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P2P Home Page
PARENT TO
PARENT (P2P)
Support Programs of Washington State
We provide
emotional support and information to families
of children with special needs and/or disabilities.
Family Stories
NEW!
Kitsap/Jefferson/Clallam Parent to Parent & Arc of Kitsap/Jefferson's
"Celebrating Mom's" Event on May 4, 2010 was a hit! Click
here for more information.
NEW! Walla Walla
Parent to Parent hosts events for families of young adults and seniors - and
they love it! Click
here to read the article from the March 13, 2010 Walla Walla
Union-Bulletin.
Yakima County has been recognized by Champions for
Inclusive Communities as a Star Community! From the article:
Located in central Washington,
Yakima County's children are more likely than the average child to live in
poverty, have a mother without a high school diploma, and speak a language
other than English. Supported by Children's Village and its partnerships,
children with special health care needs in Yakima have been thriving for
over a decade. Diane Patterson, director of the Children's Village says,
"The key is creating a vision that inspires your community to commit their
time, resources, and energy."
Click here to read the
complete story.
What families are
saying about Parent to Parent (click on the quote to jump to their story
below):
"Parent to
Parent gives us hope for brighter days."
-
Jessie Atkins, a parent in Snohomish County
"If we lose...Parent to Parent, where do we go to get the support and
directions to make life a little easier for the children and us as parents
with our disabled children?"
-
Molly O'Brien, a parent in Thurston County
"Instead of two
isolated adults with a special needs child, we are now in a huge family with
other people who seem to have experienced everything we are going through."
-
Charlotte Quevedo, Sultan, WA
"P2P
provides a place where other moms understand."
- Dawnette M. Chadwick, a parent in Whatcom County
"...parent to parent groups are so vital in bringing families out of
isolation and into the community!"
- Christine Hogue
"I’ve learned at Valley Parents that no matter how big or small your
challenge is with your child, rest assured from someone who has been there,
you have a place where you can feel at home and understood."
- Sue Fate, a parent in Yakima, WA
"This program offers many events and activities appropriate for kids with
disabilities and their families, this is a safe environment where my son is
learning how to socialize, which is a major challenge for autistic children
like him. I haven't found this anywhere else in the community."
- Fabiola Tercero, a parent in Lynwood, WA
"It has meant the world to me to be able to get support from the Parent to
Parent groups through the Arc. I have never felt alone again thanks to
them."
- Serena Roycroft
"Parent to Parent has been there to meet these new needs and is still a very
important part of our lives."
- Dawn Harrison
"Having Parent to Parent’s support has helped us to realize that, yes, Ole
is unique but also that other parents have gone through some of the same
difficulties as we have."
- Charla and Arv Aurdal,
Snohomish, WA
"The Parent to Parent program was very instrumental in helping me to learn
how to start this process, what to do first, what things were of a lesser
priority, etc. I will continue to use this program because it is a
terrific resource for me and my family."
- Susan Paine, a parent in Edmonds, WA
"I believe that with faith, family, friends, and Parent to Parent in our
lives, I have become a stronger parent."
- Amy Kocher, a parent in
Kittitas County
"I learned so much from the training. I
can only hope to give another parent as much support as I have gotten from
all these great people. Like I told you Christine, I went home and
told my family, 'if the phone rings and it's P2, I'm waiting for them to
call.'"
- A mom who took a Helping Parent Mentor
training through P2P of Whatcom County.
“When I think about Parent to Parent, I think
it’s like getting a helping hand when I most need it – to lift me up when I
am falling down. For someone to walk by my side and let me know that
it’s okay to have a child with special needs, and that it’s okay to feel
what I feel – good and bad. For me, Parent to Parent fills a hole in
my life – I do not feel so alone.”
