We are very fortunate to have John Hamilton bring his therapy dog, Tessa, to our Tuesday afternoon story times. John and Tessa have been visiting us for about 10 months, and the children that come on Tuesdays really love having her around. And then there is Cameron.
When I first told Cameron about Tessa visiting, he refused to attend story time that week. His mom and aunt talked to him every day after that, explaining that Tessa would sit on the other side of the room and that he did not have to pet her, or even go near her. The next few weeks were worrisome, as Cameron would sit on the opposite side of the room with his head down. We even talked about the possibility of ending Tessa's visits because story time is really about the children and we didn't want Cameron to be uncomfortable, or viewing the library as a place to fear. But Cameron was brave and kept coming, and so did Tessa. Cameron kept his distance, but participated more and more in story time. By spring he was actively watching Tessa. By summer he was willing to pet her on her back - once.
And here is a picture of Cameron and Tessa taken this week.
And I am so proud of Cameron.
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