We are on day two of a five day weekend. Or as Feisty Pants calls it, her
second day of captivity. She is getting over a minor cold. No biggie really,
but it does mean she can't go outside. Where everybody else in the whole
freaking universe is apparently attending a weekend long Valentine's Day
snowstravaganza. She knows this. And I am the meanest evilest mom EVER for
not allowing to take part. Just ask her. And all of her toys suck. And
those people outside are NOT just shoveling out sidewalks and driveways. They
are having FUNNNNN. And, no, she does not want to do "anyfink at all" with
me. I might taint her with my evil. Why, if it wasn't for some nature special
on spider babies that eat their mother she would have run away from home hours
ago.
And who cares if Hippie Pants is coming over tomorrow to
spend the morning with her. That's a million years from now. Or that her aunt
and uncle will be visiting sometime over the weekend. Or that we will make ice
cream. Or that there will be a new monster special on later. Batsquatch
sounds promising, but all of that is a million billion years into the future
and she will have succumbed to terminal ennui by then. And I better not even
THINK of trying to cheat and jolly her into a better mood with music. She has
sinus headache and music is "ucky" because it makes her head ooooie right
now.
And so, today's post is about something no one tells you.
But if you are just beginning this journey of raising a disabled child, really
someone should. Disabled children can be a stubborn pain in the ass. Anyone can
be, be it seems to be a specialty of theirs. I have a whole theory on this. A
lot of times what keeps anyone going through any type of crisis is sheer
obstinacy And personality traits are like muscles. The more you exercise them,
the stronger they get. This is not a bad thing. It is what makes humans
brilliant and adaptable. We muddle through all sorts of problems and
catastrophes simply because we refuse to give up. We just keep on plugging away
at it, until by design or sheer luck, we figure it out. Disabled kids,
especially ones who are sick a lot need this trait. Otherwise they simply would
not make it through a lot of their illnesses and setbacks. They would not
survive. So, the trait that makes me thank the stars above when we get through the
scary ambulance ride or not breathing episode is stubborness. What lets Feisty
Pants get up and try to control her body and navigate her world when its really
frigging hard and often painful is a stubborn refusal to give in. What makes us
applaud her and do "I'm proud of you dance" for her is what makes her the biggest
PIA when she is whiny and bored. And you will feel like a an awful parent if
it gets on your nerves somedays. Which it will. So, take a deep breath and
cut yourself some slack. This too shall pass, I promise. And its only 6 more
hours to batsquatch. At least, she isn't a spiderlet with a hundred siblings all wanting lunch.
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