- Teresa,
Volunteer Helping Parent from Yakima P2P Program
“Through the years the parent connection and
Parent to Parent has been important to our family. When our son was
diagnosed with a disability, one of the first thoughts we had was to talk to
other parents who had a child with the same disability. The value of
knowing a parent whose child is one step ahead of ours is useful in
preparing for that next step with our son.”
- Cam Lanier, Parent
"When Lauren was a baby I was completely overwhelmed
because we didn't have a diagnosis. She was feeling yucky most of the time
and didn't know how to express herself. Once she was diagnosed and meds were
started we noticed a big change. She still has a few issues but
understanding why she behaves the way she does makes things a lot easier!
Discussing these things with other parents has been enlightening.
There is such a huge spectrum of children with
Albright's. Some are extremely ill and have very low I.Q.s while others can
function very well on their own and have average intelligence. We are
extremely lucky that Lauren's health is relatively good. She has learning
difficulties but nothing we can't work on and try to improve. I
remember sitting in the geneticist's office and being told Lauren may never
be able to live on her own. Today I believe this to be a complete
inaccuracy! I didn't know back then that she would be the little girl she's
grown into today and we couldn't be happier. Other parents helped me out a
lot and told me about things we should check out and keep an eye on.
I'm so glad
organizations like yours exist...they help so many different people!
-A Parent from
Whatcom County
A letter from a parent:
“Dear Tammy,
I wanted to take a minute
to thank you for all you and the Arc have done for my family.
You have helped me to
discover services and treatments for my two children with special needs and
my one child, who is typically developing but still challenged. You
have provided me with a wealth of information and have taught me how to
advocate for my children and myself. You have answered questions,
provided us with lots of options and have encouraged us every step of
our journey.
Once again, thank you for
all you have done for my family and for being such a compassionate, caring
person.”
- Parent from Clark County
Parent to Parent
Senators
Zarelli, McDermott, and Fairley,
Thank you so
much for your part in the initiation and passage of ESSB 6444
–
including new amendments on 2/27/10. I have a son who has Down Syndrome and
this bill will help him be a contributing member of his community. I fully
support the consolidation of the institutions so
that more
people can be supported within their community. This is beneficial for the
community as well as the people who have developmental delays. Thank you for
putting your faith into community
programs, like
Parent-to-Parent, over the practice of institutionalization of people with
developmental delays.
Please extend
my appreciation to other senators who voted for ESSB 6444.
Sincerely,
Stacy Chilberg,
A Parent from King County
Watch their videos...
The following video is from Christine
Griffin, a parent and P2P Coordinator of Whatcom County:
and read
their stories:
"Parent to
Parent gives us hope for brighter days."
To Whom It May
Concern:
I am a parent of a son with severe
cognitive, physical, medical and developmental disabilities. I also have
a daughter who is six years old and typical.
I beg you to not cut funding to The Parent to
Parent Program. Our family does not receive any state services and the
Parent to Parent Program is the only support that we get. The
connections, resources and information we have gained have been
priceless to us.
The road we are on is challenging, financially
draining and hard on our marriage. Parent to Parent gives us hope for
brighter days.
Thank you,
Jessie
Atkins
Snohomish
County, WA
"It has meant the world to me to be able to get support from the Parent
to Parent groups through the Arc. I have never felt alone again
thanks to them."
Hello and thank you for listening to my story:
My son was diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder with Global
Developmental Delays in November of 2007, at almost 4 years old.
Even though Autism is one of the largest developmental disabilities to
date, I felt all alone. I struggled with his diagnosis and the
constant feelings of failure. I didn't know how to handle him or
how to deal with Autism. I had no idea what was to come of
anything. I was angry that my son was not "normal", I felt guilty
that I was angry. I felt guilty, sure that I had done something
wrong to cause his problems. I FELT LOST! I found the Arc of
Snohomish County and it took me a few months to get the courage to go to
my first Mother's Network meeting, for fear of more failure. Here
I was sure were women who "got it" and understood and knew what they
were doing, while I knew nothing.
