– by Timothy, also a parent of Breakthru
This is my speech on that day.
Breakthru Family Story Day and Celebration
Speech by Timothy
Today we are here to celebrate a time together with our wonderful children as they demonstrate their unique talents, abilities and strength through their performance and presentations. This is an important part of Breakthru’s deliberate and ongoing efforts in allowing, encouraging and enabling our precious children to shine according to the abilities and continue to excel in life at their own pace.
If we believe that every person is born with a purpose, what does this mean for parents and teachers who provide care to children with special challenges? Often, we get so wrapped up in the difficulty or the problem itself that our reactions to the disabling condition prevent us from seeing who the child really is. In actuality, it is the perceptions and prejudices of other people that often prevent children with disabilities from doing well in life and participating fully in society.
Children with disabilities are, first and foremost, children with dreams, strengths, and weaknesses, and they have the right to be loved and nurtured. Somewhere in the confusing array of labels, diagnoses, opinions, facts, myths, and misinformation is a unique and individual child who has gifts to offer the world. Unfortunately, he or she is often lost in the hunt for help, the search for a cure, and the desire for relief and healing.
As a community, Breakthru Enrichment Station is seeking to reach out, accept, and be supportive of people who are suffering, struggling, or perceived as being different, not only by accepting special-needs children into education programs but also by involving them in the lives of our community. Breakthru is constantly striving to be a welcoming and inclusive place for all children as we affirm and promote our core beliefs about the worth and dignity of every child; that with the right attitude and appropriate help everyone of them can lead a life of personal worth and dignity. In our centre, children with special needs can gather strength and support for overcoming the obstacles that they were born with and those that society imposes.
However, the efforts from dedicated teachers in Breakthru alone are not sufficient in drawing out the full potential of every child. We do need and encourage the parents to play their part as well in order to see the children reaching their full capacity in life. Parents need to first accept their children as they are and equipped themselves to help the children in their growing and learning process. Children with special needs may not excel academically but they do have other abilities which parents need to learn to gradually discover and nurture in order for the children to do well according to their individual strength and gifting. Parents are also the natural role models for their children whether they are good ones or otherwise, and therefore the way parents conduct their lives have a profound and lasting impact on the children and make a great difference in their lives. So we encourage all parents to work hand in hand with us at Breakthru in order to give the best possible care and the most effective training to help every child to reach his or her maximum potential in life.
Thank you.
