Life Lessons: From my Neurodivergent Daughter

Our children are amazing teachers in our lives, aren't they?

Whether you're a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, teacher, coach, therapist, neighbor, friend... a lesson from a child cuts through.

When my daughter was 3.5 yrs old she was diagnosed with Landau-Kleffner Syndrome. It's a rare neurological condition that causes low-level seizures in her left temporal lobe... affecting her speech and language center.

With that diagnosis, my daughter Anna found all that accompanies a special needs diagnosis began to color her life, and our family's trajectory changed forever.

Yet that was her path and over the years, I have learned so much as I watched Anna navigate her world.

This past weekend Anna and I went to Vegas to see the Taylor Swift concert.

As we arrived, I soon remembered I would need to set down my expectations of our weekend together and experience life through the pace of my daughter's nervous system with her mental health in mind...

I am in awe of Anna's awareness of herself and her needs.

Five Re-Parenting Insights:

1. Prioritize your peace of mind
   • Notice what makes you comfortable
   • Are you doing something for yourself or for someone else
   • Choose you as often as you can
2. You don't have to do everything
   • Let go of preconceived expectations
   • Life is not a competition
   • What you do is enough
3. The simplest things matter most
   • Listen to what you really need
   • What brings you comfort?
4. If you're feeling overwhelmed, take breaks
   • Become familiar with your body cues in stress
   • Listen and honor the messages you're receiving
   • What would help most in that moment? Then do that...
5. Find your safe space
   • In a new situation, notice what else could feel safe
   • Maybe an item of clothing or texting a friend (more robust safe space list in the video)
   • Finding your safe space = re-centering yourself

I added these insights to my reparenting and self-care list so that I could return to it as often as needed. Maybe one or more of these messages can help you too.