Jenny’s Story, Part 2

When I met my children, they were desperate for affection, and yet nothing in their social emotional development had prepared them to elicit this affection in the ways we might expect. No smiling, being helpful to mom, or playing peacefully alongside siblings. My then two-year-old had extreme separation anxiety for the first year; I couldn’t be farther than an arm’s reach away, even at night. My six-year-old was so defensive, that she would not let me sit on the end of her bed. It took medication and a year of therapy for her PTSD symptoms to subside.  

When I feel hopeless, I ask REACH staff to pray for us. When I feel discouraged and self-conscious as a parent, I think about all the REACH parents I have grown to love through camp and retreat. We have sat in vulnerability together, as we shared our love and frustration for these kids from hard places. If I wouldn’t judge them for their children’s behaviors, why should I judge myself so harshly? If I hadn’t had their support, I think I would be depressed by now.

Story will continue on Saturday.