I
remember the first few meetings, I would sit and listen and try not to
cry (I cried a lot). I was sure they would tell me everything I was
doing wrong, or I wasn't doing enough. THAT NEVER HAPPENED!!
I found a group of women who CARE!! I found a group of women who
did understand and told me often that I was a great mom and my son was
beautiful!! I found a place that I could be brutally honest about
anything, and I am never judged. I am supported, I am loved!
I know that I can call these women in the middle of the night and cry if
I need to. I know that I can be angry about Autism and how hard it
is for my son to go through, what most take for granted, a trip to the
grocery store. They are there to cheer when he learns a new
task...at 5 he became potty trained!! This past month, we were
able to go out to lunch with friends, and he was able to sit at the
table for an hour and not have a meltdown for the first time EVER!!
Things most people take for granted are celebrated with these women, and
I could never repay what I have gained from them!!
It has meant the world to me to be able to get support from the Parent
to Parent groups through the Arc. I have never felt alone again
thanks to them.
Thank you,
Serena Roycroft
"If we lose...Parent to Parent, where do we go to get the support and
directions to make life a little easier for the children and us as
parents with our disabled children?"
I'm not able to go but would like to say that thanks too Parent to
Parent Miles received a tricycle donated to him by Windemer Properties.
Kathy Evans excepted it and
handed over the trike to Miles that has helped him get the exercise that
he needs for his legs. Miles really enjoys his trike and I believe it
has allowed him to feel more a part of
the family when he can enjoy
something of his own and we get to see the smile and hear his laughter
as we take him for his walks everyday (weather permitting). Miles has
since lost the ability to walk because the surgery that was to help him
walk did not go well and this trike has given him the ability to get out
and use the legs that no longer let him walk or stand on his own.
The other thing is the camp
for the kids and families where we can go and know that someone is not
looking at him or any of the other kids as being different. Being able
to share our thoughts, feelings and
frustrations as a family
rather than just one parent is an important thing not only for the kids
with disabilities but their families as a whole. Have fun at the same
time as a group.
Moms group, dance and the
once a month get together that was nice to be a part of that and be able
to take a big breathe and feel like a part of something instead of a
misfit because of our child with disabilities.
Parent to Parent is needed
for us that feel loss, stressed and information that is needed to figure
out what next step we as parents need to make to insure our children's
life. Without them we would be
floundering because there
isn't a program here in Thurston County that I found that has the
compassion and the want to help families in need. If we lose them Parent
to Parent where do we go to get the support and directions to make life
a little easier for the children and us as parents with our disabled
children?
Thank You Parent to Parent
for the support and information that I have asked for and help with
getting medical needed equipment for my son. You have a blessing for us.
Sincerely,
Molly O'Brien
"...parent to parent groups are so vital in bringing families
out of isolation and into the community!"
To Whom It
May Concern:
Parent to
Parent programs MUST stay available to us! I am the
mother of 4 Sons. My son Joshua who is 6 years old has Autism.
I have just found a Mom's group where I can get the wisdom,
knowledge, and the support that I so desperately have been
trying to find! For a couple of years now, I have been so
frustrated trying to figure out everything on my own on how to
help my son function in this world; parent to parent groups are
so vital in bringing families out of isolation and into the
community! I'm afraid that if they cut these groups along
with school aid and programs our kids won't have a fighting
chance! Please help us to help our children... the
future.... the next generation.
Thank You,
Christine Hogue
"Having Parent to Parent’s support has helped us to realize
that, yes, Ole is unique but also that other parents have gone
through some of the same difficulties as we have."
March 31, 2009
Dear Legislators,
We are unable to attend Family Advocacy Day but
would like to let you know how the Parent to Parent Program is
important to us. First a little background information
about our family.
We are a family of three – Arv,
Charla and a 17 year old son, Ole. Our son has multiple
developmental and mental disabilities – high functioning autism,
ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, sensory processing
problems, Bipolar and is also legally blind in one eye.
