Easier Parenting

EASIER PARENTING

Carole Disseldorp
PARENT EDUCATOR
P.E.L.T., Dip. Teaching(Prim), Cert. III in Community Serv. (Children's Serv.)
Frankston South, Victoria.
0407070555

There is always a silver lining

My daughter is non verbal, immobile and blind. She is also happy and healthy, and my pride and joy.

She would have been considered as having no chance of happiness, yet she has so much, and brings joy to every person who crosses her path.

She was stillborn and revived, and had to be revived 3 times more, in the next 36 hours.

You don’t get much more severely disabled babies than mine, trust me.

Due to a strong will, and more love and prayers and tears than you could imagine, she not only survived, but thrived, and continues to astound the medical profession. Will she walk or talk? No. But her quality of life is greater than anyone else I know, and her level of health outstrips that of most ‘normal’ children. She is warm, loved, fed, clothed, educated, kissed and cuddled incessantly by everyone, including her teachers and carers, not just her family, and universally loved. She epitomises all that is pure and honest in the world. She will never raise her arm or voice in anger, tease, judge, or hurt another, or do anything intentional to harm another person. She will do nothing but bring joy and love to the world.

I may be biased, but I am not overstating this. Not many children are told ‘I love you’ by their child care workers, or have teachers who have to resist kissing her all day. This child has a joy, and an aura of love and light, that is almost visible.

Not only that, she has changed the attitude and lives of many people around me. One of my brothers and a close friend changed their careers and whole approach to life, due to this special child.

It is impossible to forecast the quality of life for any baby, without a crystal ball of the power of foresight.

I take my parenting responsibility very seriously, on the basis of having to parent 24/7 for the next 30 years (if I am lucky), and as a result I work hard at keeping myself fit and healthy, so that I may live long and strong, and hopefully set an example for my younger child, and other parents, to do the same. We are in the process of extending and modifying our home, which will include a gym, that I hope will be utilised by other friends and acquaintances, who have children with special needs, and who have a greater responsibility to also live long and strong.

I also fundraise and work hard, to increase awareness and support, for the services that have helped us, and will continue to do so.

I have taken one of the worst situations a person can imagine, and made the very best of it, that I can. And I feel blessed to be able to do so.

Written by Susan Wallis from Agoo Australia

Fundraising page for City to Surf, to support Telstra Childflight http://www.everydayhero.com.au/agoo_australia