A kid in my afternoon class has autism and often had mood swings. One day in early December I noticed he wasn't eating lunch and seemed upset. I tried asking him about it and he wouldn't tell me anything. I joked that if he wasn't going to eat the baked potato wrapped in foil on his plate that I would take it. Still no response. I finally walked away to give him his space. When he came to my class 20 minutes later, he told me he had a gift for me, and took the baked potato (still warm in the foil) out of his pocket and handed it to me. I laughed and told him that his kindness brightened my day. Ever since then, whenever there is a baked potato on his tray, he saves it in his pocket and gives it to me as "an after school snack". It's been weeks since we've been in a routine (with break and then all the snow days). Today my kids were all over the place and I wasn't looking forward to my afternoon class until he came in, and-to my complete surprise- he pulled a baked potato out of his pocket and sat it on my desk. "Next time I'll try to bring the cheese too. I hope it fits in my pocket." My job is so weird and unpredictable and I love it so much, even on the tough days. So thankful for my Baked Potato Kid.
