Flowers in my hair
I understand firsthand that parenting a child with some disabilities can be a very rewarding yet very challenging job.
My son's learning disabilities and behavior disorders are often invisible and it is easy to forget that he is indeed disabled.
Therefore, every day as I dress I place a flower in my hair to remind me of his challenges. Why a flower? The flower reminds me of how fragile life is for some children with disabilities. It reminds me of how beautiful the heart of a child is. Furthermore, to quote an old friend who always had a big smile and a bigger heart, it reminds me that each child is, “An unique, unrepeatable miracle of love”. That single flower or cluster of flowers reminds me of the awesome responsibility I have to nurture and admire the spirit of all my children while giving a little something extra-special to my son with disabilities.
I often share this story with the parents of students in the Special Education Department in Newton County Schools. One day while shopping at the local mart a parent approached me for help. She recognized me because of the flower in my hair. She needed help educating her family about her daughter's disability. This parent needed help fast so that well meaning family members would not continue to punish her daughter because of her differences.
Wow! The power of a single flower! So even during bad hair days you can find a unique and seemingly fragile flower perched somewhere in my unruly hair.