A Word From Eileen Davidoff on her son Michael, a very special eight year-old boy who can't speak but has plenty to say.
When my husband, Nersi, and I brought Michael home from the hospital shortly after he was born, I thought that his significant challenges would make our lives forever sad. They have not! We are happy in ways that we would never have imagined before. Michael is a major reason for that joy. Our hearts have grown bigger and Michael had taught us to see how accepting, loving , and capable we really are as parents.
Michael's birth began a unique training in patience for me...Goals are painstakingly met...however, when a milestone is reached, the elation that everyone feels is a high like no other... Michael has been a source of inspiration for us all.
In order to help Michael reach his potential, we had to navigate the world of disability and find all the relevant resources that were available. Through the help of a few local agencies we were able to learn about therapies that could help Michael...and when the time came to transition to preschool, these agencies were highly instrumental in teaching us how to advocate for Michaels' educational needs by understanding the law and our rights. Our hope is the MBIP will provide such guidance in our community and beyond and connect us to other families who are facing similar challenges so we can all learn form on another. The mission of the MBIP is also to educate others as to the importance of inclusion...
Throughout all of this, Michael has been an affectionate and playful little boy. He...attends public school...he is enrolled in a special day class but his school is a model for inclusion so Michael spends much of his school day mainstreamed with his regular education peers...he is loved by his classmates teacher''s and therapists...Michael still has a very long way to go, but we now know that we are well-supported in finding out how to meet Michael's needs to help maximize his potential. Our life together is not what we expected and I would never pass up an opportunity to make things easier for Michael. But truly, I thank my blessings very day for the progress our sweet, loving, and smiley little boy has made. He has motivation and continues to warm and enjoy life.