Parenting: We All Have Emotional Days (You and Your Child)!

Yesterday was an emotional day.  Mom, have you ever had one of those?  A better question might be when was the last time you didn't have that kind of day?  Well, the emotions of those early years of parenting a child with learning differences often seem behind me.  Though once in a while, extreme emotions show their ugly heads.  Yesterday was one of those days.  

I had asked the woman who helps my son with social skills  to take him to the disability office at his community college.  I wanted him to learn more about accommodations.  I knew if I took him that I would do most of the talking so I asked her to take him so he would take on that role.  As anyone can imagine, he was not excited.  An understatement!  This was a highly non preferred activity.  Just think about it.  He could stay home and have a predictable afternoon researching his favorite topics OR he could talk about feelings and challenges about his disabilities with someone he doesn't know!  You guessed it.  He held it together and communicated well when he was with the school staff.  Once he was just with the woman who accompanied him...the anxiety began to roll out.  It took a few hours to de-stress but with the help of a fun evening with his sister and brother-in-law, he recovered quite nicely.  

I am so thankful, for the people who assist my husband and I on this parenting journey.  They are God's gift to us.  Yesterday was stressful for me even though I wasn't there.  There is a letting go that comes in special needs parenting.  It is important to let go, keep pushing and being ok with the tension I feel within myself between the two ends of the spectrum. It's not easy but it's essential if I want my child to continue to make progress.