To advance our village, it takes a village.
Every mother and father prays that their child will be born healthy and “normal.” Of course we do. Life, when it’s rosy on all fronts, is simply challenging enough.
We pride ourselves on getting our pride and joy off to school without any emotional breakdowns (us, not them!). We congratulate ourselves and enjoy immense satisfaction when a healthy dinner is cooked and makes it to a table before the lovelies run off for screen time … I mean homework.
We get caught up in that false image of Facebook family life perfection.
Guilty.
But it’s when we’re in the thick of challenge and strife and then, somehow, make it to the other side that our humanity and humanness is elevated. Those moments are seldom shared with the public.
If you’ve been there, then you know what I am talking about. It may sound cliché, but what does not kill us (or break apart our marriages and families) makes us stronger.
No doubt, becoming a parent of a child with special needs — whether it is autism, ADHD, or any number of other physical or developmental challenges — changes everything. We repeatedly hear from parents of kids with special needs that despite the struggle they are taught magical lessons and feel, ultimately, that they are better people for their experience.
This issue explores the collaborations between parents, grade schools, corporations and colleges to get kids to “interdependence, not complete independence.”
Our story Taking Flight: Traveling With a Child Who Has Special Needs demonstrates how popular destinations are now adding long-awaited accommodations. Why? Because there is no force greater than parents uniting and advocating for their kids.
Beyond these pages, we are bringing you live and essential parenting guidance this season! If you’re the parent of a tween or teen, I urge you to experience the dynamic duo of Marsha Linehan, Ph.D., and Laura Kastner, Ph.D., as they present Teen Extremes: Regulating Moods in the Age of Anxiety on Oct. 27!
And Glee’s anti-bullying activist Lauren Potter joins us Nov. 15 for Living a Glee-ful Life: Possibilities and Potential for Families and Young People Growing Up with Special Needs.
We hope you’ll join us as we kick off our exciting fall event season!
