Today is Family Day in B.C. In the year since I first posted the poem below, we’ve discovered that our littlest granddaughter’s developmental delays are most likely caused by cerebral palsy. And so a family very precious to us is walking a new-to-them path with lots of challenges—and the sentiments expressed by little A’s grandma in “Cheerleaders” are more heartfelt than ever. Cheer someone in your family on today!
Cheerleaders
Every wee one who is learning
to kick the ball, hit it off the tee
point her toes and do a plié
summersault, the front crawl
sing in a choir, be elf in a play
play guitar, trumpet, violin
shoot baskets, basket weave
weave in and out in a skillful
soccer dribble to the goal
with the goal to make the team,
every child with dyslexia, autism
Down syndrome, whatever syndrome
who isn’t ever going to make the grade
make the team, team up with the cool kids
(because who are we kidding?)
needs a cheerleader
a yell of encouragement
a bull horn, cow bells, sign held high
banner in the sky
face painted green, blue
or whatever colour the jersey
and an after-game trip to Dairy Queen
because she’s queen of the day
and you’re her mom, dad
grandma, grandpa, uncle, auntie
cousin, biggest fan
on the team of the family.
© 2017 by Violet Nesdoly (All rights reserved)
Violet Nesdoly 
This is so fabulous Violet — a really great poem. You and Ernie will be/ already are great cheer leaders.
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Thank you, Laurel! We try… it’s hard from afar but that’s life right now.
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I remember when my first child was born feeling like my husband and I were the co-presidents of her fan club. 🙂 Wishing all good things for your granddaughter (and for the rest of you).
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Many thanks, Tabatha! Yes, families are wonderful. In some cases family members are the only people that are on a kid’s side, and everyone needs fans.
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