Speechless SLP Moments that Keep Us Going!
My friend Kim, at Activity Tailor, has the most wonderful ideas! This week she is reflecting on moments that make an SLP speechless, and I thought I’d join in.
It is easy for any of us to concentrate on all the difficulties we have in our jobs, and I am so grateful to Kim for her idea that got me thinking about the wonderful moments in my (long) career.
People in education and healthcare fields go into this work because they want to make a positive impact on people’s lives. For all of the frustration that I feel, at times, when I can’t help this student make progress a little faster, or I can’t get that student to focus at all one day, or I just can’t stand all the paperwork one more minute!!, I also have those moments over the years when I know that I have had an impact. These warm feelings are what keep me coping when I wish I had just stayed home that day!
My sweet memories include:
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the mom who was so grateful that my Elmo book helped her 12 year old to finally start using the toilet at night
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the four-year-old who could say her name understandably and whose grandparent could understand her for the first time ever
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the 18-month nonverbal toddlers who got in a pushing contest
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to be able to come to speech with me first
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the teacher who said that many SLPs had helped her kids, but I was the one who helped her learn how to make her students understand
We may not get bonuses or conferences in interesting places, and we barely get lunch some days, but we have the knowledge that we helped someone’s loved one. Maybe yours!
Staying warm with speechless moments~
