This is the first in a two-part series on coming to terms with your child’s special needs.

Being a mother of two special needs children, I have heard it all. I have actually said some stupid and embarrassing things to other parents that I wished I could have taken back. After having my first child - a child who was darn near perfect in every way – then having a special needs child, then another, I learned that no child is perfect.

After getting over the emotional, stressful, and completely overwhelming news that my child had a hearing loss, I realized that although it would take more work for me, my child, and my family, that we were okay.

Things happened very quickly after having my second child and finding out that he had a profound to severe hearing loss in one ear. I had to learn about terms like profound, severe, and unilateral hearing loss.

I found out that there was so much to learn; and because of this, I had to choose whether or not it was going to make me crazy or if I would take it in stride and just do my best. I knew I couldn’t do it all, and that I needed to be able to make our lives as normal as possible.

What is normal? It’s different for every family. I had to make learning sign and bringing in PIP Counselors a part of our lives. I had to learn to allow others into my home on a weekly basis. I also had to make decisions on deaf mentors, speech therapists, and other state employees who were at my disposal. It was a learning curve that I had to go through, and one that I tried to take in stride. 

I also had to realize that I was not Wonder Woman. I couldn’t do it all on my own, nor could I expect that of myself – or anyone else.