Raising him has been challenging but also enlightening because
of the way he processes information. Luckily I was able to
be a stay at home mom and Arv is now retired.
Parent to Parent has been a life saver the last
several years. The Mother’s Network meetings have helped
me connect with other Mom’s going through the same difficulties
I have and also to know that I am not alone. The same goes
for the Father’s Network for Arv. Speakers at other
meetings have helped us stay informed and learn new ways of
working with Ole. Lego Club sponsored by the Snohomish
Parent to Parent has been great for Ole. It helps him
connect with other kids and for us to connect with other
parents. There are so many ways that Parent to Parent
helps us stay connected and feel we belong somewhere.
It is hard for people to realize how isolated
parents and families feel when they have a child with
disabilities. It is extremely hard when you are talking
with other parents that have not gone through what we are going
through and they tell you your child is “spoiled” or being a
brat – they have not had to deal with issues we deal with.
Even the doctor’s have no answers on how to deal with him.
In fact the doctor’s were going to institutionalize him because
they didn’t know how to deal with him. Fortunately we did
not give up and now have his anger somewhat controlled by
putting him on a Gluten Free/Casein Free diet.
Having Parent to Parent’s support has helped us
to realize that, yes, Ole is unique but also that other parents
have gone through some of the same difficulties as we have.
We understand the difficulties you are having
with balancing the budget but Parent to Parent Programs are
extremely important to families with children that have
disabilities. Please continue to fund the Parent to Parent
Programs.
Thank you,
Charla and Arv
Aurdal, Snohomish, WA
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"Instead of two
isolated adults with a special needs child, we are now in a huge family
with other people who seem to have experienced everything we are going
through."
To Whom It May Concern:
My name is Charlotte Quevedo, and I am the mother of a 2 1/2 year old,
Paulino Israel Quevedo, who was diagnosed with
autism on January 27, 2009. Neither my family nor my husband's knew
anything about autism spectrum disorders and so it has been up to me to
get all the information I could find to help my son. My son's
grandparents live far apart, and so we have been living on our own in
Sultan, Washington, without sufficient socialization and feeling of
belonging to the community. When my son got the diagnosis, I suffered
extreme depression because I was isolated, feeling intellectually
incapable of understanding my new responsibilities, and lacking close
friends and family support.
Shortly after my son's
diagnosis, I went through the paperwork his doctor gave me, and found
some important information that helped change my life. I made a phone
call to the Arc of Snohomish County, met Jessica Atkins, and then was
connected to another wonderful woman, Cynthia Weissinger. From there I
was invited to birthday parties and have been notified of all the
support group functions and events. This has been extremely priceless
for me, as my family has been struggling financially, and we can't
afford counseling services for ourselves to cope with the depression (so
therefore, friendship has been a powerful source of healing). While we
have lost assets in the past few months, we have gained something so
much more in terms of quality of life. We feel like we have friends we
can turn to, and that is priceless. I have people I can talk to when I
feel upset, people who won't tell me that my problems aren't real.
Having other parents to socialize with and help us find out what all of
our financial options are has strengthened our marriage as well. Instead
of two isolated adults with a special needs child, we are now in a huge
family with other people who seem to have experienced everything we are
going through.
Nevertheless, I still have
many worries in regards to how I can help my son. I am not capable of
working full time, and so my husband is struggling to help us pay for my
son's diet and health care costs. Having people around to support us has
led us to find opportunities to broaden our options for treatment.
Needless to say, families with special needs children need a network for
socialization and information on treatment and financial assistance.
Without that network, it will be especially difficult for families who
live in smaller cities, like Sultan. Our children deserve just as much
opportunity to exceed and live a happy life as children who are born to
more fortunate situations.
Thank You,
Charlotte
Quevedo, Sultan, WA
"P2P
provides a place where other moms understand."
