Redefining MommyhoodJourney of a mom whose son is overcoming hypotonia

One of my friends who has a daughter with gross motor delays mentioned that she was going to check out something called Conductive Education. It’s another kind of therapy for kids with gross motor delays due to cerebral palsy and other neurological conditions.

I found a website about Conductive Education and there was a short video showing some of their students. It made me feel so sad and guilty at the same time. I have an otherwise healthy son, who has hypotonia with no apparent neurological cause. I feel bad for wishing he would just stand up and walk when some of these children will not only never walk, but they also have cognitive and other issues that are a lot harder to overcome.

I realized that as parents, we take our children for granted and forget that there are always others out there who may be in worse situations. I am so thankful for my son and I never want to take him for granted. I wish every parent could have that epiphany, but most do not unless they encounter a tough situation.

My heart goes out to the children with disabilities and to their parents who have to worry about their futures. I wish everyone could be helped and healed. Every child is a blessing and has a purpose for being here. Sometimes it’s hard to see through the clouds and see the sunshine, but it’s there everyday in their shining faces.

Becoming friends with moms with “normal” kids can be challenging. I became friends with a mom who has a child around the same age as Luke about 8 months ago. We met up for playdates and even talked about getting our husbands together one weekend. It seemed like after time went on and her child’s gross motor skills progressed on schedule, but Luke’s did not, we quit hearing from her. I’ve tried to get together with them a few times lately, but it never seems to happen. I’m a paranoid person sometimes, so of course now I’m wondering “did I do something to make her not like me, or is it because Luke can’t keep up with her child?”

It’s just sad to think that someone would be that shallow. All children deserve the chance to interact with other children their age, even if they aren’t on the same developmental level. If her child didn’t seem to be on the same cognitive level as Luke, I wouldn’t use that as a reason not to let them play together!

No mom wants to admit that their child has “special needs”, but hypotonia and gross motor delays do present their own set of special issues. Making friends is just one example.

My name is Tilly and this is my first attempt at blogging. I am a 33 year old stay at home mom (SAHM) to a wonderful 20 month old son named Luke.

Luke is a normal toddler in almost every way. He is not walking yet, which makes him different from most toddlers his age.  He has gross motor delays and a condition called hypotonia.

This blog is to share the story of our journey together. I hope to make more people aware of hypotonia and to hopefully offer some support to others in our situation.

I will also be blogging about other mommyhood issues that any mom can relate to.