I’ve been doing this “special needs parenting” thing for almost two decades. Nineteen years ago last week, Sarah Kate was born prematurely, spent almost two months in the NICU, and was diagnosed with cerebral palsy. Nathan, now eleven, was born with Down syndrome. I have never known what it’s like to parent a typical child.
Not once in my life have I ever wished either of them were different, despite the challenges. My daughter has said on many occasions that she wouldn’t take away her cerebral palsy, even if she could, because without it she would not be the person she is today. The same is true for my son – Nathan would not be Nathan without Down syndrome, and Nathan is a wonderful gift to our family and to the world.
