08/12/2026
This Is Why We Do What We Do ❤️
I’m crying as I write this because moments like these remind me that our center is so much more than a place where children learn skills or practice social interactions.
We get to watch little children transform.
We watch children who once seemed disconnected and unaware of what was happening around them become engaged, confident, loving little people who are learning not only how to participate in their world, but how to make a difference in it.
Two of our kiddos, both of whom have been with us for almost two years, have recently reminded me just how powerful that transformation can be.
JB is now thriving in a general education classroom—and he is becoming a little shining star. When his friend fell, he asked if she was okay. He hugged his teacher without being prompted, simply because he is such a loving kid.
That’s JB.
Yes, those skills were intentionally taught. But what makes me most proud is that they were generalized. JB doesn’t just have one amazing RBT teaching him. He has a team—a team that communicates, collaborates, and understands him. His RBT is the lieutenant of that team, helping everyone around him know what JB needs.
And at the center of it all, guiding the entire team, is his BCBA—the captain leading the ship. Making sure every decision, every strategy, and every moment of support is aligned so JB can truly thrive.
Sometimes that even means me hearing, “Mia, please don’t hug him right now.” 😂 And I don’t. Because loving a child also means respecting what they need in that moment.
We love all of JB—his goofy, silly, brilliant, adorable, husky-loving self.
And then there’s JG.
JG came to us minimally verbal, yet just a few days ago I was told something that stopped me in my tracks—she is now able to identify the names on every child’s cubby. She truly is a joy. She loves music, especially a certain song with her name in it, and she can strike a pose like a Vogue model in any reflective surface she finds. She loves crowns, princess dresses, shoes—and apparently her RBT’s shoes are especially desirable. 😂
We have loved every version of JG.
From the “I’ll scream everything I say” phase, to the “I hate Mia and will scream every time she enters the room” phase, to the little girl who recently stood in front of her preschool class and sang the alphabet with another child.
And today, I was told she identified numbers aloud for her teacher.
And something that makes this even more powerful is that JG also has support from her RBT right there with her at preschool, helping her navigate those moments in real time, building independence while still ensuring she feels safe and successful.
And I realized something beautiful:
She is becoming a leader for the little ones who are still finding their way.
JB and JG came to us needing significant support to engage with the world around them.
Today, they are engaging, communicating, participating, helping others, and becoming leaders.
That is the full circle.
And that is why what we do matters.
Thank you to JB and JG for reminding all of us that progress isn’t always measured by a data point.
Sometimes it looks like a child asking, “Are you okay?”
Sometimes it looks like singing in front of a classroom.
And sometimes, it looks like a little child who once seemed lost in their environment becoming the one who helps someone else find their way.
That is why we do what we do. ❤️
