Glass Children…

What are glass children? They are ‘normal’ children with special needs siblings.

i heard this term for the very first time a few months ago when i watched a TedX Video from their event in San Antonio. It was a talk presented by Alicia Arenas. She herself was a glass child.

This is her definition of glass children from her website, Sanera People Development Company:

Glass children are healthy children who have brothers or sisters with special needs. They are typically emotionally neglected, experience severe pressure to be problem-free and perfect, take on parental responsibilities within the family at a young age and have an overwhelming need to make others happy. All this while receiving little nurturing and support in their development years.

i like how she said that glass children are actually very strong because of what they have to go through in their unique family situations. But it was sad to hear how much pain she went through. Her parents, and others around her didn’t know, because she was the “perfect” child, she was a good girl, doing whatever she can to make her parents happy; she knew that she had to stay out of trouble because her parents were overwhelmed needing to care for her 2 special needs brothers. She always said she was fine when in fact she was not. She was dying inside, needing attention, love and care.

At the end of her talk, she talked about 1 mile per hour wind; a wind which is near calm and only slightly bends a little blade of grass, a wind which can change the trajectory of a bullet by 15 inches. She appealed to the people in the audience to be that 1 mile per hour wind and make a difference in the life of a glass child.

While you consider being that 1 mile per hour wind for a glass child, i ask you to also consider being that near calm wind for my lovely Heather.

In a way, Heather is like the glass child among other special needs children. She is perfectly healthy with the exception of that extra chromosome; she has Down Syndrome. But because she only has that one medical condition and very little other information about her on her profile, i think that she may not be receiving as much attention as she should.

This month (September) she turns 11. No one to celebrate for her. No one to bake her a cake, let alone blow out candles with her.

i am celebrating for her by doing a post for her every Monday in September; praying and hoping this will get her the attention she needs; maybe her forever family will finally find her.

Please join me in praying for Heather. Praying for her daily needs and most importantly, praying for a loving family to come and bring her home.

As you look at her picture, think about her situation. Could you be the family who could help her grow up into the wonderful girl i know she is inside? If you think so, then do send an email to Reece’s Rainbow to enquire about her.

Last but not least, she has a very small adoption grant at the moment. You can help it grow by going to her profile page (click on her name or picture) and use the Donate button to contribute towards it. An international adoption can cost anywhere from US$20,000 to US$40,000. A larger adoption grant will help her forever family reach her sooner.

Thank you so much.

syc