I get overwhelmed pretty regularly by all the things I could be doing to support our kids. Marilee is heading to a new school in the fall, and the forms and the preparation for sports and having a roommate and just spending time with her before she goes away feels big and scary. William just finished his junior year, so we are thick in the college search process and SAT prep, not to mention getting a driver’s license and nudging him to make some spending money. And then there’s Penny, 19 years old now, with Down syndrome, navigating the world of early adulthood. The list of things I could be doing to support her sometimes feels like a flood.

When I’m tempted to catastrophize…

The torrent began a few months ago when we realized that Penny probably couldn’t get a job through a local program as planned. I fought against catastrophizing. Eventually, I remembered the words I tell people in the Reimagining Family Life with Disability workshops: start with delight, connect to community, and take the next step towards a good future.

We started with delight:
Penny and I sat down together and made a list of places where she might enjoy working or volunteering.

We connected to community by reaching out to people we know:
She emailed a local bookstore, our church, and a wedding planner, and she texted a neighbor interested in having someone read to her daughter. Two of them never responded, but two said they would love to have her involved in some way this summer.

And now we take it one small step at a time.

(The same is true with our other kids; I just tend to do less catastrophizing with them!)

Free Calendar

If you are a parent who finds yourself needing some encouragement to start with delight, connect to community, and take the next step towards a good future—I’m sending along a free calendar with 30 simple next steps to get you going. Each one takes five minutes or less.

DOWNLOAD THE CALENDAR

I’m excited to see what the future holds for all of us and for each of our kids.

Happy Summer!

Let’s stay in touch. Subscribe to my newsletter to receive weekly reflections that challenge assumptions about the good life, proclaim the inherent belovedness of every human being, and envision a world of belonging where everyone matters. Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube and subscribe to my Reimagining the Good Life podcast for conversations with guests centered around disability, faith, and culture.