As a parent of a child with special educational needs and medical conditions, one thing I’ve learned is this:
it doesn’t necessarily get easier — it just gets different.
There are stages. Just like with any kind of parenting, you move through phases.
But each new stage brings a shift in the emotional weight you carry. The challenges change. Your child changes. And so do you.
Right now, I find myself in a stage I wasn’t quite prepared for; hospital visits, emergency appointments, and deeper, more complex conversations about my son’s needs and health.
He’s older now. He understands more. And while I’m proud of his growing awareness, it also brings a whole new level of worry and protection. I’m not just managing appointments anymore — I’m holding space for his feelings, his questions, his fears.
There’s a heaviness that comes with this kind of parenting. A constant recalibration. And while from the outside it might look like strength or resilience, the truth is, it’s often just love doing whatever it takes to get through the day.
I’ve learned not to expect ease, but I have found grounding in moments of connection. In the shared nods from other parents. In the quiet knowledge that I’m not anlone; and neither are you.
Whether you’re in a season of diagnosis, transition, or just trying to keep up with the ever changing needs of your child, please know that your experience is valid. Your exhaustion is real.
Because for SEN parents, the path isn’t linear. But step by step, we move forward. Together.
💬 If this resonates with you, I offer a space through Relight Counselling that’s just for parents like us — where your story matters, and support is more than a service💜