The Past Three Months Have Shown Me So Much About Our Community

I feel fatigued, and I know many of you do, as well.  As a parent of a special needs child, the issues we generally face are exacerbated under COVID.  It is hard to explain to even family members and friends what true isolation feels like.  You have these beautiful spirits to care for that exude love and compassion.  Yet with the restrictions that are currently in place, it is simply harder to give them the support they need to grow.  The past three months have shown me so much about our community.   Some people care but do not know what to do.  Some people do not care and wish you would go away or just not speak on this topic.  Some people want to support you but do not understand what a cognitive disability even is.  I have always tried to be transparent in my journey.  So, here it is.  My daughter is brilliant and capable of taking care of herself and most of her needs. Her cognitive challenges sometimes makes it difficult for her to share her thoughts, joys, fears and desires.  This makes it hard for our family to engage in typical activities with others without being overprotective of her space and our comfort.  We either have to explain that she has a disability, or we have to ask her in a moment of, perhaps a sensory break, why she is uncomfortable and – more importantly – make a decision about how to take care of her in a split second.  As parents, what we can do to support each other is not judge each other, not pretend to understand how we feel, but ask and listen and listen and listen.  If you have the capacity to help another human being, regardless of the circumstance, you should.