Just Keep Swimming

Life at the park might seem like a normal task for many families but not mine. You see Madison has been going through phases of running up to people and touching them. Sometimes it’s a nice touch but most often it’s a pinch or hair pull. We try are best to get out of the house to seem normal to only stick out even more. Madison started out with some occasional cries because I wouldn’t let her take her blanket out of the car. You see it was 80 degrees and her body was already covered by clothing. She has been going through the stage of pinching herself and has created bruises all over her body. The only way to sort of block it is alot of layers. So an added blanket at the park I just couldn’t grasp. As her brother began to play she got more and more agitated. She kept going over to the car for the blanket. As I watched all the other happy families playing with their kids and my husband trying to get her away from the car it hit me. I didn’t want her to have her blanket because of what others would think. Who cares if she had it wrapped around her body as she ran around the playground if it made her happy and soothed her. In that moment I realized I was trying to please society. What would people think or wonder about her? So I said f*ck it. Take the blanket out of the car. Let them stare and wonder.