It seems that when you are the parents of a special needs child, you are riding the fine line between showing everyone that you have got it all under control and convincing sometimes, those same people, that you desperately need help. It happens at school. You want everyone to know that you are a good parent and have all the bases covered: your child is clean, appropriately dressed, well fed, polite and pleasant. At the same time, you need those folks to know that your child needs one on one adult support for their entire school day because they have been assessed as having profound additional needs. Sometimes it takes every ounce of your energy just to get your child to school on time, dressed, fed and in a reasonable frame of mind. You show up with a brave face because that is what you do. No matter how bad things are you need to let everyone know that you are okay. But sometimes we are not okay. Our child is dreading their day at school, our marriage is failing as a result of the pressure, finances are tight and yet we smile and say "Fine thanks, how are you?" That is why I think that we need each other for support, encouragement and understanding. Whatever the make up of our family: typical kids, special needs kids, extended family, single parents, young children, older kids---there are times when we need that village that it takes to raise a child. We can reach out to others and lend a hand. We also have to be able to reach out and say "I need help, now". For some of us, there is nothing more difficult. Maybe others of us can try to make it a little easier.
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