Being a parent is hard, and there are unique challenges that come with being a parent to a child with special needs.
No one knows this better than our lovely Launchpad mum, Nina Mucolov, who also happens to be a fabulous photographer right here in Singapore. Nina’s family consists of her husband and three beautiful children, one of which has special needs. We took the opportunity to sit down with Nina and learn about her family’s journey navigating life with a daughter who has both Dyspraxia and ADHD. We are so grateful to Nina for sharing her story and these amazing life lessons that we can all hold on to. Support really is everywhere if we look for it, and we love supporting each other through sharing our stories and learning from each other. Here is Nina’s story.
Life lessons I’ve learned being a special needs mum
I’m eight years into the journey of being a special needs mum. Our beautiful Arianna has huge blue eyes, a cheeky smile and a generous heart. She also has Dyspraxia and ADHD. The Dyspraxia affects both her physical and mental coordination (she’s still learning to jump, and while she can now recognise most letters and numbers, reading words is still a way off). The ADHD makes concentrating for any length of time (and sleeping through the night) an ongoing struggle.
As a mum of three I know that parenting every child comes with its challenges, unknowns and moments of exhaustion, guilt and doubt. And as a special needs mum, these feelings have been amplified. I’ve had to learn and practice lessons and skills I might have avoided or pushed down the road. Here are three lessons I will be forever grateful I’ve learned.
Lesson 1: If we open our hearts to support, we will find it everywhere.
Seeking support has been the biggest game-changer in my life. It’s made parenting and running my business richer in so many ways. Speech, physio and occupational therapy became an essential part of our lives from Arianna’s first year. Experiencing the win-win-win of having these incredible people in our world allowed me to embrace support in every area of my life and business. I know this support has allowed me to grow my business and enjoy my life more beautifully than I could have imagined.
Lesson 2: We are exactly where we are meant to be.
‘Ahead’ or ‘behind’ only mean something if we let them. Whether that’s feeling ‘behind’ our peers (seeing that person on Instagram who started their business at the same time as you, but seems to be killing it) or ‘behind’ the goals or milestones we had set for ourselves. We are each on our own journey, with its unique triumphs and challenges and we get to make the decision that where we are is perfect for now. Yes, it’s beautiful (and important) to have a vision of where we want to go. Loving and appreciating exactly where and who we are right now is a choice we can make.
Lesson 3: Our greatest challenges can also be our biggest gifts.
I’ve cried my way through dozens of medical appointments with tears streaming down my face and a lump so big in my throat I couldn’t speak. And I have frequent moments when I feel like my heart is breaking for the extra challenges Arianna faces daily, and the added burden we carry as parents. I also know that being a mum to a special needs child is one of my life’s greatest gifts and I wouldn’t change our family for the world.
Thank you to Nina Mucalov for sharing her story – follow her on Instagram for more!
