One thing I have learned in my eleven years as a mother and six years as a mother of three is that decisions are hard—so hard. Every child is different. Each of my children is unique. What they require from the world, my husband, and me is vastly different from the needs of their siblings.
This presents a challenge sometimes.
Every once in a while, we need to make huge decisions for our children. These decisions could change the course of their future. How do we know if we are making the right choice?
Recently, my husband and I made a decision regarding the education of our youngest child. One thing, which turned into a few different things, started pulling at me. Once I mentioned this to my husband, and we started paying attention to the future, I got the ball rolling, and things fell into place.
But how do I know if this is right? I don’t.
I know that my husband and I are the best parents we can be to our children. We understand that each one of them sometimes needs something extra. I know we want nothing more than to keep my children healthy and safe and give them the best possible chance in everything they do.
I also know that nothing is permanent. As a teacher, I make one hundred little daily decisions based on what is happening in my classroom. My husband and I will always do the same for our children.
And, sometimes, there are just signs from the universe. When I make a tough decision, I take comfort in the signs.
Will I ever know if one decision is right or wrong? No. As Robert Frost implies in his poem, “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” We must feel confident in our decisions for our children, as those will inform all the rest.