"P2P has been a huge help for my family. We have 3 children
with developmental delays. Some days I am overwhelmed by
the number of things I have to accomplish to help them develop.
P2P provides a place where other moms understand. We laugh about
things that other moms would be shocked at. We laugh because if we
don't we'll cry. That support and understanding is such a relief.
Even more important is the support provide through the Sibshop events
for my typically developing child. She watches her siblings go to
multiple appointments. They are "special" and get lot of Mom's
attention. She's old enough to understand why they get so much
attention, but it's only natural to have some resentment.
Sometimes her siblings odd behavior becomes almost overwhelmingly
frustrating for her. Sometimes, it's just plain embarrassing.
Sibshop provides a safe place for her to talk about her feelings about
her siblings. It also gives her a "special" event to attend and
reminds her that she is special too."
Dawnette M. Chadwick, Coordinator
Medical Reserve Corps
Whatcom County, WA
"This
program offers many events and activities appropriate for kids with
disabilities and their families, this is a safe environment where my son
is learning how to socialize, which is a major challenge for autistic
children like him. I haven't found this anywhere else in the community."
To Whom It May Concern:
This letter is in support of the Parent to Parent
Program. Here is a little bit of background on my family.
I am a young mother of 2 boys, 2 year old Noah and
6 week old baby Elliot. Earlier this year Noah was diagnosed with
autism. Devastating and extremely hard to deal with while adding a new
baby to our family. I was at risk to get Post Partum depression but the
support I found from mothers I connected
with through the Parent to Parent program has
helped me tremendously.
This program offers many events and activities
appropriate for kids with disabilities and their families, this is a
safe environment where my son is learning how to socialize, which is a
major challenge for autistic children like him. I haven't found this
anywhere else in the community.
Please
consider the Parent to Parent program for funding. There are too many
families across the state benefiting from it and we are one of them.
Thank
You
Sincerely,
Fabiola
Tercero, a parent in Lynwood, WA
February 2009
If I could
choose one thing to focus on, it would be access to support from another
parent who had walked at least part of my childhood cancer journey.
What occurs to
me is without all the things I had going for me, how traumatic and
challenging might the caregiver experience be for others? I
would like to see a day when every family is linked to a parent
"ombudsman" after diagnosis for even 1 check-in phone call per week
(That is what Parent to Parent can do
for you).
A nurse
practitioner can tell a parent that what they are going through with
their child on high-dose steroids and neuropathic pain from chemo is
"normal." A grieving family member can applaud your efforts to
care for their grandchild or niece. But being in the presence of
another parent who knows exactly what it feels like to not sleep longer
than an hour at a time for 35 days to deal with their child's ravenous
hunger, who knows what it is like to spend 4 hours a day trying to get
their child to swallow medicine, who knows what it is like to not see a
smile from their 4-year-old for an entire month - that is someone who
can really reassure you.
By Erin
Waterman
I live on Whidbey Island and am part
of the Parent to Parent Program for Island/San Juan counties.
"I’ve learned at Valley Parents that no matter how big or small your
challenge is with your child, rest assured from someone who has been there,
you have a place where you can feel at home and understood."
When Tracie Hoppis
approached me this year and asked me to write an article about my daughter
Emma and what Valley Parents and Children’s Village has meant to us, I was
delighted!
Hi! My name is Sue
and I am a single mom to Emma and Lane. Emma is 8 years old and was
diagnosed in 2006 with Autism. We have always known that Emma was
developmentally delayed but having a firm diagnosis has really helped us
access services. When Emma was 4, I joined Valley Parents. Valley
Parents is a group of moms and dads who have kids with special needs- they
get together to talk, laugh, learn and sometimes cry. When I
first attended, I wasn’t sure what to expect and even asked my mother to
attend with me. I soon found out that I wasn’t alone and that there
were other families who shared my same journey through life. We
all think that we have it the roughest until we hear someone’s story of day
to day challenges, then stand back and say to yourself…. “maybe I don’t have
it so bad”. Don’t get me wrong, we have good days and bad days, but we
learn something from EVERY ONE of them! Valley Parents has been a
blessing to us. I encourage EACH of you who have not tried one of the
Parent to Parent groups to just come and see what they’re like. You
don’t have to talk if you don’t want to BUT you can listen and be amazed at
how many of the same challenges other families have that are just like
yours. I guarantee you will enjoy it and come away with NEW
information from parents who have “been there”. We all have challenges
with the systems: SSI, Medical Coupons, General Insurance, and School.
