by Whitney Barthel posted in Parenting

One reality special-needs parents face is the added difficulty in actually doing things outside of the home with your children. You would think these difficulties would be exacerbated during the holidays. Well, not necessarily.
My family and I at a Christmas party last week. Pictured from left to right: Ryan, Charlie (1), George (3), Frankie (5), Daniel (our 7-year-old with Down syndrome), and me.
In having a child with special needs, it's not a matter of making sure your kids are all dressed and accounted for and hitting the road. It's a matter of a million other checks and double-checks.
In case God-knows-what happens, do I have an extra change of clothes" Is the iPad charged in the event my child gets overstimulated and needs some calm-down time" Do I have a chewy tube in the car and a backup in the diaper bag so Daniel doesn't chew on his clothes" Are we going to be eating anywhere, and should I pack a lunch in case there are no Daniel-friendly foods" You would think that at a time like the holidays, when the hustle and bustle and going places are at a max, special-needs parents would feel pushed over the edge and trampled by a wild herd of elephants. Well, yes and no.
My family Christmas of 2010. Pictured from left to right: Husband Ryan, me, Daniel (then 2 months old), my sister Caitlyn, my sister Alyssa, my brother Jed.
As a special-needs momma, I can tell you that while the holidays can absolutely be crazy...