Oh how far we’ve come, Coop. This hasn’t always been an easy journey and early on I questioned whether implants were the right decision. How can you not question that as a parent in instances like this older video? But the common thread then and now was giving Cooper choice and autonomy. Doing so allowed him to forge his own relationship with his hearing devices and determine when he preferred to have them on. I know that often parents are told that if a child is awake, their hearing devices should be on. And don’t get me wrong, wear time is definitely important. But think about being a hearing person and suddenly being thrust into a silent world. Wouldn’t there be times you’d want to revisit the hearing one? That’s how it is for these little humans. All they know is silence and then suddenly they have a whole new sense to learn and understand. Patience and compassion go a long way. 💙
Many of you are here because you love watching Cooper thrive and give unhinged life advice (kidding, kinda) — but what if the policies that made his love of language and communication possible simply didn’t exist? I’ve been thinking about this topic a lot, specifically how it relates to Cooper. Many of you here know what it takes for him grow, learn and thrive. But for some, there seems to be a disconnect when it comes to acknowledging that his ability to do so did not just accompany him into this earth. He is who he is because of the education, accessibility, and disability rights programs that have been part of our journey — the very programs that are now being threatened. And I will keep talking about it, because it isn’t “just politics” or “a difference of opinion.” It’s his life and his access to this world.
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