I am speaking from experience when I say that there are people in EACH of
these groups that have some great insight to share on these topics and
others. I’ve learned at Valley Parents that no matter how big or
small your challenge is with your child, rest assured from someone who has
been there, you have a place where you can feel at home and understood.
In addition to Valley
Parents, we’ve been involved in another program through Parent to Parent
called one 2 one. It warms my heart to attend one 2 one’s Slug Bug
group every Saturday. We just finished playing three months of
basketball and Emma has come along way. The first time we went
to Slug Bugs when Emma was 6 years old she didn’t want to participate.
But you know what, that was okay. If she wanted to run laps during
basketball or run the field during baseball and participate here and there,
it was all acceptable. We feel welcomed with open arms in all of these
activities. Today, Emma has become more participative in all of the
activities. It gives her (and mom) a chance to exercise and spend some
very important one on one time together. Parent to Parent’s one 2 one
program also has a great group of teenage mentors who get out there and work
with the children.
- Sue Fate, Yakima, WA
"Parent to Parent has been there to meet these new needs and is still a very
important part of our lives."
To Whom it May Concern:
I cannot say enough about the Parent to
Parent organization. When my son was unexpectedly born with multiple
congenital anomalies and later diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy and Epilepsy I
was stuck in an emotional black hole. I had not even begun to comprehend the
magnitude of what lay ahead when a home health nurse asked if I had been
"hooked up" with Parent to Parent yet. I questioned her because I had never
heard of the organization before and had no idea what it could offer me.
I was in for a wonderful surprise when I made
the call. Since my son was under 3 years of age my family was assigned a
Family Resource Coordinator. This is what I later learned to be an extremely
valuable position. A person only knows what they have experienced or read
about and cannot truly understand what lay ahead if no one is there to guide
them along. I had no idea that a Birth to Three program existed for
developmentally challenged children. My FRC informed me that it would be an
early start to school for my son since he would need extra time and services
to level the playing field for him.
Not only did P2P get us involved in the
school system, they provided a multitude of community resources for things
ranging from individual funding, healthcare services, educational
materials/classes, and so much more. Still this does not describe the full
spectrum of Parent to Parent's services. Several community events that are
more accessible and more accepting of disabled individuals are put on by P2P
each year. These events help children realize that there are others like
them and that they can grow up to be functioning adults.
The toy and equipment loan program is another
valuable asset that P2P has. Families that have items which are no longer
being used donate their things to P2P. This is a spectacular place to go to
find enticing toys for the sensory challenged child as well as positional
equipment that is very expensive and all too often not covered by health
insurance.
As my son has grown and is now out of the
Birth to Three program our needs have changed. Parent to Parent has been
there to meet these new needs and is still a very important part of our
lives. Presently I attend a monthly Mom to Mom meeting, through P2P, where
moms of disabled children meet and discuss our trials and triumphs. This
group means a lot to me; the women are all so understanding and they listen
without judgment. I hope that you take my words to heart today and see the
need to keep funding a fabulous program.
Sincerely,
Dawn
Harrison
"The Parent to Parent program was very instrumental in helping me to learn
how to start this process, what to do first, what things were of a lesser
priority, etc. I will continue to use this program because it is a
terrific resource for me and my family."
Dear Legislators,
I am a single parent of two daughters, one of
them is a child with special needs. I have found the ARC of
Snohomish Co. to be a tremendous resource for me to help my daughter.
