I Almost Cried at a Two-Year-Old’s Birthday Party
Yesterday, I almost cried at a two-year-old’s birthday party.
I’ve been parenting a child with developmental delays for a while now, and usually I can stay strong — but yesterday, I nearly cried at a two-year-old’s birthday party. I held it in until I got home, but the second I stepped through the front door, the tears came.
Daisy had been invited to the birthday party of one of her nursery friends. I didn’t know anyone there, so no one knew Daisy’s story.
I walked in and saw a room full of toddlers — some her age, some younger — toddling around. I suddenly felt overwhelmed. I could feel my eyes filling up and silently begged myself to hold it together. How would it look, walking into a party full of strangers and bursting into tears?
Up until now, I’ve been pretty accepting of Daisy’s delays and diagnosis. I’ve felt strong — like I could face everything head-on and take each day as it comes. Especially with all the positive progress she’s been making.
When I’ve seen other children her age or younger, I haven’t compared. Daisy is her own rare little diamond. She doesn’t fit into a mould, and that’s something I’ve always been proud of.
But there was something about being in a room full of her peers all at once that hit me differently.
Suddenly, thoughts I try not to let in started flooding my mind.
What if she’s eventually left out because she can’t keep up with the others running around?
What if she’s teased for not walking or talking like the other kids?
What if the gap keeps getting wider?
So many what ifs — and normally I push them away. I try to stay grounded in what’s happening now. But yesterday, I couldn’t stop them.
And I found myself wondering, is there anyone else out there, right now, at this exact moment, having these same thoughts? Or am I alone in this?
Parenting a child with developmental delays comes with moments like this — ones you don’t see coming, ones that catch you off guard.
If you’re walking a similar path, this Living With Guide from the ARRE Foundation offers honest, supportive advice for parenting a child with Shashi-Pena Syndrome.
