One Track Mind by Andrea Moriarty
Meet Andrea.
I met Andrea Moriarty this past month, and after spending a few hours talking with her for the CT&MT podcast, I felt like I had known her forever. She is full of knowledge and wisdom and, at the same time, so humble and kind. Her son, Reid, is a musician, a content creator, a celebrity interviewer, and a podcaster. And he has autism.
Andrea is the number one advocate for her son and has devoted her life to not only learning how to best support Reid, but she has shared what she has learned with all of us in the two books that she has written. I am almost finished reading her first one, One Track Mind, and I am learning so much. Whether you have a child with special needs or not, this book is well worth the read.
Become a learner of your child.
Andrea helps me to look at my own kids differently. She talks about every child’s unique gifts and abilities and that our job is to study our children and become a learner of who they really are and what makes them tick. Ask others (friends, family, neighbors) what they notice in our children to become more aware. I was impacted significantly by her chapter that focuses on embracing our children’s differences. Do we need to take a step back and let go of a dream we had for our child and recreate a new vision that aligns with their unique strengths? Andrea states, “A diagnosis doesn’t change anything about our children; it changes how the world perceives them.” Are we seeing the best in our children to allow them to thrive and grow to the best of their abilities?
The danger of playing the comparison game
How often do you compare yourself to someone else? How often do you compare your child to someone else’s child? It’s a powerful and a deadly trap, and if I’m honest, it’s something that I fight against on a regular basis. I want to be the very best I can be, and I find myself comparing to others who I think are amazing. That doesn’t end well. We are each unique, and we are not meant to be the same as anyone else. I’m well into my 40’s, and I’m still working on that.
“Comparison is the death of joy.”
If you’re a parent, do you find yourself comparing your child(ren) to others you see at school, in the neighborhood, on the baseball field, [enter place of choice]? Our children are trying to discover who they are and what makes them special. They don’t need our comparisons or judgment; they need our love and acceptance. They need to know that we believe in them and that we will be their number one champion.
Be your child’s #1 advocate.
Andrea helped remind me how to love and accept each and every unique gift in our child(ren). It is good to be reminded of the importance of advocating for those who cannot speak up for themselves. What child needs you to be her/his champion?