Our brains work tirelessly to organize the myriad of sights, sounds, and sensations that fill our world. However, for my son, this sensory input can feel more like chaos than clarity.
A gentle touch or even light water spray can feel like rough sandpaper against his skin. The unexpected sound of a loudspeaker or a flushing toilet can send him into tears. Crowded spaces have always been a source of distress, often overwhelming him to the point where his body goes into overdrive. In those moments, he might run, spin, jump, crash into walls, or even scream at the top of his lungs as he attempts to cope with his fight-or-flight response to the environment around him.
This makes outings, like trips to the airport, particularly challenging. While he finds comfort in the vibrations of a flight, navigating through luggage, security lines, and crowds can feel like an insurmountable task. To ease the anxiety, we spend weeks preparing—talking about the airport experience, creating checklists, and packing special bags filled with a deep-pressure vest, headphones, and comforting toys.
But despite our meticulous planning, things don’t always go smoothly. Just recently, after a long day returning to New York from a visit with family in Texas, my son was utterly exhausted and overwhelmed by the time we reached baggage claim. In that moment of chaos, he had a complete meltdown.
There I was, on the grimy floor of LaGuardia, trying to manage a flailing, crying 5-year-old while simultaneously keeping an eye on our luggage and looking for our driver. My attempts to hold it together were failing, and the tears started to flow. I noticed people staring at us, including one woman who couldn’t help but declare, “MY child would never act like that,” as she strolled by with a friend. All I wanted was a way out.
Then, as if sent by the universe, a sweet woman who had sat next to me on the flight appeared. She crouched down beside us and gently asked my son what his favorite jelly bean color was. He looked taken aback but eventually responded. She even encouraged him to use his pretend binoculars to help look for our luggage, which he happily did.
Before long, our bags and driver arrived. I was immensely grateful, thanking her profusely before we parted ways. Despite the inevitable disapproving glances from others, there are also compassionate souls like Lisa from New Jersey, who reminded me that even in my darkest parenting moments, I wasn’t alone. Thank goodness for that.
If you’re navigating your own parenting journey, check out our blog post about fertility journeys for intracervical insemination at Make A Mom. For those looking to boost their fertility, Make A Mom offers valuable advice. And for excellent resources on pregnancy, you can visit Healthline.
In summary, while parenting can feel isolating, moments of kindness from strangers can remind us that we’re not alone in our struggles.
Keyphrase: Parenting struggles and support
Tags: [“home insemination kit” “home insemination syringe” “self insemination”]