Coco always has plenty to report – great stories and photos – of the students and staff members who seek her out for comfort during times of stress…
Here is my report from the week:
I went to school with Mom Wednesday and Friday again this week. The other therapy dog, Molly, only worked Tuesday this week because we did not have school Thursday.
Both Wednesday and Friday were busy days at school. There were many teachers at workshops and trainings, and there were other teachers who were out for different reasons. Because there are a limited number of substitute teachers, Mom was left to have other teachers cover lots of the classes. When there are many teacher coverage needs to figure out, Mom gets stressed. There is always a solution, but it takes time to figure out. On Wednesday and Friday, it took an hour to assign all the coverages, and then another fifteen minutes to deliver all the slips to classrooms. In those situations, I can always feel Mom getting stressed, but she says having me there helps her. As we walk the school to deliver the slips, I can feel her calm down. She says I play a huge role in that for her.
On Wednesday, I met with many students with Mom, and I also spent some time with the behavior specialist and students in small group studies. I met the sister of a student who has cancer. She is new to our school this year. She worries a lot about her brother, and it was nice for her to be able to talk to Mom about being at a new school, making new friends, all her interests, as well as her worries and concerns for her brother. She talked while she petted me. Her father has a dog, but she only gets to see him a few times a month, so she especially enjoyed the time with me. I spent time with lots of students Wednesday, and many teachers and custodians also came to see me. Mom says it is pretty neat that people instantly smile when they see me, and their shoulders seem to relax a bit. After school, I went to Greenfield with Mom to visit a good friend in a nursing home. She and many of the other residents are always glad to see me. I enjoy spending time there, also.
On Friday, after helping mom deliver all the coverage slips to classrooms, I attended the Leadership Team Meeting. I slept at Mom’s feet – she could hear me snoring – while the eight adults talked. I am very comfortable at Mom’s school and am able to take naps when I have downtime, even when there are people around. After spending homeroom with a small group of students -I have grown very attached to these students – I got to take many walks with other students. Mom and I walked with some of our “old” friends from last year, but we also met some “new” friends – students who signed up on a sheet to spend some time with me. Mom says this is a wonderful way to meet students and to connect with them in ways she wouldn’t otherwise be able to. She and I enjoy this time with students very much, and I can tell the students like talking with Mom.
One of the students we walked with is a student who is very anxious and shy. She is struggling this year, and her father asked if she could spend some time with me. She and a friend walked me while they talked to Mom. We found out that the only pet this student has is a fish, but that she loves dogs. Although she is very shy, she chatted the entire time we were walking. Mom says she will be a “regular” for us, and we will walk with her each Friday. Some of the sixth grade students came in pairs or in groups of three to spend time with me and talk to Mom. It is interesting listening to how they have adjusted to middle school and what they like doing for fun.
We also visited the Transitional Learning Center again, like we did last Friday. All the students in there LOVE me. One boy was having a particularly difficult time. I sat next to him, and as he petted me, he was able to calm down and complete some work. I stayed next to him, and he was then able to calmly ask for a break, which he took. At the end of the class, all the students came to pet me and to have their pictures taken with me. This is a fun group with lots of energy and excitement.
At the end of the day, I went outside with Mom for dismissal. Before the students came out, many of the bus drivers petted me and talked with Mom. Mom continues to be amazed by how many students want to pet me and say good-bye before they leave for the weekend. It is actually a nice opportunity for students who might not otherwise get to spend time with me to pet me and talk with Mom. I love the extra attention.
Later, a student returned from his suspension for a meeting with his dad, the principal, and Mom. He was nervous about the meeting, but I went up to him and gave him a nice kiss. He smiled right away, and seemed instantly relaxed. Mom says that was significant for him because he was terrified about the meeting. The rest of the meeting went well – the student was able to have a mature and reflective conversation about his mistake while I slept under the table.
On our way home from school, Mom and I visited a man in a nursing home. His stepson, who lives in Seattle, thought is would be nice for his stepfather to have a visit from a therapy dog. He contacted Cynthia about the possibility of a Bright Spot Therapy Dog team visiting with him, and Mom and I were happy to meet this man. He is a “dog person” and he and I instantly bonded. He and Mom talked about dogs, his golden retrievers, his house in Worcester, and lots of other interesting topics that I have since forgotten. We are hoping to stop at the facility on our way home every Friday if we can. We stayed for over forty-five minutes because so many other people wanted to meet me. One woman asked us to meet her father. As his eyes met mine, he smiled the widest smile I have ever seen, and his daughter said, “That is the first time I have seen you smile in a long time.” His response: “There is more love in this dog than the entire rest of this place.” And that says it all. ~Coco