Stop and Hear the Music!

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[fbshare]Stop and hear the music, stop and smell the roses, stop and feel the sunshine. I guess the point is to just stop!

As a parent of a special needs child, it is so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day activities. Prior to preschool, there were appointments that consumed my daughter’s week. Speech therapy, occupational therapy, and play dates. These were all piled on top of daily Applied Behavior Therapy (ABA) sessions. Once preschool started, school had to be incorporated twice a week and eventually three times a week.

As my child’s needs changed, so did her schedule. Early on it is easy to be consumed with therapies and activities. You feel like everything needs to be done and it needs to be done now. Parents hear how important early intervention is for their child. But as a parent, mother, father, spouse, we need to remember that we have other obligations. Take time to stop for your other child or children, your husband, your wife, and for life in general.

My daughter is now 13 and still requires appointments. The appointments may have changed and the faces may have changed, but the demand on my time remains. Having been at this for over 10 years, I can say that it is important to not neglect the other members of our family. As a parent we want to give our child with special needs the best, but don’t forget to stop and make sure others are also getting what they need.

Last weekend my family attended my son’s high school jazz competition. The jazz band is comprised of sophomores, juniors and seniors and the competition was fabulous. The kids took 1st place in their division and this drove home to me how important it is to make sure everyone in the family gets what they need to be happy and successful.

Take a listen to what a few high school kids can accomplish. Oh, and pay particular attention to my son who is on the acoustic bass!