Restore the sparkle to my eyes, or I will die.
Don’t let my enemies gloat, saying, “We have defeated him!”
Don’t let them rejoice at my downfall.
My husband and I were “late bloomers” when it comes to parenthood. Many of our friends had school-aged or even graduating children by the time I began having babies. If you have had friends with older kids, you know how they love to tease and warn those who are new to parenting.
When your child is first diagnosed with a special need or serious chronic illness
When your child is first diagnosed with a special need or serious chronic illness, you experience perhaps the greatest amount of support and kindness you will ever be afforded on the journey. People show up with offers of meals or willingly give you a break without having to ask. They mean it when they say, “I’m here if you need anything.” They open up their wallets to donate to causes that assist your child. And they remember to ask how you and your child are doing when they see you.
But what about later on?
Unfortunately, as time goes on, people begin to experience what I call “compassion fatigue“. It may sound harsh, but they begin to zone out when you share information about your child. They don’t want to hear about it any more. It’s too heavy for them. They expect you to get on with life, and adjust to your circumstances with a sense of “normalcy”, pasting a smile on your face.
Nevertheless, your need as a parent doesn’t go away. That desire for TLC, reassurance, and love from others doesn’t dry up just because you have adapted. The need to talk things out in order to make sense of complex issues doesn’t go away. In fact, with every phase of our children’s lives comes a new adjusting to how life will be faced with the added factor of special needs. Bad school years come. Medical challenges occur. New tests, procedures or surgeries are scheduled.
It is in this long stretch of life as they reach the phase where they are no longer little or cute that we can find ourselves crying out like David did in Psalm 13. “How long?” The heavy judgment of others weighs upon us year after year. The isolation grows. We fight resentment towards those whose lives are seemingly without trouble. All we want is what we perceive everyone else as having.
If I could leave people with just 1 message from today’s devotion, it would be this:
Yes, the desperate fear of initial diagnosis has waned. We have overcome many hurdles with the Lord’s help. Still, that doesn’t mean that new obstacles, new frightening unknowns don’t suddenly appear. Our hearts need the strengthening that comes through the love and caring of others.
I’m not trying to throw a pity party. I am so very grateful that my kids are growing into remarkable people, each in their own right, but parenting kids like this is an endurance race. Too many days I don’t have the needed endurance. I am weary and battle worn. I still have deep needs. And so do too many parents like me who have no opportunity to tell you.
PRAY: El Roi, thank You for being the God who sees when no one else does. Thank You for also being my Jehovah Jireh, provider of all. Open the eyes of people around us today, Lord. Make them aware that we parents still need a break, still need love and support, no matter what our children’s ages.
Barbara Dittrich
Latest posts by Barbara Dittrich (see all)
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