I read an article recently in New York magazine about parenting and happiness. The article included the fact that while parents actually spend more time with their kids than they did thirty years ago, parents are more likely to feel guilty about how little time they spend with their children.
It’s my completely un-corroborated opinion that the parents of children with special needs are in an even worse position in the modern era. Thirty years ago, you would do what your doctor told you, and for the most part, that was it. These days there are so many alternatives AND there’s what your doctor is telling you. There are camps, intensive therapy, horseback riding, supplements, renowned doctors, and more. You could easily bankrupt your family and end up on the bed rest trying to pursue them all.
It’s the Catch 22 of our age: you’ve got more options, but then you’re acutely aware of the things you’re not pursuing.
Well, today let me be so bold as to declare: you are doing enough. You are. Despite rumors of miracle cures, I’ve never known one myself. Slow and steady seems to be the only path. Guess what? You’re already on it. Maybe six weeks at an intensive camp will give them better balance or improve their eating. Great! But more important is that they are loved, that they are part of a community, that someone cares about their well-being. You are already doing the most important things for your child. You are.
There are a thousand ways to beat yourself up. Today, pat yourself on the back. You’re doing what you need to be doing. You are.
