Laurie is the mom of two from Mentor

What do you do to relax?
Netflix and wine once the kids are in bed! My husband and I were much more social before we had our kids. I used to sing and play guitar and piano. He was in a band and played hockey. It's hard to find time for anything now. I'm thankful for this group so I can virtually talk to other parents in similar situations to ours.

Which have been your favorite Connecting for Kids resources?
The Facebook Chat Group helps me immensely.  I also have attended Coffee and Chat programs.

What I worry about most…
I worry about the future. It's hard to imagine what next month will bring, let alone the next several years or even adulthood. I imagine most special needs parents lose sleep over this too.

When my child's behavior gets out of control, I feel...
Angry at the world, jealous of "typical" families and sad, sometimes heartbroken, that he is struggling.

The hardest thing for me to learn was...
Not to compare our lives with others. I still struggle with it sometimes.

We'd love to know if you have any go-to resources.
My go-to is the CFK Facebook Chat Group. I also count on our therapy team at Building Blocks Therapy for help and advice.

Is there anything about your journey that you would like to share with other parents?
It's SO HARD, but there is also a lot of joy. We may never be a "normal" family, but we have our own kind of normal. And I am so, so, SO grateful for the good days, and even just the good moments. I'm thankful for this organization because I did not know a single other special needs parent before joining, and we found Connecting for Kids almost immediately after my son's diagnosis. It's been a huge help.