Are you patterning with the right people to advocate for your child?
Good morning everyone. How are you? I pray you are well. Today is a day that the Lord has made, let us rejoice and be glad in it! In today’s blog I want to talk about a topic that is so dear to my heart–advocacy. I have spoken on this topic in prior blogs, but in today’s blog I wanted to focus on connecting with your allies in your walk through this journey. I believe your allies are synonymous with your village. As a reminder my village is made up of my immediate and extended family, my church family, my pastor, my pediatrician, Jayson’s ABA therapist, Jayson’s connection at Kennedy Krieger Institute, Jayson’s classroom and special education teachers and Jayson’s one-on-one in the classroom.
Your village is your inner network.
They are the individuals that know your child, sometimes, better than you do. They know your child’s potential and are driven to make sure your child fulfills his/her destiny. They are essentially an extension of your parenting. Throughout our journey with autism, I have encountered many individuals. People who saw Jayson as his diagnosis Only. They saw every limitation without ever noting his achievements. They were part of the “never” crew–Jayson will never speak, Jayson will never be in a regular education classroom, Jayson will never have a “normal” life. Let me tell you now, if you have people around you filling your mind with those negative statements, pray blessings over them and then love them from a distance.
You don’t need that negativity around you, especially around your kiddo! You have enough on your plate. I’m not saying you need people that can’t be truthful and honest with you, but you don’t need “negative Nancies.” You need people who see your child as a child of God, who will fulfill the purpose that God has assigned them to achieve. You need individuals who aren’t limited by what they see your child doing now, but see what potential your child can achieve…
THROUGH CHRIST JESUS! You need an advocate–a person who publicly supports or recommends a particular cause. I make sure I constantly engage with my allies either through volunteering at Jayson’s school, volunteering at Kennedy Krieger Institute, setting up meetings with ABA directors but I always make sure I am actively advocating in my own way being that I don’t know Jayson in “their setting” which is the most important setting for success in education. Let’s focus on establishing the right allies as we continue to travel through this journey.
I pray this blesses you.
Love you all,
M.J.