Dear mom at the park…

Going to the park is often a time filled with anxiety but I go because Audrey loves it. I usually dread the looks and “how old is she” questions. I never make a connection with the other parents there and try to stick to just playing with Audrey.

But not today!

Today a mom came up to ME. She said that she has seen us here before and casually brought up a conversation with me.

I left filled with happy tears and what I want to say to this stranger is this:

Dear typical mom at the park,

Thank you for your gentle words. You have no idea how much you made my day. You treated Audrey like any other kid there and asked me questions. Not the type of questions that leave me cringing. You truly wanted to know about my child and that meant the world. A rarity. You didn’t pity me or have a sad look in your eyes. You just smiled at Audrey’s giggles and told me about your family.

You spoke to your children about what Audrey seemed to be smiling at instead of telling them to “leave her alone” like most parents do and you spoke with such kindness. We chatted about the weather, how having kids turns your world upside down and everything in between.

Thank you for making me feel like just a mom today.

This is inclusion. This is lifting other moms up.

I write this not to make anyone feel bad about themselves or blame anyone for feeling uncomfortable with a situation you may have been in at some point.

I write this to show you how just simply being a good human being can make a world of difference. Choose and teach kindness always. You never know what someone is going through or what may make someone smile their whole walk home.

Author: Rachel Alves

Hi there! I am a special needs mom to a beautiful, sweet girl. Audrey has a mutation on her CASK Gene. This is a rare genetic disorder that effects her globally. It has caused a seizure disorder as well as gross motor, fine motor and speech delays. A Microcephaly diagnosis comes along with it as well. Our last 8 years have been filled with therapy, learning about our daughter's disorder and also learning to cope while finding joy. Thank you for taking the time to read about our journey. For more information on the CASK Gene, please visit my Instagram @alvesmomkickingCASK. View all posts by Rachel Alves