My daughter has mild cerebral palsy. It makes her a bit weak and stiff on her right side, but she's capable of most things. She has a little dyslexia but is brilliant at maths. She wears a splint but can run and dance. She does most things with her left arm but can bring in the weaker right one when she has to. My girl is funny, quirky and gorgeous.I feel horrible that we've got behind on her physiotherapy since we moved - I'll blog more on that later (it might kick me into action). Knowing there are lots of people so much worse off than my daughter is one of the many things that make feel slightly uncomfortable blogging about this at all.
Last year I met a woman who had been the school helper for 2 children with cerebral palsy. From an early age to their teenage years she supported them through life's challenges. Her words of wisdom to me were:
"Take on every challenge head-on, and she will cope. Your daughter will learn how to do everything - she'll just do it a bit later than most other children, that's all".
So at age 8, she's still wearing arm bands but she'll swim eventually. She's still got the reading age of a 7 year-old but she'll catch up. She just has to work a bit harder, that's all. And today ... gasp, gulp, sniff ... today she rode a bike without stabilising wheels for the first time!!! She got on, fell off, got back on, asked Daddy for a push, went a few feet, fell off, got back on, and so it went on and on. Her steely determination paid off, and at the last count she'd circled the garden 14 times without falling off.
I'm so proud I could melt.
Oh my, that is something to be proud of...and she's going to catch up on everything else too and be just like all kids her age...riding the bike is her first big big challenge...she overcame it...wow...she's a star!
ReplyDeleteSandi
gbs-that is so great! i can understand the pride you must be feeling right now. and yeah, i think she'll catch on to other things. i like her determination :)
ReplyDeleteShe has got the sheer determination to succeed! Not bad reading age and she will get by with the other things! Good for her. You must be so proud.
ReplyDeleteI used to work in a special school where the children with CP were profoundly disabled.
Oh well done GBS's daughter. That's brilliant.
ReplyDeleteIt's not just an achievement, I think learning to ride a bike is a real milestone. You must be so proud of her!:-)
My Mama has got CP, and I swear it has made her about a million times more resilient than your average woman, with twenty times more compassion for other people too.
ReplyDeleteIt has made her the woman she is!
How wonderful! You definitely have good reason to be a proud mom! Thanks for sharing your star with us. :)
ReplyDeleteShe sounds amazing, well done her. I think there should be big glasses of Rioja for both proud parents!
ReplyDeleteI bet your daughter's thrilled too! Knowing how to try hard is a much underrated skill in the pursuit of happiness, in my view, and that's before the first Pinot Grigio of the evening! blogthatmama
ReplyDeleteChildren don't take no for an answer, do they. She sounds like a chip off the block. I expect that she is as pleased with herself as you are with her.
ReplyDeleteDump the rioja GBS - break out the champagne!
ReplyDeleteThanks everyone for your warm wishes and congratulations and all that. I'm sure she managed it because we got her a trike for her birthday - it's big and heavy (it carries me no problem and the kids give each other rides in the back basket) so she's built up her confidence, leg strength and steering skills. Now we might have to sell the trike to pay for a bike!!!
ReplyDeleteWhat a heart-warming story.
ReplyDeleteI think it shows not just skill, but determination as well. Your wonderful daughter deserves a medal.
GBS, I have a big lump in my throat. There is nothing that moves me more than children trying their hardest - whether they achieve it or not (as your lovely daughter has, of course) doesn't matter. It's the fact that they've put their heart and soul into it. :-)
ReplyDeleteSmall steps .. riding a two wheeler was not so easy for me and I have no disabilities other than being a klutz so brava to her and to you for I am sure you were white knuckled as she rode .. you write so well I felt it even tho you never verbalized it
ReplyDeleteAnd I love that you saw a teddy in my coffee strain, to me it looked like a pig but I suspect that was more me projecting.
:-Daryl
Yay! Riding her bike!
ReplyDeleteWhat good advice you've been given. Keep expecting her to succeed and she will; she sounds a determined little cookie.
What a wonderful achievement. You will never forget this day. And melting is just fine, you should indeed be proud! I feel just the same when Amy takes another step along the path of life.
ReplyDeleteCrystal xx
Oh that is wonderful - and is deserving of POTD! Tell her she made POTD and how proud her mum is. Because that shines through every word. So proud.
ReplyDeleteWell done mum. Well done daughter.
Now, when is she entering the Tour de France? ;0)
With kids who have no physical or mental issues, you watch them learn and yes, you are proud of their every accomplishment. But when you have a child with any type of challenge to doing the things we generally take foregranted as normal, child's learnings and see them do something -like ride the bike alone for the first time, doesn't your entire body and mind just swell with pride -and tears of joy knowing the perseverance that was required from the child to reach that pinnacle? That is such a great feat for your daughter and just the start of many, many more!
ReplyDeletePeace.
How wonderful, it just goes to show the determination that you daughter must have, and riding a bike without stabilizers is a huge thing in anybodies life, let alone if she is facing other challenges as well. Good on her, and I can totally understand why you felt so proud. A moment in time to celebrate and I'm sure that you will remember this forever!
ReplyDeleteyou must be proud enough to burst!!
ReplyDeleteI am for you too!!
saz x