November 9 2023

My furry friend from EQuus Insight says, “Do the things. And do them with delusional confidence!”

Last week I spoke to a UNR class of undergraduate and graduate students. They are in a course about working with families, all in different programs (elementary education, psychology, speech pathology, social work, and special education). It’s a class that is intended to provide students with knowledge and practical tools concerning the history of parent advocacy, current issues with special education and general education systems, and empirical possibilities to reimagine how to better serve families raising children with disabilities. The goal of having parents as guest speakers is for students to learn directly from us and our experience.

It was incredibly fulfilling with my 30 minute time slot turning into an hour. Last night I received a message from the instructor that the students had referenced my presentation several times so she knows it hit multiple ways for them. I am someone who doesn’t fully see, or have it really soak in, the things that I do and say. I’m just doing and saying what comes naturally for me. Receiving feedback such as this, helps me to know I’m on the right track, and more importantly, that what I’ve said or done has been meaningful. Isn’t that all most of us want?

Thank you to everyone who has offered encouraging feedback throughout these past 20 or so years. I didn’t have as much confidence, and even less experience, when I began this parent advocate journey. That’s a different story these days. With experience and reaching the point of knowing what I have to say is meaningful, with a dose of “I don’t really care if it’s not, I’m saying and doing it anyway”; I have a solid foundation of confidence tethering me to this wild, wonderful, messy thing called life. Walk this way. This is The Way. 🖤🖤🖤