YOUR SPECIAL CHILD
Meanwhile, the newly diagnosed 2E child
might have emotional issues to unpack, as
they work to recalibrate their own self-worth.

“2E kids have a lot of knowledge about
themselves that’s often hard to express,”
says Rubenstein. A 2E’s inability to easily
do what they see their peers doing, or what
they think they should do, can cause intense
distress, as they struggle with heavy pressure
to perform and as they try to dig out from
having been labeled as “slacking off.”
I remember the day I tiptoed into my
son’s bedroom to share his diagnoses with
him, worried the label would upset him.

Instead, he punched a fist in the air and
shouted, “I knew it wasn’t my fault!”
With new supports in place, he’s improv-
ing, albeit more slowly than he (or I) wants.

But at least now, if someone tells him he
needs to “try harder,” he can tell them he
needs to “try differently.” T
Amy L. Freeman’s bylines include
The Washington Post, Parents.com,
HuffPost, GoodHousekeeping.com and
many others, including the 2018 Writer’s
Resist Anthology. She divides her time
between freelance writing and serving
as Development Director for The Writer’s
Center in Bethesda, MD.

“If parents are baffled by a child who has
terrific ability but underperforms, it’s wise
to consider why this happens rather than
relying on the intangible and relatively
useless bromide of ‘just try harder.’”
See how far your heart
can reach this year!
—PAUL RUBENSTEIN
ISTOCK/GETTY IMAGES PLUS/VICHIENPETCHMAI
See how far your heart
can reach this year!
Join a community of your
neighbors to enrich and
share! Volunteer with
Join a community of your neighbors to enrich and share! Meals on Wheels of
Volunteer with Meals on Wheels of Central Maryland.

Call Emily Trotter at: 443 573-0925
Central Maryland.

0($/6 OF CENTRAL MARYLAND
™ More than a meal
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