Oh, what a proud moment for us. We asked his CYW to tell him how proud we are and we made a big deal when he got home that night.

His certificate is now up on our fridge.

The truth is that us caregivers also need these wins, because it can be an exhausting journey.

But most of all, it’s about wanting to see our kids shine and feel good about themselves.

Judging by the big handsome smile on T’s face, as he holds his certificate of recognition, he is feeling pretty good about himself! 💕🙏

Pictured at Top: Climbing a tall structure at an indoor adventure park at his classmate’s recent birthday party.

36 thoughts on “Awards Season”

    1. Thanks Diane! 😊💕 I’m glad he can have moments like this. And yes, he is getting tall. 4.5 feet now. I can’t wait till he’s taller than me one day! 🙏

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  3. I am doing fine😀 just become a Head of Languages Department and travelled recently but struggling to do a blog post because of time😬😬 I really want to get back to posting…..how do you handle your busy moments but still post?

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    1. Congrats on your promotion, Faith! So happy for you. And I look forward to hearing more about your travels.

      Posting can often be a struggle for me too. I find posting to be therapeutic for me and a form of advocacy – so that’s my motivation for trying to keep a regular frequency for posting. 🙏

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    1. Faith, it is so nice to hear from you! I hope you are doing well and having a good school year. It must be nearing its end soon. I look forward to your next travel post!

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  7. Congrats to T for receiving a reward for demonstrating fairness!! I love how you guys proudly displayed the certificate on your fridge! Supporting our kids and celebrating the wins is a great way to build confidence! And good for you for winning a math trophy in Grade 9! I couldn’t help but laugh that you still have it and that it’s on display in your house!

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  8. That is so cool! Nice work to T — and to you and Hubby for teaching him that sense of fairness. I think so much of that respect and open-mindedness starts at home. You ALL are doing a great job.

    I’m laughing about the math trophy. I think you should be still working out your acceptance speech for dad-of-the-year in the shower! Hope you have a great week!

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    1. Thanks Deb! 😊 Oh yes, the world needs so much more fairness, kindness and empathy than what we are seeing in the news! 🙏

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  11. this is huge! for t and for his daddies, too. what a moment to see him proudly standing there with his award and the explanation of what fairness means and why he received it, is beautifully stated. we all need to be celebrated, especially by those in our orbit, and those moments help to boost our confidence when we may struggle in the future, and lead us to try our best. bravo, t!!! (and you for that math trophy, that’s one I’ll never have)

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    1. Thank you Beth. 😊 I wholeheartedly agree with your comment around being celebrated by those in our orbit. So so important. And I know as a teacher, you totally get that. We’re thankful for the teachers that do get it and practice it in the classroom. 🙏

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  12. Congratulations T on your award – Fairness is a meaningful award – maybe some people in politics can learn from your lead. Your Dads’ deserve an award also for teaching you about fairness! I laughed at the math trophy and your hubby’s reference that you are more qualified for math homework duty! Ha!

    I also remember the excitement of the Oscars—I watched some of it last night but decided to rely on online highlights and photos rather than put in the time.

    Great Post, Ab!

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    1. Thanks Vickie. 😊 If I can be honest with you, I have felt these awards are like participation awards given to help support neurodiverse kids. But now that I see it in action, I do see their value and meaning and I’m proud of T for earning his this month!

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  13. Being recognized for our hard work really is something that would make anyone feel great, whether that person’s most dominant love language is words of affirmation or not. I think it’s human to feel good about yourself. Being recognized for his fairness is definitely a great thing for T. Maybe he should start practicing his speech for more awards to come in the future!

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    1. Thanks Bama. 😊 I agree with you about recognizing love language but also knowing that everyone needs affirmation.

      He needs to practice using less profane words first before he gives any public speeches. 😂

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  15. I’m going to start sounding like a broken record, but Ab, you never fail to provide a post that is infused with warmth, humour, and love. I absolutely love the definition T’s school uses for fairness, and also the fact that they do this. If only this lesson could be retaught at workplaces and in politics. I hope it’s all right for me to use that definition as an example sometime. Thanks for another great post.

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    1. Thanks Jane. 😊 I loved the school’s definition too. I think teaching character traits is so important as much as the technical skills are. I just read last night that Denmark schools have an entire course on empathy. What a concept! Definitely need this in the modern workplaces and politics!

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