Many years ago, I heard this story: A father and his small child are riding in a hospital elevator with another person, not known to them. The child was acting up. In close quarters, it was very disruptive. The father did not address the behavior, did not seem to even notice. As the elevator doors opened, the stranger in the elevator, made a snide comment about the child's improper behavior and lack of parental discipline. The father replied, "I am so sorry. I am just not sure how to tell him that his mother has passed away." This summer, there were two times where I made assumptions about a situation without having all the information. Although I try to keep the above story in mind when assessing any situation, being human I sometimes jump to conclusions without having all the information. Ironically, in both situations, it was not obvious to me that people with special needs were involved. Luckily, in both cases, a positive connection was made. After I figur
These stories describe our journey with Ben, our oldest son. Ben is a sweet and energetic redhead, born with Rett Syndrome, a rare genetic mutation. My husband, Ryan, and I try to keep up with Ben and his two younger brothers. I intend to shed insight into raising a child with disabilities and pass on the wisdom we’ve earned over the past two decades.