This month one of our ministries was working in a special needs school twice a week. I’ve never worked directly with kids with special needs before, and I took away several things I think apply to all of us! (:
1. They are more intelligent and skilled than you may assume.
I used to put people who had “special needs” into a box of being behind or unable to do certain things. Working at a special needs school made me realize I couldn’t have been more wrong. Sure, there are some kids like that, but “special needs” is a wide term. There are some kids there that you wouldn’t believe had an incapability. And they’ll always surprise you with things they know or their sports abilities or even their English.
2. They don’t care what people think about them.
Special needs kids don’t try to hide their true personalities. They don’t let peer pressure determine who they are. They are themselves, and they accept each other for their unique selves. And they are happy about both.
3. They celebrate the little things.
Whether it’s a teacher they see every day or music playing from the radio or time for recess, they act like it’s the first time in a long time. They get excited to see people they know and want to spend time with those people. They find joy in simply listening to music or coloring pages. Whatever the task at hand, they’ll jump to it with immense satisfaction.
4. They get up and move a lot.
The school’s schedule includes 2-3 recesses throughout the day, but even in between those recesses, they get up to throw things away just to get up and move. They get up to enjoy the radio music by dancing or singing. They get up for hugs as new people enter the classroom. They get up to go to the bathroom and enjoy the walk along the way.
5. They are cuddly and fun to play with.
They laugh and play soccer and talk just like normal kids. They enjoy hugs and being held. They enjoy the stillness just as much as they enjoy movement. They know all the playground games and can kick you butt in soccer, foosball (“taka-taka”), and all things sports.
6. They are includers.
They want to include you in their fun, games, and excitement. They want to share their joy with you and love getting to know new people. They’ll accept you for who you are and forgive you when you fail. They love unconditionally and only deserve the same in return.
Kids in the special needs school loved life. They didn’t have any worries or anything holding them back from just being them. I can’t help but think that all these things are what contributes to their joy and happiness and will look for ways to incorporate these into my life as well!
