“When my boys got their first powerchairs, I felt immense joy as they sped around the cul-de-sac racing together, but I also felt like someone had punched me in the stomach. How did we get here so fast?”
‘When we got our mobility van, I felt intense gratitude, but also overwhelming anxiety. Every day is a painful paradox.’: Special needs mom shares dealing with complex emotions
Autism Doesn’t Mean Broken
“Life is a flowerbed of countless unique colors.”
I’m Neurodivergent, And I’m Proud Of Who I Am
“Don’t teach your children to hate or hide their diagnosis. There is NOTHING they aren’t capable of accomplishing.”
‘So many times children are told, ‘Put your hood down, I want to see you when I’m talking to you.’ It is a safety measure.’: Mom to daughter with autism urges inclusive learning
“When the world feels too big, too noisy, too chaotic – a hood provides a barrier. A safe space. A partition between the person and the rest of the world.”
‘I had so many questions: Would he ever hear my voice? Would he learn to talk? Would he live a normal life?’: Mom shares son’s hearing disorder journey, ‘We could not be more proud’
“We call him ‘Hearo Harrison’ because he has his own superpower—his magic ears.”
‘Life has me trapped in a cycle of change, grief, acceptance – repeat. It’s brutal, but somehow a blessing.’: Mom shares how sons’ degenerative disease has changed their family
“Every day I watch my boys fight one of the most challenging diseases in existence. Not only do they inspire the world around them, but they inspire us to live like them. We are more empathetic, kind, and loving people because of the path we’ve been forced to travel.”
‘When I found out you had autism, I’d never heard of it. It didn’t matter—to me, you were amazing.’: Mom shares ode to autistic son
“We were told we were wasting our time, energy, and money. They. Were. Wrong.”
‘I’ve received comments that I shouldn’t share Christopher’s life online because he can’t give consent.’: Special needs mom urges ‘his life is worth living’
“If I hide him away, and if every other parent of a disabled child hides their child away, when is there going to be an opportunity to educate? Where is the inclusion? Where is the awareness and the representation of children like mine?”
‘It’s not a big deal. He’ll grow out of it,’ the nurse practitioner told me. I fought with the hospital to admit him immediately.’: Mom of two special needs boys shares accepting diagnoses
“The excitement and determination were swept away with grief. This incurable disease is marked by developmental delays, atrophy of the basal ganglia and cerebellum, difficulty controlling muscles… and death.”
To My Special Needs Child: I Knew Our Lives Would Never Look The Same As Anyone Else’s, But We Picked Up The Pieces
“I know how to love different, how to embrace different, how to see all the different and know that it is beautiful. But most importantly, I know how to love a special little baby with my whole heart, and give him the life full of adventure he deserves.”