You See a Boy and a Baby

You see a boy and a baby.

It’s so much more than that.

I see an 8-year-old boy and a 9 month old baby. Brothers. The boy is sitting in his driveway.

Outside. Near a road. Safely. Sitting.

He isn’t running. He isn’t eloping. He is calmly sitting.

Next to his baby brother.

A baby brother who is touching him. Leaning into him. Reaching for his tablet. Touching his arm and his leg.

If you could hear you would hear Barney singing the ABC’s. The boy is babbling about the alphabet.

I can make out the A and the C. The baby is screeching. Loudly. A noise that isn’t setting off his brother.

The boy is not covering his ears. He is not pushing the baby away. He isn’t running away.

A few minutes after this photo was taken the boy turned around, looked at me, and signed ‘all done.’ Just like that.

Communication. Safe communication. No pushing. No screaming.

These two. More than a seven year age difference. Growing up together.

They are sitting. They are happy.

As parents we have dreams for our kids. For some it’s sports, college, and winning an award.

For others it’s making friends, riding a bike and moving onto the next grade level.

For others, it’s a boy sitting by his baby brother. Calmly. At peace.

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Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once you find your people, your allies, your village….all the challenges and struggles will seem just a little bit easier. Welcome to our journey. You can also follow us on Facebook, subscribe for exclusive videos, and subscribe to our newsletter.