Every.
Single. Human. Being. Has. A. Purpose. If your child is confined to a
wheelchair or nonverbal, are they less than Aunt Pam’s all star son who has a
plethora of labels on HIS varsity jacket? Varsity jackets are symbolic, aren’t
they? Do we have to have the embroidered letters to symbolize that we have made
“it”? Consider the joy that your child has and brings to your life. Who have
you met as a result of your child? How can you share your child’s life to your
family in a way that build your family up instead of down?
I
have met a crazy amount of people on my son’s journey. Many of them make me
laugh and have helped me grow into a better parent and professional to others.
This is noteworthy. My family is thrilled that I have connected to fabulous
speech therapists, occupation therapists, physical therapists, doctors,
teachers….the list goes on and on. My son’s service providers tops out at
around 15 people. That is a lot of Christmas presents, right? These folks make
my days brighter and make me laugh and listen to me cry. I love talking about
my OT’s lunch dates with my son at school. Jokingly, I address her as Sally and
ask her how Harry behaved for her (Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan’s classic 90’s
movie for those of you who can’t keep up with me). I continue my comedy as I
share these stories with my extended family. It brings them into the craziness
that is my world with my son. Try similar strategies with your family. What do
you have to lose?
