5 Things no one tells you about raising a child with special needs

1. You will have a very special bond with your child that you can not explain. Maybe it is from all the hours you spend together at Dr. appointments over the years, numerous hospital stays, hours upon hours of therapy sessions or just researching and over analyzing everything about your child. Whatever it is, it is beyond special.

2. You cherish every single milestone no matter how small more so than with your 'typical' children. It sounds bad but it isn't. When your special needs child sits up on their own, says their first word, or is even able to feed themselves with a fork it is a HUGE milestone. I still get beyond excited when he does something new or even talks with improved sentence structure. I think it is because we know how long and how hard they tried to get to that point.

3. You have less sympathy for your other children. After seeing your child endure major hip surgery and where a spica cast for 6 weeks you don't baby your other children as much when they scrape their knee or take a tumble, at least I don't! I take care of them but I also teach them that they are just fine and it only hurts for a minute.

4. You become a helicopter mom but never admit it. You are involved with everything in their life way more than you ever anticipated. Between school, therapy, and meeting around a hundred doctors over the years you know way too much about your child and it probably will never stop.

5. Last but not least.....You become a Supermom! You can handle up to 7 appointments in one week. You learn how to give your infant a bottle so that they don't choke, you can lift a 45 lb wheelchair up a curb or into the back of your van, and you can somehow carry your 45lb child (that doesn't hold on to you in any way) into a store, buy something, and get them back to the vehicle without passing out or dropping them! You try and do everything that you would do if you didn't have a disabled child even if that means you will be exhausted by the end of the day or the end of that vacation. You try and give your child the best life possible. You make them wear horrific night time braces but also give them breaks from them every so often. You punish them just like you would any other child when they disobey or are disrespectful. You do it all and then some because you are a Mom~one very special Mom!