Magnificent Mothers

This week, I was able to connect with two different mothers who have children with special needs. Although our children’s disabilities are different from one another, we made many connections as parents. We talked about our children’s strengths, weaknesses, activities that are available to our children, IEPs, navigating the system, etc… But what resonated most was the struggles that we all face while raising a child with special needs.
Both of these women are amazing, loving, and intelligent mothers. They have both learned the importance of personally advocating for their children. Whether this advocacy takes the form of asking the school district to provide more services, navigating their healthcare to pay for medical services or equipment, or speaking out about the challenges they face on a daily basis, these women expend a lot of energy advocating for their special needs children.
These women also talk about the challenges that they face on a daily basis. Whether they are figuring out what activities they will be doing, how to accommodate their children out in the community, or how to make things as easy as possible during transitions, they are constantly thinking ahead. These women can’t just jump in the car and bring their children for a hike or a swim. There is a lot of planning involved and they must take care to prepare their children for the excursion, telling them precisely what to expect.
For me it was so nice to hear these women talk about both their struggles and their joys having a child with special needs. These mom’s understand the day to day struggles our family faces. They understand the little things that are important. But, most importantly, they understand the importance of community support and how essential the community is to helping all families who are raising a child with special needs. So, when you are out and about in the community and see a mom and her special needs child, reach out and say hi, hold a door open for them, or tell them they are doing a great job.  You can make a real difference.