5 Powerful Ways Special Needs Parents Impact the World

5 powerful ways special needs parents impact the world may sound hyperbolic to people looking in on the disability community. But I’ve been part of a caregiving family all my life, and I assure you that special needs parents impact the world every single day. We just don’t realize it. In fact, we tend to discount the importance of what we do. To see if that’s true for you, read through the following statements.
- When someone asks about my job, I say things like “I’m just a mom” and “I’m just a dad.”
- I sometimes think other people contribute more to society than I do.
- I sometimes think my life is too ordinary to make a difference.
- I rarely ask our physician questions about treatment options for my child because the doctor is the expert.
- I don’t say much at parent-teacher conferences or IEP meetings, because the teachers and administrators know more about education than I do.
- I care for my child, but that’s just what parents do. It’s no big deal.
If 1 or more of the above statements describes you at least once in a while, you are selling yourself short as a special needs parents. As Bob Newhart said in one of the best comedy sketches ever, you need to stop it because your work caring for a child with special needs is making a huge difference. In fact, here are 5 powerful ways special needs parents impact the world.
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By Jolene
Jolene Philo is a published author, speaker, wife, and mother of a son with special needs.
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