My Friend Sherri

There are a lot of mommy bloggers out there, but sometimes I wonder if the mothers with the most poignant stories to share are those least likely to blog about it. Perhaps they don't ever have a single minute to themselves (and I mean ever), or perhaps they live in fear of what might happen if they "go public." So I am extremely honored to refer you to a very moving post called Why Kiddie Parties Are No Fun For Me by my friend Sherri, who wrote it for a special needs blog called Special Happens. Sherri is not actually a blogger (though she tweets about everything from autism to baseball). But you'll see that not only does Sherri write beautifully, but she also has a very important story to share. She is a divorced single mother of a gorgeous five-year-old boy with autism (the little Jeter fan in the picture). She and I met in a support group in NYC last year for parents of children with special needs. Sherri and I were the only two mothers in the group who also are divorced. Sherri and her son have become dear friends to my children and me. She inspires me with her unflagging 24/7 dedication to her son despite challenges that would make many moms I know give up. In honor of Autism Awareness Month, please take a moment to read her post (and its comments) to understand what this single mom must face in her efforts to help her son fit in. And please don't ever, ever, take for granted the abilities that your child has.

p.s. Sherri, I am so proud of you for coming forward with your post. And I think that you should definitely start your own blog.

p.p.s. Sherri and her son are one of the thousands of families helped by YAI, the non-profit agency for people with disabilities on whose board I serve. I will be telling you more about my fundraising efforts for YAI's annual Central Park Challenge--hosted by Sherri Shepherd--very soon.