Accepting your parenting journey isnt how you imagined it with SEN child

[Bombasticsideeye77]

DD is 3 and the most amazing little girl, but she finds being around children in public so hard.

I just need a space to vent that how I imagined being a parent is SO different in this reality. We are so limited in what we can and cannot do. It stings to see her peers whizzing around on scooters, swimming, theme parks, dance classes, cinema and theatre shows. The gap between them seems to have got very wide and noticeable and it hurts my heart that she cannot do what others can do easily.

My heart goes out to you op.

It is so so hard. The realisation that your parenting journey isn't going to be like everyone elses. It can be really isolating.

Give yourself a break. It's ok to morn what you haven't got, it's ok to find it hard and struggle. It's tough.

Solidarity!

It's hard, you do grieve it as well.
My 2 autisms both struggled with "the gap" and the eldest who isn't as severe more so, although now you'd never even know he was ASD unless you knew what to look for. He's really happy.
My youngest doesn't go to mainstream anymore, it just wasn't suitable and amongst peers of similar abilities he's flourishing. He's also very aware at times he is more able than his peers, (he's 5) and has taken it upon himself to be a helper for non verbal friends or friends who are too anxious to join in certain games, which smacks of empathy which he didn't really have prior to finding his little tribe!

It gets better my friend x

Yep it's tough isn't it. My DS's sen isn't instantly noticeable and most parents in his class don't know about it. I thought he would cope with being left at parties so sent him to one at the beginning of Easter and he spent most of it in time out. There was another party last Saturday but I said he was ill. Was so much easier in reception when I stayed and could give him a break as needed.

My youngest is 22months and not mobile. It makes me sad to see her little friends toddling about whilst she's stuck in a pushchair or carrier out and about.