Am I Going Crazy.
Crazy. This word has a whole new meaning when you are a special needs parent.
First of all, crazy is a bad word. Crazy is not crazy, crazy just means you are normal.
Adjusting to autismhood is so very different than typical parenthood.
- No one grows up dreaming to be a special needs parent.
- No one grows up dreaming to be a caretaker for their children.
- No one grows up dreaming about children who are non-verbal.
So what happens when the dream of a typical child is crushed overnight?
It can feel like all kinds of crazy is happening but trust me, you are not crazy. You are just adjusting to a different reality, and it takes time to adjust.
- Some of it is shock.
- Some of it is heartbreak.
- Some of it is fear.
- Some of it is love.
List every emotion you know. Those are the emotions you will feel all at once upon diagnosis. This is not a bad thing – it is just a hard thing.
For everyone it is different. Some can’t handle it while others excel.
I have seen the best parents become bad people with typical children, and the worst people become amazing parents with special needs children.
At the end of the day you are still a parent. A parent with a little more responsibility now.
Our ability to change and embrace challenge is what makes humanity so incredibly special.
You are not crazy.
You are simply a parent.
Alan Dunn
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