From the moment the pregnancy test reads positive, our dreams and planning begin. We dream about what our baby will look like, about the first time we gaze into those beautiful eyes. We devour the baby books, sketching out a road map of firsts-the first time they are supposed to smile, roll over, walk, talk or ride a bike.
But sometimes things go wrong. Doctors warn that the baby might not follow the road so well traveled. The “typical” milestones are no longer the focus and words like “can’t” creep into conversations more often than words like “can.”
As parent of a child with special needs, it’s sometimes hard to know where to set the bar for expectations. In this issue of the magazine, though, we found parents who decided the only way to raise their kids was to not set the bar at all. Parents Vivian and Eric Richardson of Aurora and Jean and Dan Thompson of Glenview decided to let their children reach beyond everyone’s expectations. “Let them choose their path and if they’re willing to try it, you have to find a way to make it happen,” Jean Thompson told us.
You can do the same by believing in your child’s possibilities, taking care of yourself and letting us help. We have collected more than 825 resources for parents of children with disabilities, some of which are included in this edition and all appearing online at ChicagoParent.com. You also will find an interactive electronic version of this magazine that will put you in touch with the resources and advertisers in just a simple click. And throughout the magazine we’ve collected plenty of advice and tips from parents like you on how they’re managing, and sometimes celebrating, this journey.
As always, we would love to hear from you. Tell us what matters to you and what you’d like to read about in upcoming issues.
