Since my pregnancies I become emotional at the thought of anyone hurting children especially children with special needs. I read in our local paper about thieves stealing recycling from a school for children with severe special needs. Collecting, sorting and returning cans was a way the teachers and aides were helping to teach these students life skills. They had worked for months to collect a measly $60-80 worth of cans and someone managed to cut the locked bins to take the cans. I started crying when I read the story and later asked my PTA to donate our funds collected by our one day recycling drive. I was so emotionally invested that I started crying at the meeting.
I was not prepared for my reaction to success stories involving children with special needs. “In Their Own Words” featured an essay about a teenager who went to his prom. A girl volunteered to be his date because her brother is autistic . This act of kindness showed me that people are still willing to be kind. I still cry when I reread that story.
Our family loves watching “America’s Got Talent” during the summer months. Two auditions stood out for me; Connor Doran, a young man with epilepsy and Christina and Ali, sisters who both have cystic fibrosis. I sat on the couch crying and laughing at myself. I knew my heart strings were being pulled by the television producers yet tears flowed freely.
At our church, we celebrate our high school seniors every year. The youth minister names each graduating senior, their college and their future plans. They walk and stand in front of the entire congregation. When Andy, a special needs child was called, the entire congregation stood to cheer for him. We all know Andy. His mother directs three of our choirs. We see him sitting in the back of the choir stand pacing, rocking or clapping to the music. When I saw him walking with the rest of the seniors, I started sobbing. I glanced at his mom in the choir stand and she was wiping away tears too. She probably doesn’t realize how much I admire her. She never lets his disability stop her plans and dreams.
All mothers worry about their children’s futures. We worry if they will be happy, get married, and succeed at their dreams. Mothers of typical children take certain things for granted. I have never worried if Tara will have a date for her prom. I know she will get to experience the thrill of her first kiss. I am certain she will handle any teenage conflict. She changes her mind daily about what she wants to be when she grows up. However, she will succeed at whatever endeavor she eventually picks.
I am not as certain about Kyle’s social and professional future. Will anyone ever look past his “weirdness” to see the special little boy inside? When comfortable, he is affectionate, sweet and talkative. Will he ever stay awake at night reliving the dance at the prom? Will he ever shop for an engagement ring? How will he handle the subtleties of a romantic relationship? He wants to be a policeman when he grows up. Can he handle the rigors of a stressful job?
When I see children with special needs achieving their dreams, I picture Kyle achieving his.
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