"One Special Kid"

Last night, I couldn't sleep, so I woke up and watched part of a Disney Channel movie. It was about a teenage girl who had a twin brother who had some developmental disabilities. She shared what her life is like. Thngs were just not ordinary for her or her family.


The story made me weep since I related to the story. The girl in the story reminded me of my daughters, since my son is "one special kid." What has made him "special," has affected my life and theirs. We try to pretend all is fine, but things really are different for us.

I discovered that something was different during my son's toddler and preschool years. Those differences have dictated our lives and our doings.


When my son was young, he just didn't fit in. We'd go to playgroups or reading circles, and I was on "pins and needles." I would wonder if my son would behave. Would I get dirty looks from other mothers? There were times we were asked to leave. It was hard.


As time passed, I gave up. I kept my little family away from situations where we might not fit in. We kept to ourselves.


As my son got close to beginning Kindergarten, I thought maybe I was wrong that my little boy was different, and placed him in a public school program. I "held my breath," and was delighted that all seemed to work out at first. "Maybe my son was not different afterall," I thought.


Then, THE CALL came.


"I'm seeing some things wrong with your son," the teacher explained. I've scheduled a meeting with the district officials to explain how we can help your son.


My son became "officially special" that day.


As the school year passed, I was delighted with the special help my son received and thought things would be okay. BUT...First Grade did not go as well. After the first quarter's grades came, my husband and I made the decision to homeschool all of our children. We believed we were strong enough to be our children's teachers and also we believed homeschooling would protect our children from the rough and not so friendly outside world.


It's almost ten years later. My children have done great with homeschooling. My son escaped spending the years being "that problem kid" or "that different kind of learner." He's done well in academics, in recreation, in creative ventures, and in life!


However....that does not mean things have been easy. My son is now a teen. Can he really make it as an adult?


My son is "one special kid." He's accomplished a great deal and he's done way more than the world expected of him. Maybe all will be okay, but that Disney movie still makes me weep. I wonder what may lie ahead.