Thursday, February 16, 2012
My friend over at Extra-Special Kids, Elise, posted this on her Facebook page and I wanted to post it here. Even though A isn't as special needs as a child with autism, or in a wheel chair, and he doesn't have cerebral palsy or any other type of "label", for lack of a better word, he is still in need of assistance. He is almost 5 and still cannot talk in sentences, and he still needs Speech Therapy. So in my eyes, he is Special. We live, daily, with the frustrations he has with not be able to communicate. We get upset with him and he gets upset with us. He tries so hard, but sometimes, it's just not enough for us to understand him and he gets mad and cries, which leads to me crying because I can't understand my child. MY CHILD, who I should be able to understand, he's mine and even with the lack of communication, our bond should still be strong enough for me to understand his needs and wants. But, it's not. At times, I just want to cry, and I have cried, many times, in front of him, while hugging him and telling him how sorry I am that I can't understand him, that I can't make it better and I'm trying to help him and that I don't know why this had to happen to him and I'm so sorry if it was something I did or said or caused. After my pity party, I move on. We are all entitled to them, even if you don't have a special child.
I make sure I stay in touch with his teachers. He's a great student now, rarely gets in trouble and is very smart. He can write his name perfectly, and even S couldn't do that at this age. I try not to pit my children against each other, they are both different and deserve to be commended on accomplishments, but, that's hard to do when you are remembering if one did this at this age or the other did this at that age. I've come to learn that that is ok, as long as you don't hold your one child to the standards of the other child.
Back to the original point to this post. I have such a huge problem staying on task at times. I have said this before, but I swear I have ADHD, and I'm not kidding. So anywhoo..
I really think that is one thing that has been lost in this world. Respect. I'm not talking about respecting your elders or parents or teachers, even though that is important, but respecting others as humans. The lack of compassion this world is showing is astounding at times. I'm not saying I'm perfect, I sometimes forget and may say a bad word while driving, or getting mad over the phone at someone, and even getting mad at my husband and children. But, in the end, I do always realize that maybe that wasn't the right thing to say or do, and I give hugs or kisses and forgive and move on. I even have to remember to forgive myself.
If there is one thing that I would love to see before I die, it's respect restored. It's tolerance and love for everyone in this world, because in the end, we are all special, in one way or another.
