Metaphors for parenting a special-needs child

Link: Brain,Child - The Magazine for Thinking Mothers.

Metaphors for parenting a special-needs child

By Jill Cornfield

If you have a baby with obvious problems, sooner or later someone will hand you an essay called "Welcome to Holland." It compares having a baby to taking a trip--a valid enough metaphor. But this is a trip for the parents of "special" children. Instead of going to Italy, as they've planned, the parents wind up in Holland, where, Emily Perl Kingsley writes, the pace is slower. They are disappointed at first--they've dreamed about, planned and looked forward to Italy--but they come to appreciate the special beauty of Holland. Instead of Michelangelo, espresso, and churches, they come to love Rembrandt, tulips, and chocolate. For what it's worth, some parents find solace in the metaphor. I'm just not one of them.