I had an IG post last week that seemed to strike a nerve. I wasn’t sure how it would be received, honestly, but I’m getting close to the end of the school year and taking a hard look at some of my kiddos. Despite what parents and teachers sometimes want, “good enough” might be exactly what I’m striving for.

(Click here to see the IG post.)

I can be such a theater nerd, so indulge me for a moment. In the musical, “Matilda,” there’s a song titled “Miracle.” The students from the school, perfect Dahl-esque brats every one, sing about their special-ness. (In my house, when we start to get self-righteous and realize it, you’re apt to hear, “but I’m daddy’s special soldier!”).

Anyway, there’s a line in the song,

“One can hardly move for beauty and brilliance these days. It seems that there are millions of these one-in-a-millions these days.”

While it’s easy to spot this trap for the social media obsessed, neurotypical students, I think it’s something to keep in mind for our less typically developing little ones too. Not everyone makes rapid gains, not everyone is going to hit the average range and be discharged.

And while we need to educate parents about our expectations, maybe we need to give ourselves a stern talking to as well. Assuming we are in there doing our best, we can’t expect to be the miracle worker for every student.

Sometimes we make sandwiches and call it dinner.

This comment is one I used particularly when my own kids were a little younger. It was my way of letting them know that life isn’t perfect. I get in there and try, but there are days where the outcome is decidedly mediocre.

So, like I said, we’re nearing the end of the school year. My home desk is so piled with junk, I have to scoot some aside just to find a level spot for my coffee. My school desk/room is filthy and while I am caught up on paperwork (for this short moment), I have filing and clean-up that makes me too tired to even contemplate.

Who’s with me? Do you discharge at “good enough?” Are you giving yourself permission to be “good enough?”

P.S. Subscribers, I’m going to share a couple of sandwich ideas with you in my next newsletter. Have a good week!