With the year 2006 coming to a close, let’s consider the milestones our children have reached these past twelve months. As parents of special needs kids, we already know that comparing our sons or daughters with other children their age, or with a teacher or doctor’s random expectations, can be discouraging. So we don’t. We learn to make comparisons only with the past. What steps have our children taken this year, no matter how small or unsteady, which have moved them just a little bit further down their own path? Were there any “miracle moments,” or breakthroughs? What about silly experiences, or surprises? It’s satisfying to reflect upon these things.
This year, I had one son receive a new diagnosis and face it with courage. Another son learned to tell jokes. Yet another son was invited to a gifted school. A daughter began middle school. Another started dancing lessons. One child sang a solo in front of 1,000 people. One daughter learned the painful consequences of dishonesty. A year passes, and everyone experiences growth in his or her own way. A year ends, and a new one begins.
As we contemplate the New Year we should also remember to congratulate ourselves on a job well done. Parenting special kids requires wearing more “hats” than most moms or dads. That’s because we must also be advocates, therapists, case managers, and medical coordinators. It’s a juggling act. So… might I make a blogger’s toast to you parents who put in the many tedious hours that nobody notices, simply because you love your child? May I toast those of you who’ve endured sleepless nights from worry, those of you who must frequent hospitals, and those who feel ostracized from family and friends? May I toast those of you who are eagerly seeking answers, and those of you struggling with a school system that isn’t working? I applaud your strength and resolve. Although I know these experiences give our lives “more texture,” as Valle Dwight described, that doesn’t mean they always feel rewarding or fun. So “here here,” parents of special needs children everywhere. I thank you on behalf of your sons and daughters.
Happy New Year! Happy 2007! (Clink.)
Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.