So often, we feel that as parents, we need to be raising awareness about issues relating to disability. Maybe we’re sharing our lives on social media in an effort to show that our child really isn’t that different from the next and deserves inclusion. Or perhaps we’re teaching about the importance of being an organ donor because our child wouldn’t be here today without generous donors. Or maybe we’re shouting the symptoms and definition of our child’s rare syndrome in the hopes that they’ll finally get the funding needed to research a cure.
There are many causes to fight for and many reasons for doing so. But it’s important to remember that we are not obligated to raise awareness about anything. Becoming a parent to a child with a disability does not require it.
In this episode, I invite parents to evaluate their cause and their “why” against the question: “is this serving me? Is it serving my child?” Because at the end of the day, that’s what really matters.
Links:
Children’s book What Happened to You? by James Catchpole
Demystifying Disabilityby Emily Ladau
Ep. 85 w/ Emily Ladau and Amanda Griffith-Atkins
Ep. 23: Disability Advocacy w/ Jenny McLelland
Disabled adults on Instagram whom I love learning from: