Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Chase your kids, and count your blessings...

After a day of chasing your kids, are you worn out? When your toddler learned to walk and started getting into things, were you frustrated? Or are you dreading the day your infant starts to crawl or walk?
I know the feeling. I was there once too. They are certainly a handful when they become mobile, no doubt about that.
But now... now I pray for my daughter to stand up independently. I pray that she will be walking, even with support, within the next two years. I even pray for her to sit up without wondering how long it will be before she falls over.
You see, I am the mother of a child with special needs. What a once took for granted is now like a daily punch in the gut. When a friend posts on Facebook that they are dreading their 6 month old child learning to walk, because they will be chasing him/her all day long, I want to cry. I want to scream. I want to kick something. My two year old daughter has the gross motor skills of a six to eight month old. And we have worked very hard to even get her to this point. I want to clean up her messes. I want her to get into trouble. I want to have to worry about her running off. I want to kiss her skinned knees and put ice packs on her booboo's.
I want to tell my friend to count her blessings.
I want to chase my daughter.

When another friend complains about how quickly their child wears out their shoes... I want to tell them to give thanks for that expense! Because if they weren't dealing with worn out shoes, that would mean their child wasn't running around, playing outside, using those shoes for what shoes are intended.
I want to buy new shoes for my daughter because she wore hers out. I want to see dirty shoes.
I want to tell my friends to count their blessings.

So my friends, next time you are frustrated with chasing your little tot around, or picking up after them, or baby proofing... just count your blessings, and be glad that those are your problems, and not the alternative. Next time you are faced with the expense of buying new shoes, remember that some of us wish we had that problem. Give thanks for your happy, healthy, active children. Count Your Blessings.