Radical Acceptance Can Open Doors.
Distraught and inconsolable are the only words to describe Jean when she found out that none of the schools she applied to offered her son Kindergarten admission.
What did it all mean?
As you well know, there's a ton of sweat equity invested in the highly selective & subjective process of applying to independent schools. It is certainly a unique journey for families of color.
Jean questioned everything like, what she could have done differently, what was the basis for the decision, and if independent schools were the right educational choice for her son.
Did it indicate that Sean was not a bright and promising kid? Was the family not a good fit? Did his late birthday have anything to do with it? Should Sean's family re-apply the following year? Would they still find an educational community where they could thrive now?
The suffering was endless. Radical acceptance was the only way to end it, reset, and move ahead.
Moving ahead meant remembering the family's educational vision for Sean.
A community that worked towards equity & inclusion.
Small classrooms & rigorous curriculum.
Inspiring teachers & safe spaces to take academic risks.
Resources & networks to thrive.
Educational legacy.
No matter the outcome, Jean has the ultimate power in finding as many of these variables as possible for Sean. She could bring her vision, advocacy, resilience, and partnership to any school community to access what they needed to get where it is they wanted to go.
Fast forward; they did re-apply and got into the school they identified with the first time around!