
In this chapter we learn about Jean’s cancer. The struggles of caring for a sick child can be draining. Do you have other children? Have you ever felt like one child gets more attention than the other? Romy admits in…
Sherry talks about deceiving Charley. There are truths. The first truth is that when dealing with a child like Charley, there’s going to be some lying going on. With his inhibited ability to reason, there’s only so much you can…
Sherry brings up the issue of feeling alone and connecting – or not – with other parents. I started writing about Charley so long ago that I don’t remember when. Back then it was my way of coping with the…
“Raising a special needs child is not for wimps” p. 89 “Charley has lots of people who love him but he spends most of his time by himself, which means he has a shortage of friends his own age, or…
Sherry talks about feeling inadequate as a parent: Charley knows nothing of that. He’s okay being who he is. I wanted some of that, I can tell you. I wanted to accept myself, but when it came to him it…
One of the difficult things about Down syndrome, or any other minority, is that people tend to group and stereotype those who belong. Mom always refers to them as “they.” “They are the sweetest children.” “They love music.” They, they,…
#01 – The ChromoZone In the first chapter Sherry talks about being an “eternal parent:” “But for those of us who have special needs children, there is no graduation. Every age is the age of child rearing… In my…