Stacie’s kiddos
Having children is a huge blessing and one of the best things I ever did in my life. I love being a mom, and my children bring me such joy. I wouldn’t be telling the truth to myself and others, though, if I said that finding out my children had these special needs wasn’t a huge blow, as this is not what was expected or what was “supposed” to be. So, I did the best thing I could. I studied up on autism and any other special needs my children have. I researched a lot, because I wanted to learn everything I possibly could.
There are so many things that change when you have a child(ren) with special needs. There are things that I didn’t even think about before:
- It is very hard to find a babysitter that is not only willing but equipped to watch your child. As I soon learned, challenges like this can make a parent feel very isolated.
- When going anywhere outside of the home with your child(ren), there is so much more you have to take with you to ensure an easier time.
- Holidays in particular are usually rough, as they are filled with a lot of excitement and stimulation which can be very hard on the children’s system and can cause negative behaviors.
- Traveling is also extremely difficult for us. We haven’t taken a vacation with our son in quite a while, as it is not only very hard on him but on everyone else as well.
Stacie’s son
When my children were diagnosed, I had many questions. I was blessed to finally find a reliable person who walked beside me, helped me, and was basically my mentor. I was so grateful for her as I didn’t have much else other than the workshops I attended plus my own research and studying. There is so much more available today on autism and special needs. However, there are still so many questions people have, and things parents in particular would like to know or need help with.
So having been there myself as a “mom of,” I want to help! If you have any questions for me, please send an email to [email protected] by Friday, October 14th with your question, and I will respond from my perspective as a parent of special needs children on my next blog post. The questions will remain anonymous!
The most important thing I want you to remember is: You are not alone and there are people who care and want to help. It is crucial to find those people. It can make all the difference.
by Stacie Green, AHSS Care Team Member and “mom of”
