Being a parent is hard. It’s easy to get focus on the daily struggles and frustrations and forget that each day is an opportunity to teach, guide, and grow our children into the unique people God created them to be. This can be even more challenging for special needs parents.
Encouragement for Parents of Special Needs Kids!
In a world that celebrates sameness, being different can leave a special needs child with many questions:
- Where do I belong?
- Is it OK if I don’t look, think, or act like those around me?
- Is there anyone else out there like me?
After adopting seven kids from foster care—some with special needs—I can relate. Thankfully my friend Sarah has written a book that will help us teach every special needs child how special they are.
This book was birthed from Sarah’s journey. She had ZERO idea what life was like in a special needs family until she found herself sitting in the waiting room of a neurosurgeon’s office waiting to receive a diagnosis for her five-month-old baby girl whose head was growing at an alarming rate.
Sarah was terrified. She had no idea what to expect or what our future would look like as a family. But one thing Sarah knew for certain: She would move heaven and earth for this little girl.
Four years later, and after two brain surgeries and thousands of hours of therapy and medical appointments, Sarah prepared to send her little girl out of the safe bubble of their home and into the “real” world of public preschool. But, Sarah wanted to make sure that her daughter knew how amazingly loved and wonderful she was even if things were more challenging for her than for her typical peers. Sarah knew all children long to be accepted and loved, and they deserve to see their stories reflected on the page. That’s when her book The Wonderful Way You Are was born. It’s a love letter from a parent’s heart to their child and it’s my joy to share this story with you!
The Wonderful Way You Are creates a safe place to have a conversation about differences. Based on real special needs children, the book’s vivid illustrations and rhyming text help each child see their thoughts and feelings reflected on the page. When special needs children know they are wonderful, not despite their differences, but because of them, it equips them to not just survive, but thrive.
Every child deserves to feel fully loved, fully seen, and fully known.
I like every part of you.
I’ll shout it near and far
and tell the world I love you
the wonderful way you are.
I know you’re going to love this podcast with Sarah!
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Mentioned in This Episode
The Wonderful Way You Are | Sarah Brooks
The Wonderful Way You Are extras
Sarah Brooks’ music
Write that Book
Sarah Brooks’ Writing Coach
Connect with Sarah Brooks
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Shop
Connect with Tricia
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | BookBub
