Our home is filled with various building components...everything from blocks, bricks, dominoes, tracks, roadways, and magnetic thingies to junk dug from the garbage and more. The boys constantly build things and explain the intricacies of the why, what, how and purposefulness of their creations. They constantly stimulate my imagination and alter my view of the world.
The boys are my bridge to a better place. I have no doubt they serve the same purpose for others.
Although you would not look at my boys and immediately view them as living with special needs, they are. And when people, particularly peers, spend a bit of time with the boys, their challenges are obvious. They are often shunned by adults as well as peers. Their dad and I are often shunned by parents of typical children. My skin is thick; I understand that the majority of those people are simply uncomfortable with the unfamiliar and carry no ill will. But in moments of their exclusion, my heart aches for my boys.
My blogging at Slurping Life is with a goal of helping others view children who live with special needs as kids...just kids...no matter what their diagnosis. To see them as people with emotions, feelings, purpose and whose lives have the same worth and rights as any child.
I blog about my boys’ challenges and diagnoses, but mostly I share the stories and moments that draw each of us together as parents...as humans. We are in life together. I believe in helping one another understand our differences, we better understand the ways in which we are the same.
A friend has expressed how it feels to be a parent of a child living with special needs who, more often than not, lives on the outside looking in...like our children. But a bridge is being built which runs throughout blogland, and I...as well as my teammates...believe that bridge will extend itself into the reality of everyday living.
Thank you for reading my words and viewing my photos. I thank you for seeing the true depth of my children and, thereby, of the many children living with difficult challenges.
I hope you will continue to help build the bridge by reading and participating here and at 5 Minutes for Special Needs. Every child has special needs...a diagnosis is not needed to be part of a community of parents who will make positive change for all children.
I just needed to say that. Thank you for listening.
Comments are open and as always, I welcome your thoughts.
