What it means to be included

Earlier in the summer on a short vacation, we discovered eastons fascination with going under water and his lack of fear for pools, creeks, lakes, you name it!
As a parent that is so scary when your child hasn't the slightest clue how to swim!
Immediately after getting home we set Easton up with swimming lessons. We called the local swim coach who felt confident her daughter could teach Easton. He's not always the easiest kid to teach ha ha but as long as she was willing we were thankful!

Over the past few weeks, we've been going twice a week. After the first lesson he started learning to kick his feet. Now he asks to go swimming by signing water and saying kick kick kick!
Each week he progressed and we saw him learn how to maneuver his body in water whichwas quite tthe task in the beginning.
We still leave a small life jacket on him because he has difficulty keeping his head above water, but as long as he's wearing it, he doggy paddles his little heart out!

Its the sweetest thing to see others invest their time in your child and to see such a positive outcome. Today was his last lesson and I never expected the end of it to have such an impact on me.
You see as we were saying our goodbyes the swim coach said to me, you should let him be on the swim team next year, we'd love to have him! I was so taken back because Easton has never participated in an organized sport due to his amazing ability to lose all focus and become quite the distraction!
She didn't care though, she saw a child, my child, who loved water and they wanted to see him involved. I asked what it entailed and for his age they allow the instructors to be in the water with him, he can use a flotation device, and they set up little meets where he would get ribbons.
Ribbons or not my child was being included! I never realized how desperate I am for that at times. I called my husband and tears just came out of nowhere because I want so badly for Easton to not see his differences or especially be treated differently because of his needs. Most of the time we keep him separate from children and activities because he hasn't learned appropriate interaction with other children. Its hard to hold your kid back like that. We are constantly on gaurd When other kids are around because Easton only knows how to stare, push, or chase! Its hard seeing children try to talk to him when he can't respond so he resorts back to his hands and squealing. Kids don't understand that and I dont always feel like explaining things to be honest.

I am so appreciative of someone who can look past all of his differences and see a child with all of the potential we know he has.
I'm so thankful that he's being included, not because they feel sorry for him, but because water really is his thing, and they see it!