Father's sweet gesture after girl with autism 'left in tears' over report card
The father of a Tasmanian girl with autism has been praised for his adorable reaction to the girl’s school report card, after she became upset from receiving all Ds.
Shane Jackson told how his 10-year-old daughter Sophie, who has autism spectrum disorder, cried as she told him she had “let everyone down” with her grades.
“Sophie and my partner were so upset, mainly because she had tried so hard,” said the dad, who is the national president of the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia.
While he told Yahoo7 “Sophie loves her teacher” and appreciated the support all her teachers give to the students, Dr Jackson wanted to lift his daughter’s spirits after the report card, by grading her on the things he valued outside the standard curriculum.
He made his own report card, and awarded his girl either an A or A+ for categories like “imagination”, “drawing” and “best daughter ever”.
He tweeted a picture of the new report card, which has since gone viral.
My daughter who has ASD received straights Ds on her report today. She cried and said “I’ve let everyone down” this is my report card for her. pic.twitter.com/godh2iiQ88
— Shane Jackson (@ShaneJacks) June 27, 2018
“My daughter who has ASD received straights Ds on her report today,” he tweeted.
“She cried and said ‘I’ve let everyone down’. This is my report card for her.”
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His tweet was met with more than 1000 heartfelt messages of support for Sophie and praises for the dad’s creative parenting.
Some responded saying they would adopt the approach with their own children with autism who, like Sophie, are not excelling at school.
Thanks, overwhelmed by the response. Important to show others they are not alone. Sophie was over the moon with her “new” report….
— Shane Jackson (@ShaneJacks) June 28, 2018
— Shane Jackson (@ShaneJacks) June 28, 2018
I am an artist. That painting is BRILLIANT! She is so talented. And I love her dynamic use of perspective. Please tell her she has a new fan.
— StSmallerie (@StSmallerie) June 28, 2018
— Jonathan Abra (@jonathanabra) June 28, 2018
Dr Jackson said the messages on social media left his daughter with a “beaming smile”.
“The response has been overwhelming,” he updated in a follow-up tweet.
“And she has loved the positive twitter comments – especially on her art,” he added.
“Sophie feels so supported by everyone in the twitter world.”
He said it was important to show other children with learning difficulties they were “not alone”.
“Sophie was over the moon with her ‘new’ report.”