Too Much Burden With Too Little Support for Too Long?

Here's one solution to the overwhelm and isolation felt by parents raising neurodivergent kids.

Image by EKC. A ball pit for parents? Why not?

The year my son was 4, when I was navigating the (public special education kindergarten IEP) process known as Turning 5 in NYC, my friends Alma and Jenny and I decided to start a text thread to support each other during the process. They both had children with similar needs, around the same age.

It was a stressful time, to say the least. I toured a dozen schools. I worried all the time that my son wouldn't be placed in an appropriate school for his needs. That text group is what helped me survive the year. We encouraged each other and swapped tips as well as horror stories. When our kids were all placed in appropriate school settings, we celebrated together! 

Did it end there? No.

There are many hurdles when navigating this system. But getting over that big one gave me confidence, and showed me something I'll always remember:

We need each other more than we know.

• In Greek mythology, Atlas holds the weight of the world on his shoulders.

• In Enca…