Freely Expressing
Ethan has SPD and convergence insufficiency, yet he was named Student of the Month for his Art. He loves art because it is there and he can freely express himself. I am amazingly proud.
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~ Andrea Gallo (Proud Mom)
“Reaching Inside”…
I know that to most mothers my proudest moments of my children might seem strange. You see, I have two children; one who is “normal”, whatever that means…and that makes me proud of each of my kids in dramatically different ways.
When I think of all the major accomplishments of my younger son. It is hard to think of a proudest moment. I am proud of all the accomplishments he makes everyday. I sometimes get the urge to compare my sons and to focus on what is lacking in one or the other. The key to my happiness is being proud of the little things instead. My proudest moment for my younger son was the night of his first sleepover. I am proud that he made a connection, that he felt safe, and that he did something that was new and scary for him.
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For my oldest child, my proudest 
[2]moment was at the end of the summer. He was 10 years old. He volunteered at a camp for preschool aged children. His friends were all attending camps themselves, but, he chose to volunteer. He loves kids. I am used to people telling me how responsible and remarkable he is. It is a wonderful feeling and I am proud of him. But, this is not my proudest moment. You see, whatever he sets his mind to, he can accomplish. He was also running 5ks. You might think my proudest moment was the day he came in first for his age group, but, that was not my proudest moment. It was the time he came a minute behind his best time. I was worried that he was injured. After he caught his breath, I asked what had happened. I am so proud to tell you that my son decided to wait for his friend who needed to tie his shoe. That was my proudest moment because he reached inside and did what felt was right instead of reaching out for accolades and awards. [1]
~ Erika Maxwell (Proud Mom)
Share a Proud Moment with us Next Issue! Proud Moments can be any time that you have been extremely proud of your child with special needs. It can be when they are giving it their all or reaching a milestone. You may feel you can only share your excitement or enthusiasm with someone that will really understand. We understand. [email protected]
Ethan exhibiting an “I CAN” attitude Photo courtesy Andrea Gallo
Brother’s exhibiting an “I CAN” attitude Photo courtesy Erika Maxwell