I am Leila. I am the mother of two beautiful boys. I don’t like very crowded places. It bothers me when the volume is too high. I am very self-aware, and also very aware of others people’s feelings. I expect others to be equally aware of my feelings and am frequently disappointed. I enjoy having deep and meaningful conversations and deeply enjoy the finer things in life. Almost every movie I watch can make me cry. It kills me to see someone in pain or to even know they’re in pain. I love passionately. I am highly sensitive.
Luca is my son. He cannot tolerate crowded or noisy places. He is very self-aware; he is aware of the actions he takes and the consequences they have. He feels regret and uses that feeling to do better. He worries about people. It hurts him to see someone hurt and needs to make sure they’re alright. He has never broken a toy or ripped a book. He hates getting his clothes wet and his hands dirty. He loves passionately and expresses his love. He can read. Luca is a highly sensitive child. He is an extraordinary child. He is 4 years old.
I am blessed to have a son like Luca. Being his mom has been extremely challenging and many times has left me almost hopeless. Almost all things which seem to be easy in other families have been a struggle in ours. My husband and I have dreamed of being able to go out for lunch with Luca without worrying about how to handle him and keep him from making a scene. We have dreamed of taking him to birthday parties. We have dreamed of him enjoying the playground like most other kids. At times things got so frustrating we felt like we were the only ones going through this struggle.
It has been four years now, and Luca has come a long way! Being so aware it almost seems like he sets goals for himself and works hard to achieve them. When he fails, he knows, and he talks about his failures. He handles difficult situations very well, and you can tell he is trying hard. He has amazing self-control. Sometimes it seems like he’s an adult stuck in a four-year-old body.
Luca could read the alphabet before he could talk. He had over a hundred books by the time he was 1 year old (I counted them), and we discovered he could read books when he was 3 years and 3 months old. He is almost four today and he will sit down and read books meant for third and fourth graders. He loves his books. He loves the stories. He is inspired by them. Many times, after a bad day, he will grab a related story and have me read it to him to help him do better next time.
Luca has inspired me. I look at and him and watch him in awe most of the time. And even though the past four years have been tough, the rewards have been unbelievable! He just has so much to offer at such a young age, it’s just amazing.
I have recently met other moms of children who are like Luca. They have all been through the same thing and have very similar stories to tell. And like me, they like the reassurance of knowing that they are not alone.
I am not a writer. I am not a blogger. Heck, I don’t even have time for this! But I am going to start writing about my experience with Luca for two main reasons: (1) putting it all down on paper gives you a clearer perspective most of the time and (2) in hopes that other parents will benefit from it. I truly hope I can accomplish this.
Here’s wishing you a happy day with your sensitive and extraordinary child!
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