The programs that they put on, the parents who offer insight and advice and
the resources of that office will be decimated if they aren't able to keep
the funding that helps to keep this program all together.
My experience was that I needed some specific
advice on how to transition my daughter from high school into adulthood.
This is complicated enough with trying to understand the paperwork involved
with a guardianship and starting the paperwork with some of the agencies who
will help her as an adult. The Parent to Parent program was very
instrumental in helping me to learn how to start this process, what to do
first, what things were of a lesser priority, etc. I will continue to
use this program because it is a terrific resource for me and my family.
Please keep the funding intact. I now
these are difficult times, but the services that this program offers are too
important to lose.
Thank you for your time and support,
Susan Paine
Edmonds, WA
May 2009
Our Teen Program through the
Parent to Parent Program of Yakima County, Washington meets monthly. It is
for teens with and without disabilities. This Saturday we are having a
Spring Prom. Complete with professional photographs, limo rides, great food,
DJ- most everything donated. Other activities of our Teen Program
are dance classes through Yakima School of Ballet; gymanastics classes
through Gymnastics Plus and our year round recreation program
called Slugbugs- basketball, softball and soccer .The typical teenagers
mentor and support the teens with special needs.
Tracie Hoppis, Parent to
Parent
Children's Village
3801 Kern Rd., Yakima, WA
98902
(509)574-3263
tracie.hoppis@yvmh.org
"I believe that with faith, family, friends, and Parent to Parent in our
lives, I have become a stronger parent."
I remember when my son
was first diagnosed with Chromosome Ring 18 at two months of age. I
(and my husband) was terrified! The only words that kept running
through my mind were that of all the degrees of the unknown: mental
retardation, heart anomalies, kidney failure, blindness, deafness, low
muscle tone, microcephaly, and the worst: failure to thrive. I felt as
though I was alone on a deserted island. Not one friend or relative
could even come close to imaging the fear of the unknown that I felt. No
words could comfort me. I was so terrified that my little beautiful
baby would never know love.
I remember picking up a P2P pamphlet one early evening that my FRC had
given me. It seemed like the only promising thing I had read in the
weeks of reading Doctor's notes and talking to people who really didn't
know of my son's rare anomaly. I had cried so hard for two weeks
straight that I felt like a zombie when Michelle answered the phone.
And then again, I felt those tears rushing back. I explained to her my
situation, and she replied back to all my comments and her story with
three undercurrents in her voice: strength, humility and courage. I
knew then that there was SOMEONE out there who could relate, and
suddenly I realized that I was now in a whole new "club" of life, and
that I could actually become like her with that same strength. I could
get through this, and raise my son just fine!
To fast forward...my son
is almost three now and is a tremendous gift to our family! He has
enriched our souls more than I could ever explain. I have still had my
fears, and I am grateful that there are other families out there going
through raising children with varying degrees of special needs. I have
learned something from them all. I probably would not have met most of
these people if it were not for our local Parent 2 Parent meetings. I
communicate with some of these families outside our varying activities,
and am meeting new ones all the time. Without these people, I may have
fallen into a pit of
helplessness. Now,
whenever I feel a "wave" of worry about what my son will face to come,
and things seem a little overwhelming, I reach for the phone and talk to
one of them, and it always helps to bring me back to a "can do"
attitude. Kipp (my son) has overcome so many obstacles that were the
"unknowns." Like any child, but maybe a little more so, we will always
have to assist him with his own individual needs that will help him
flourish and grow. I believe that with faith, family, friends, and
Parent to Parent in our lives, I have become a stronger parent. They
have helped get me through all the rough patches of raising a child with
special needs. I can now focus on watching my beautiful boy reveal the
miracles of daily life he was always intended to show, to those with the
courage to truly see.
Thank you,
Amy Kocher - Kittitas County Parent to Parent
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