IM BAAACK!

After a lot of up and downs, I am back blogging.
In my absence I have made two trips down to Riley Children's Hospital in Indianapolis for my son. I have lost my grandmother and endured countless illnesses between me and my son ( it seems when one of us is healthy, the other is not.)

So, I have been thinking. What does it mean to be a parent of a special needs child?
To me it means seeing all the great things about my child, the unique qualities, that other children don't exhibit. Eg: Going to the zoo is more than just looking at animals. Its looking at signs, trees, trains, cars and letters and discussing them at length because they are of interest to him. Most children might notice one or two things, but would not notice that the monkeys in the trees are making a triangle, like the sign to the left of the cage. The other children might discuss the behavior of the monkeys, but not comment on how many holes in the cage there are.
To me it means you embrace all they are and work to help them be the best person they can be.
It means standing up to other parents who look at your child and think less of them. Who dont invite your child to birthday parties because they are afraid of them, when they could simply ask you to help chaperone the event.
It means putting in more hours in therapists and doctors offices than most kids and other parents.
It means explaining situations many different ways to make sure that they get it and know how to react to situations if they cross them.

What does it mean to you?