Hello Everyone!
Happy Memorial Day! I hope you and your family and friends are enjoying this day of rest and remembrance. My wife, son, and I tend to keep it low-key and just hang out close to home.
So, sitting on the patio in the quiet, I often find myself reflecting on recent conversations or things I've heard. A particular conversation I had with my son popped into my head. Just a little backstory – my son has a knack for bringing up tough subjects at just the right moments, when there's no escaping them. While writing this, I remembered an older blog post from a few years ago, which I’ll link at the end.
Car Talk
It's 8:30 in the morning, and I'm driving my son to school. Some mornings, he prefers no radio. No big deal, he does that sometimes. We pull out of the subdivision, and at the first red light, he drops the question.
Son: "Dad, do you get frustrated with your cerebral palsy?"
(My wife and I have always tried to maintain a good balance of truth and positivity when discussing our disabilities.)
Me: (Slight pause) "You know, I've had it all my life, so no, not really."
No sooner had I completed my sentence than my dream vehicle, a Rivian, turned in front of us. I believe it was a little nudge to be real with my son.
Me: "You know what? I take that back. Did you see that Rivian? I am frustrated because I can't get one."
Son: "No ramp option?"
Me: "Yup. It's not the cost; it's that they can't be modified."
So, here's my thought: We all have personal inner frustrations. As parents. Full stop. Disabled or not. To what degree are we honest with our kids? Whether they're 12 or 35.
Here's the link to that past blog post I promised you: The Disability Shark
I'd love to hear your insights! Just hit reply to this email and shoot me an email! Also, if I could ask a favor, please forward this email to someone who may be interested in adding Wheelchair Daddy to their reading list.
