I am a special need parent.
I know people don’t like that term. I know the politically correct way to say that is : I am a parent of a child with special needs.
But I’m not a typical parent—I have special needs myself due to the amount of special needs my children have.
I’m not ever going to be able to meet you for a coffee because you’re passing near where we live…that my dear friend is not something I can do…without at least a weeks notice.
I need notice. Lots of notice.
I’m not going to meet you and your children in a playground, (because it happens to be five minutes away from my home) because the sun beams high in the sky. Maybe I could if it were lashing from the heavens but the chances of you being there with your children is highly unlikely then.
We can’t do crowded.
I’m certainly unable to attend your child’s christening, birthday party, communion with all my children. That just isn’t possible. It doesn’t help when I’m asked repeatedly(by strangers-to me) why don’t I have all the boys with me, this doesn’t make me want to attend these very important events in your life—trust me, I carry enough guilt for everyone sitting in the church wondering where Ethan is.
Asking me to come to your house with the boys for a visit—not happening unless I’ve D with me or my super super gal pal A (who gets ‘it’- 100%) …and when we do go; trust me, don’t cook,don’t clean, we will be gone after one cup of tea, assuming you’ve locks on your doors….otherwise we will be gone sooner.
You are more than welcome here…believe me it is easier…for everyone…especially you!
I can’t do beaches, hikes, parks, play centres, funfairs , zoo’s, circus’….remotely near peak time, peak season ..peak anything really.
Doctors visits are a must and I can barley do them!
What I can do is early, very early morning visits, off season visits, cloudy wet day visits to the parks…beaches…zoo’s … (never funfairs or circus’- ever.)
Typical parents don’t have these issues.
I am not referring to my child when I say I am a special need parent—I am referring to me.
I am a special need parent. In order for my whole family to go anywhere together there must be a plan, circumstances must be right, we have to pre-visit before we visit…there are an awful lot of ‘extra’ or ‘special’ requirements, we the parents of children with special needs must do before we can even think about going.
I am a special need parent.