Kid Koopa Club

When I drop Robby off at school each day, he is met at the door by a chorus of greetings from his friends all of whom are excited to see him. When I pick him up he is all smiles and eager to show me the projects and work that he completed during the day. All indications point to Robby loving school, but lately that has not been the reality.

Since his extended Dengue fever absence, it has taken some time for Robby to get caught up academically. After a lot of work and largely because of the dedication of his teacher, my little guy is finally caught up with his peers. Knowing that he is no longer lagging behind has been a huge weight that has been lifted off of my shoulders! The journey to regain the knowledge that he lost during his battle with Dengue has been difficult.

He is on par with his classmates, but he continues to deal with the aftermath of the illness. He experiences difficulty concentrating and fatigues easily, both of which have impacted his classwork. Before he became sick he was an academic leader in the class. He now he ranks in the middle, and it bothers him. It is hard seeing him frustrated and watching him struggle to regain the skills that he lost. Normally happy and upbeat, he has begun referring to himself as "stupid" and "dumb" because it takes him longer to think of words.

Thankfully, earlier this week Robby received news that instantly bolstered his lagging self-esteem. I am thrilled to announce that my little koopa has been named his school's "student citizen of the month." Robby was selected for this honor because he intervened when he witnessed a classmate being excluded. Seeing a small group of students form a club and refuse admission to all of their classmates, Robby took action. Without prompting, Robby formed his own club and invited everybody to join. Within three days all of students were proud members of the "cool kid koopa club" and the first club (with the exclusive membership) was dissolved.  With all of the work Robby has been investing in his academics, I'm so proud that he still finds the time to help his friends.

Scott and I weigh citizenship equally, if not heavier, than academics. After all, there are only a few slots in the world for those who are brilliant and socially inept. Being nice and smart will always take you further in life. We have worked hard to instill the values of compassion, empathy and action. Being recognized as "Student of the Month" is a wonderful honor for him, but it is also affirmation that despite our numerous mistakes, we might be doing something right.