To the Mom of the Toddler That Won’t

To the mom of the toddler that won’t sit still at mom and me music class.

To the mom of the toddler that won’t interact with other kids at Gymboree.

To the mom that is chasing her toddler around Gymboree while the other moms are standing chatting pushing their kids on the swings.

I just want to say I see you.

I was you.

I was the mom that sat in her car after buckling her boy in his car seat, wearing sunglasses trying not to let her boy see the tears in her eyes.

Wondering why her boy was the only child that was moving around and wouldn’t play with an instrument in music class.

Wondering why her boy wouldn’t play with  the other children. Why was he the one destroying castles while the other kids built them?

Wondering why she was always sweaty chasing her son around Gymboree while the other moms were chatting away pushing their kids on the swings.

I want you to know it does get better.

Your son is happy moving around to the music. He doesn’t need to sit still the whole time.

It may not seem like it but he is interacting with the kids in his own way. Or like he made some great friends there.

He is a sensory seeker and needs to climb and run. I know it can be tiring now. He will start to settle down and you won’t need to follow him so closely.

I know you feel like you are a helicopter parent and you get jealous of other parents chatting. You don’t need to do it forever and those kids you think he’s not interacting with? They are his friends and one day they will be old enough to watch him while they play so you can chat with friends.

I know it seems tough now, you feel isolated and feel like no one understands. You will find moms who get it, and the moms of his friends will understand you too.

You are doing your best, please keep going. Your boy is a beautiful, smart, silly 11 year old now with a smile that lights up a room!

Written by Rachel Lack of Across the Spectrum: The Doc