I knew it couldn’t last…that the miracle child we’ve been living with the past few weeks wouldn’t stay forever. That some internal shift or external stressor would give the kaleidoscope of his thoughts and emotions yet another twist. So why am I so crushed to see this backslide? We haven’t even had to deal with any oppositionality (yet). Just this child who’s uncomfortable in his own skin. Who, for whatever reason, is so overwhelmed at the thought of changing classes, that the anxiety torments him every waking moment. The child who had made such huge strides at dealing with disappointment and frustration but is once again reduced to tears at what should be a minor irritation. My heart hurts this morning. Partly because I want my kid back, but mostly because he’s now had a taste of what it feels like to be “normal”, and I can’t imagine how scary and heartbreaking it must be to feel that slipping away. It is for me just watching. And I pray that I can stop the slide now, while he can still remember what normal feels like. And that I can convince him it’s worth fighting for.
I'm a mom to three stair steps (all 3 born in under 3 years), one of whom struggles with OCD, ADHD and a few other things. I wrote professionally for 12 years before quitting to stay home with my kids.
Life on the Stair Steps 
Just keep plugging along. The backslides stink. It just is. The hard part definitely is knowing how it can be. Sunshine will come again.
Wow! Thanks for sharing your blog with me. I really had no idea all the challenges you were facing. I imagine your blog is giving comfort and new perspectives to parents of other children with special needs. I admire you for sharing this. I hope he can enjoy more of those “normal” moments again soon. You too!