I was told by many parents who have young children with special needs that this post spoke to them and gave them hope and courage. I hope it will do the same for you.
It is hard to believe that my son, Brandon is about to celebrate his thirty-eighth birthday. We have been through a lot together. There were many times I felt like giving up and felt beaten down, but my love for my son kept me going. Brandon has taught me so very much and these are just a few of the lessons and tools I learned while raising him:
1. Do not listen to others when they say your child cannot do something.
2. Always trust your instincts and trust your heart.
3. Be respectful, especially when you think it does not matter.
4. Live in the present moment instead of the future.
5. Being different can be beautiful.
6. Encouragement builds self-esteem.
7. Always listen to the silence in between the words.
8. Having and giving support helps to soothe the soul.
9. Taking care of yourself first gives you the strength to carry on.
10. Gratitude is a powerful tonic.
11. Hope and believing will take you through any storm.
12. Kindness is not a luxury it is a necessity.
13. Never giving up is key.
14. ACCEPTANCE is the Answer!
There is no other way I would have learned all these wonderful tools and lessons, if it were not for the love I have for my son. Not only has he made me a better person, but he has given me a purpose. I always knew as a young child that I would become a speaker, but I never knew what the subject would be. Because of Brandon, I am an Autism Motivational Speaker, and I love what I do.
I cannot thank my son enough for silently demanding that I grow and change every step of the way. He made me see life though his eyes and taught me to how to dig deep within, and be creative, and think outside the box. Yes, it took time to see the good and to be able to switch from feeling negative to being positive. But once I surrendered and accepted my son just as he was, our relationship completely changed for the better.
