Hello World!

I am Iron M…

Look, yes, I know, the dad jokes will be STRONG here. Please, don’t go away just yet! I’ve got so many more bad jokes and pop culture references to unload before you do…

If I had a TV show about my family, it would most likely be titled “Why Are You Naked?!” Which I’m sure parents everywhere can relate to. There have been days that my boys just feel as though a no clothes party is the best kind of party and listen, I’m all for pants and bra off as soon as you get home but why the rest of it? Up until August last year, my husband and I only had two vibrant, energetic, and full of life boys, then our beautiful girl joined to help balance the scales a bit more. She’s got sass and isn’t afraid to let her brothers know when they’re annoying her.

So let’s jump right in, Nasir, our oldest, lives with Global Development Delay 🌻 (GDD). He was diagnosed almost two years ago with Cognitive, Speech & Language, and Fine Motor Skills being the areas he is significantly delayed in.

The journey to even getting this diagnosis then everything that has happened since has been a roller-coaster of emotions, events, and progress but it has taught us many lessons like celebrating the seemingly small wins, patience and understanding, and pretty much how to be the parents all three of our children deserve. Though, it’s always a work in progress, right?

Noticeably, sharing Nasirs development on my private Facebook timeline has helped other mums or families resonate or relate to what we are going through. They don’t put it on social media the way I do or at all, but they reach out privately, ask questions, vent, and just try to find a connection to someone that can kind of understand where they’re at.

Which leads me to now. Documenting the wins, challenges, and the pain from a parent’s perspective, giving all those parents someone they can resonate with, ESPECIALLY if they’re feeling isolated, confused, and alone. This is exactly how I felt in the beginning, and I still feel this way. There is a lack of support and advocacy from people who have no idea what these circumstances mean for a parent and even just a person.

When someone is diagnosed with a Disability or Neurodivergence, they get labelled. The label generally means they need pity, have a ceiling, or they need to be treated different.

Here, we’re pushing past limitations, expectations, and assumptions. I want to encourage, support, and advocate for those who are misunderstood, unheard, and isolated.

Being a parent means to sacrifice, being a parent of a child with disabilities or neurodivergence is a level no one is prepared for.

In sharing Nasir’s development and navigating this as a family, I hope to build a community or the village I wish I could turn to when I first became concerned about my son’s milestones.

So, join us as we get frustrated, notice the little things, have the big wins, overcome all the challenges and obstacles that come with parenthood, particularly when you’re a part of the disability community.

Glad you’re here,

Elysha