“Be patient and willing to try new things.”
Bill Cawley is a quadriplegic father of four under the age of 10. He’s had all of his kids since his spinal cord injury. When his kids were infants, he didn’t have the opportunity to participate as fully in daily tasks, so his new routine maximizes his abilities and engagement with his family.
He’s up at 5:45 every morning to contribute to his family, which includes making breakfast for his kids, laying out their clothes, packing lunches and driving them to school. (He’s learned to lay some things out the night before to make the morning a bit less chaotic).
“Your kids are going to remember that you were there for them, and around them, more than that you actually physically built that sandcastle with them. You’ll find out that you’ll be able to do many of the things that other dads can do, but you’ll just do them differently.”
Parenting is to limited to those with full physical mobility. Don’t be intimidated or underestimate your potential. “You might even be a better dad because of your experiences living with spinal cord injury,” Bill shares.
Share this post with someone who’s looking for ways to creatively get involved in their children’s lives.