This spring, Wendy Stanley, LMSW, Supervisor of Gladney’s Asia Program Social Services, traveled with the Superkids Team to meet children in person and learn more about their personalities, strengths, and daily lives. After spending time with Charlie in Taiwan, Wendy shared her reflections about this engaging young boy and the future she can so easily imagine for him.
I am so glad that I was able to meet Charlie in Taiwan last month! What a great little boy—full of personality and potential, just waiting to jump into all the fun that family, school, sports, and everyday life have to offer.
When Charlie settled in with the Superkids Team and we asked how old he was, he confidently answered, “Between 7 and 8.” Technically correct, and honestly, a pretty memorable answer. He went on to answer several more questions with thoughtful detail and clear articulation. Not yet 8 years old, and already so much to show us: strong memory skills, precise fine motor skills with a left-hand preference, and an attitude that welcomed every challenge our physical therapist put in front of him.
I spent some time with Charlie making a stained-glass paper craft, and I think we had an equally good time. He told me he enjoys sports—ping pong, badminton, basketball, and soccer. His favorite color is yellow, and his favorite animal is a bear. Hmm… yellow and bears. I feel like there must be a college somewhere with that combination. I’ll have to do some investigating.
One of my favorite things about meeting children is imagining all the little moments that are still ahead of them. For Charlie, I can picture snacks during car rides home with Mom or Dad. I can imagine him sharing every detail of his school day—or at least the parts he finds most interesting. I can see him talking about how his team played in the latest scrimmage or telling stories about whatever happened in his friend group that day.
Charlie is a sponge, eager to learn, explore, and soak up what’s happening in the world around him. Spending time with him made it easy to imagine how much joy, conversation, and energy he could bring to a family.
If you would like to consider sharing your world with Charlie, please email Wendy.Stanley@gladney.org.
