No Easy Answers

The realities of having a seriously ill child in your class can be overwhelming. There are so many issues to consider. Hopefully, this booklet will help you, the educator, with the difficult task at hand.

There truly are no easy answes, no guarantees that everything you try will work out well, but then life itself comes with no guarantees either. The child battling a life-threatening illness and each child in the classroom will present a different scenario, a different landscape upon which you will add the color. Paint their canvas with vivid memories and an abundance of love. The picture you end up with will be a work of art. For in the end, the legacy of love you leave with every child in your classroom, ill or healthy, will remain tucked away somewhere within each of them always.

As for you, the teacher, the master artist, the crayon picture of courage, inspiration, and love pained on your canvas with painstaking care will remain imprinted on your heart as well. This journey could very well be the most life-affirming experience you have, and one that could change the color of your landscape forever.

Have faith! While there are no easy answers, there are answers. Look within yourself and your children for guidance. You are a teacher, you already know how to make a difference. And remember, you are not alone.

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