Raising a child with a disability is no easy task, there are challenges and joys in this journey. As we celebrate cerebral palsy day, here are the voices of four mothers, and what they would like you to know as they raise their children.
“Elena is just a girl. A girl like you used to be, or a daughter you have. She has more obvious challenges, but we all go through challenges in life; being accepted by her peers shouldn’t be one of them. She is a happy kid who embraces differences, and is always ready to try something new.”
Amy Handy, she blogs at A Life Less Ordinary
“Just because my son’s muscles do not work, it doesn’t mean his brain doesn’t work. If you presume my child understands everything you say, there is no crime if he doesn’t. If you presume he cannot understand anything you say, the crime is very great. Presume competence!”
Vicki Theroux
“Having a child with cerebral palsy is something that no parent wishes for their child. We have been through many physical and emotional struggles on this journey. But one thing I wish other parent would understand, is that we don’t walk out our door with a “cerebral palsy” sign on our backs. This is our normal, and it isn’t until we notice other people staring that we understand we are perceived “different” from typical families. Our son is funny, silly, smart, defiant, kindhearted, and determined. He is not defined by cerebral palsy, and neither is our family.”
MaryEllen Pollard
“The joys in raising a daughter with cerebral palsy are in the little things. The little achievements, the precious few steps, the utter joy at watching her accomplish something she couldn’t do yesterday. We have never had an “easy” day, but even when I feel weak and sorry for myself, I know she’s strong enough, and she will do things no one ever expected her to do. It is a privilege to raise a child with a disability, to be picked out of all the parents to do this special job. Not an easy job, but always an interesting one. I don’t know who I would be exactly if I hadn’t been given this opportunity.”
Patty O’Machel blogs at Parenting Outside the Lines
***
To learn more about some of the challenges our family faces with cerebral palsy, check out this post, where I talk about the looks of pity we get, rather than acknowledging my daughter as a child first. Or this post about how hard it is to see my daughter struggle with her body.
But I also want you to know the joys, because I wish you could see what I see.
Special Needs Parents, Are You Surviving?
I created a guide with 13 practical ways to help you find peace in the midst of chaos, opt in to make sure you get a copy of this freebie!
