Tonight, we’ll be doing something for the first time: We’ll be using our “You are Special” plate. (You can see the one we have Here.) I’ve had it for a little while, but it’s been sitting on a shelf up until now. Naturally, I intend to use it for birthdays and major accomplishments. But I’ll be setting it out on the table tonight, just to say “Good Job” to C..
Today is the day that his year-end project is due. I dropped him off at school this morning, making sure that he got his poster about Alaska safely to his classroom. Both of us know far more about Alaska than we ever have before (did you know the state flag was designed by a 13-year-old?). He has to give a 1-3 minute speech in front of his class today, all about Alaska, and he worked hard preparing and polishing it. I’ve been making him practice several times a day for the last 4 days or so (much to his chagrin) and I’ve loved watching him develop his “style.” At one point he was saying, “Here are some interesting facts. First, a long shoreline. Second, Mt. McKinley is there….” etc. But by yesterday afternoon, he had infused his speech with a certain flair: “I’d like to share a few interesting facts about Alaska. It’s shoreline is very long — longer than the shoreline of the 48 connected states. And of course, Alaska is home to Mt. McKinley, the tallest mountain in North America.”
Naturally, as he added flair, he added time, and his speech is bordering right on three minutes. Which will be just fine. I’m just proud of him for doing such a good job. And honestly, after some initial complaining at the beginning of the project, he’s been good about putting time into it every weekend without excessive eye-rolling or exasperated sighs.
Anyway, I decided that that kind of effort deserves the You are Special plate. I have to admit that I’m not always great about expressing praise as often as I mean to. I might notice during the day that he’s been doing a good job keeping his bathroom sink clean (as opposed to leaving great globs of toothpaste lingering around the edge) or that his bed was fixed very well that morning… but alas, by the time he gets home from school that day, I’ve forgotten, or I get so caught up in homework and dinner prep that I never quite get around to telling him what a good job he’s done. There’s no excuse for that and I need to do better.
But tonight, the red plate will come out, and I hope he will understand just how much we love him. He really is special. Not just today — every day. I just hope that I take the opportunity more often to express that in a tangible way.
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