Connect What is the most rewarding part of being a mom?

The most rewarding part is how much each one of my daughters have taught me about life and about myself. They have forced me to grow in ways I never knew were possible and made me realize how strong I can actually be and how much love I can give. There is no better feeling than realizing your child just taught you a very valuable lesson that you didn’t know you needed and it makes me a better mom each time. I’m constantly learning from them every day.

What is the biggest lesson motherhood has taught you?

I think the biggest lesson is learning that “hard” doesn’t mean “bad”, learning to be grateful for the hard parts of life because that’s what pushes us forward as people. As a special needs mom I have had countless times where the unbelievably hard times ended being the biggest blessings for us as a family. I hope to pass along that same lesson to my girls so they can confidently get through the hard times.

What would you do with $20,000?

I would help pay some of the debt we have collected from the countless therapies my daughter has and give the rest to my non-profit so I can continue to build an inclusive community and support other autism moms like myself.