This week was an oddly quiet week for us, quirk-wise. If you know what I mean. Which I hope you do, because even I'm having a hard time figuring out how to put this into words. At least without accidentally dropping some words that tend to cause offense in the special-needs-parenting community. Like "fine" or "normal."
These words, when framed in the context of evaluations and diagnoses or developmental milestones, can imply that our kids are NOT "fine" or "normal." That's an ugly, awkward implication, of course, because my kid IS TOTALLY FINE. He's not sick, he's not damaged ... he's just different. Special. Marches to his own drum, etc.
But this week, man. The roller coaster of parenting Noah hit a lull, I guess, because he's just been ... well, TOTALLY FINE. I sat back in awe just yesterday listening to him chatter on and on and on, amazed at how far his language has come and the breadth of topics and concepts he's willing to discuss with us now. Tantrums were at a minimum, as were the stimming and compulsive need for input. He missed school and OT over Thanksgiving break, but the change in routine didn't really seem to set him super off-course, like it has in the past. He's tried new foods, enjoyed himself out at restaurants, made friends at an indoor play center, and made up his list for Santa at the mall.
Basically, there was no developmental shadow or sensory haze hovering over everything we do. Nothing to add to the list to talk to his therapist or IEP team about. I just ... got to hang out with my kid, without the worries and asterisks and question marks of the last three years.
In the past, whenever we've gone through a similar "good" streak, I've found myself obsessively looking for the reason WHY. The thing we did differently, the thing that's making a difference. His diet? His activity level? Some new sensory diet component? My attitude or expectations? WHAT IS THE MAGIC SECRET INGREDIENT?
I haven't spent much time looking for it this time. I know it's unlikely that I'll find anything. I know it's likely that next week will be completely different. Right now we're just enjoying one of those good weeks, and I'm happy to just soak it up and let it carry me through whatever happens next.
Image via Amy Corbett Storch