Painting Rainbows
I was blessed with understanding in-laws! I deeply appreciate what a gift this was, especially when raising a special needs child. One year, they got me this book as a Christmas gift. It was a beautiful reminder that even when things don’t seem perfect, we can still create beauty.
This gift was given long before we had any concerns about Mikey having special needs…it is more of a reference to the idea that when you’re raising little ones, there is a lot of chaos. There are messes and broken household items and toys with pieces missing. None of it is ‘perfect’ and the broken crayons still color beautiful rainbows. No day is without challenges, but no day is without laughter and love and happy memories.
In the inscription, my mother-in-law acknowledged that I was walking a challenging path and she thanked me for taking such good care of the boys. It’s a gift I still treasure and I hope you will each have supportive people in your own lives as you walk your own unique parenting journey.
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About the Author
Erica Mauro is a mom to two teenage boys, Will who is neurotypical and Michael with Autism and cognitive delays. She holds a BA in Psychology from Colgate University and a Masters of Psychology in Education from Columbia Teacher’s College. Before staying home with her children, she worked as an elementary school teacher. For five years, she served on the Board of Directors of the Molly Ann Tango Memorial Foundation, a charity dedicated to enriching the lives of children with special needs. In partnership with her husband Dave, she aspires to parent by using daily life as an opportunity for therapeutic intervention, seizing on real experiences as opportunities to build skills and strategies for Michael in a joyful, loving home environment. On the tougher early days, she just tried to get everyone safely to bedtime and start fresh in the morning. *wink* 
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