My name is Laura Roadknight. I am a teacher and a proud mum to three beautiful children, the eldest who has autism. My son Jedd was diagnosed when he was 2 ½ years old. It was an emotional roller coaster for our family, as around the same time we were welcoming our second child into the world. Yes, we have one very crazy household at times! With his sensory difficulties, Jedd couldn’t handle the sound of a crying baby. You can imagine what it was like for us at home. It was the most difficult time of our lives, but all that changed when he started at AEIOU. Today these letters, this organisation, mean everything to me and my family. In the lead up to Mother's Day, I'd like to reach out to all the other mum's out there who need a reminder that life isn't perfect, but you are doing a fabulous job.
Being a mum is the hardest but most rewarding job in the world. I wouldn't change it for anything. Yes, there's hard days and not a lot of sleep...but our kids make us better people and they inspire us to be better people.
This is a family portrait we had taken a few weeks ago. The two photos were taken 20 seconds apart...but are so very different! One shows the chaos of the event trying to get our three children to smile at the camera while our dog does his business in the background, the other is the perfect family photo... I guess what I'm trying to say is that no family is perfect! I will treasure these photos forever, especially the chaotic one as this best depicts my family and our journey together. Life for us hasn't been smooth sailing. We've had plenty of ups and downs, tears and smiles, set-backs and triumphs.
For those of you who have a child on the spectrum or a child with additional needs you would know that some days can be bloody hard. Little things can turn into major meltdowns and some days you feel like running away and hiding. It's a roller coaster of emotions, both good and bad! We all have bad days and that's ok. We all have struggles and that's ok. Nobody is perfect! Celebrate the small things and embrace your child's individuality! The world would be super boring if everyone was the same!
I've only been a mother for 4 ½ years and in this short amount of time I have learnt so much. Having children has changed my life completely. Yes... I now never pee alone, or have a shower in peace! I go to bed singing wiggles songs in my head...over and over again! But in all seriousness I'm a better person because of my children.
Life is a challenge! It throws us curve balls, it knocks us down, but we get back up. Love, humour, patience and understanding is the key. We are all mums...super mums in my eyes! Just remember you’re not alone on this journey. Every day with our children is a blessing; love them with all your heart because I know your children love YOU!
Happy Mother's Day!
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