I have one child.

I was told I really only could have one child, so we ‘gave it a shot’ and hit the jackpot, in my opinion! She is smart, social, insightful, creative, active, loving and totally cognizant of her Mommy’s Epilepsy. She has no fear of seizures. In fact, she is very nurturing and caring when she meets others, kids or adults, with Epilepsy. But my husband and I have never hesitated when it comes to exposing her to this world. After all, she was born into it…and we can be pretty certain that it won’t go away anytime soon.

Andrew and Hayden, my two most important supporters!

A good friend, and an old friend, told me the other day…she is so curious to find out what Hayden will do when she grows up–maybe she’ll be a neurologist? Or an RN to a neurosurgeon? Or a researcher who will help unlock the mystery of this condition? As I’ve said many times, people might not agree with this approach to raising a child, but we made a pact never to conceal Mommy’s health issues to her. And, it works for us.

As she grows, I haven’t been quiet about the fact that other parents are not in agreement with this approach. But, as I’ve said, it’s the way we have chosen to tackle parenting when one parent lives with a chronic disease. But, what do I do when this philosophy affects my little girl? Will she suffer? I don’t know that I will ever not worry about this. But, I’ve come up with a list of 5 ‘to-do’s’ that will become my standard by which I live by:

1. Be consistent with the approach. Don’t conceal my Epilepsy from someone just because I fear they will judge me or my family.

2. Don’t let the insignificant stuff get me down! People will form opinions, voice those opinions and either insult or compliment me. There might be condescending remarks or hurtful actions, but I must stick to my position and not let the hurtful actions affect me or my family.

3. I can’t be bothered when others don’t understand or share my support of Epilepsy causes. Yes, we do advocacy work and participate in all sorts of fundraisers. If others don’t share my concern and my dedication (i.e. even small donations when I’m participating in a fundraiser), I must accept this and continue my efforts. After all, everyone makes choices.

4. Continue educating my daughter about living with Epilepsy. She should never and will never be afraid. I think this will make her an even smarter young lady.

5. Make sure I set a good example for my daughter. I will take the absolute best care of myself, eating properly, taking my medications on-time and in line with my doctor’s orders, exploring various treatments and lifestyles, staying organized and current on Epilepsy news, making sure I continue my advocacy work.

I printed this post and put it someplace where I will see it daily. So, if I ever feel like I’m letting biases and negative opinions get to me, I will not only glance at the list, but also the photo I’ve attached!