Rites of Passage
There are certain experiences society considers to be universal for kids. As special needs parents, we know that no experience is universal. We know it can take hundreds of hours of practice for us to give our kids the experiences that typical families take for granted. We know that many other special needs families may never get there.
So, when our kid has a journal entry that looks so typical, I can sometimes become overwhelmed with the beauty of it.
Of course, I needed to stay with him while he rode. He still needs that kind of careful supervision. It meant leftovers for dinner and a tired mom.
AND
It was totally worth it! I’m so happy and proud for Mikey that he got to have this childhood rite of passage, riding his bike until it got dark.
So simple, yet so profound.
Share This Post
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* 
Let's Connect
Subscribe to our newsletter for more updates