Family Matters
Last weekend June and I went with our friends Jennifer and Rowynn to a conference for families who have children who are deaf or hard of hearing. Our family has attended a few meet and greets to meet other children like June but we hadn't gone to something this intentional since June was a toddler. June has three cousins who also wearing hearing aids so I hadn't noticed the need for June to connect with others until this past year.
Jennifer and I met when our girls were babies and in Early On. June and Rowynn are about two months apart and enjoy playing together when they have the opportunity to see each other. These two were hilarious in the hotel the night before the conference. They swam together, gave each other make-overs, laughed a ton and talked hearing aid mold colors.
The morning of I could tell June felt nervous before we reached the conference. She was shy when she entered the classroom she would be attending for the day. She told me she didn't need her Roger but within 20 minutes of me being gone she came down with her camp counselor to get her Roger from me because she was excited by how many others were using one in her class.
The first speaker that day was the most impactful for me. A woman named Jamie McClintic spoke. I thought she looked familiar but couldn't place her until they played a video where she was featured on the Changing the Face of Beauty couch series. She told her story about a late diagnosis of hearing loss and how that hearing loss impacted her. She spoke about her challenges in school, with bullying and about her family unit. I cannot articulate yet all that impacted me but her strong family unit and her hopeful encouraging parents touched me the most. She is the person she is today because of her family. They were there for her at all times even when she was off being strong and capable. It hit me how much I wanted that for my kids.
Jamie than spoke about her first born and the impact her birth and life has made on her. Her daughter was born with Down syndrome and after Jamie advocated for herself for so many years she now had to go beyond and advocate for daughter. I've been reluctant to identify with any one special need in our family. I know others place us into those categories but we have not placed ourselves. For so long I wanted to be known as The Ehlerts and not the family with a child who wears hearing aids or has Down syndrome.
Recently, I have found the value of community when connecting with parents who have children with special needs. They get me like some other parents cannot. I can learn so much from them and I can breathe a sigh of relief to not have to explain our children to them. We haven't connected as strongly with the deaf and hard of hearing community because there aren't as many of us. We are widespread and hard to find but I am grateful for the organization I am now working for and connecting with not only for myself but for June.
June came out of a full day of being with new friends on fire. She was so happy and couldn't wait to share all that she learned. She gathered all the information she could at the exhibit tables and she talked non-stop for two days about all that she learned.
I think we all long for people to understand us. To get what we are going through. I'm grateful that I am finding that through many different venues for myself and for my family. I'm looking forward to sharing at some point the chord struck about the strong family connection but for now I share the gratefulness of a community connected by special needs.
Jennifer and I met when our girls were babies and in Early On. June and Rowynn are about two months apart and enjoy playing together when they have the opportunity to see each other. These two were hilarious in the hotel the night before the conference. They swam together, gave each other make-overs, laughed a ton and talked hearing aid mold colors.
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| Rowynn and June ready for a swim! |
The first speaker that day was the most impactful for me. A woman named Jamie McClintic spoke. I thought she looked familiar but couldn't place her until they played a video where she was featured on the Changing the Face of Beauty couch series. She told her story about a late diagnosis of hearing loss and how that hearing loss impacted her. She spoke about her challenges in school, with bullying and about her family unit. I cannot articulate yet all that impacted me but her strong family unit and her hopeful encouraging parents touched me the most. She is the person she is today because of her family. They were there for her at all times even when she was off being strong and capable. It hit me how much I wanted that for my kids.
Jamie than spoke about her first born and the impact her birth and life has made on her. Her daughter was born with Down syndrome and after Jamie advocated for herself for so many years she now had to go beyond and advocate for daughter. I've been reluctant to identify with any one special need in our family. I know others place us into those categories but we have not placed ourselves. For so long I wanted to be known as The Ehlerts and not the family with a child who wears hearing aids or has Down syndrome.
Recently, I have found the value of community when connecting with parents who have children with special needs. They get me like some other parents cannot. I can learn so much from them and I can breathe a sigh of relief to not have to explain our children to them. We haven't connected as strongly with the deaf and hard of hearing community because there aren't as many of us. We are widespread and hard to find but I am grateful for the organization I am now working for and connecting with not only for myself but for June.
June came out of a full day of being with new friends on fire. She was so happy and couldn't wait to share all that she learned. She gathered all the information she could at the exhibit tables and she talked non-stop for two days about all that she learned.
I think we all long for people to understand us. To get what we are going through. I'm grateful that I am finding that through many different venues for myself and for my family. I'm looking forward to sharing at some point the chord struck about the strong family connection but for now I share the gratefulness of a community connected by special needs.
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