Nobody prepared us for how much the “small wins” would mean with CP

When my child was little, our schedule felt like one long rotation of therapy appointments, doctor visits, stretching routines, and insurance paperwork. At one point, I honestly felt like we were trying everything just to figure out what would actually help. Some therapies made a noticeable difference. Others just left us exhausted, stressed, and wondering if we were doing enough. One thing I wish more parents heard early on is that progress with cerebral palsy is rarely linear. Sometimes you work for months just to gain one small skill most people take for granted. I still remember the first time my child stood without holding onto anything for a few seconds. You would’ve thought we’d won the lottery. That’s the thing about raising a child with CP. The victories look different, but they feel huge. Finding the right doctors and therapists also changed everything for us. Not every specialist was a good fit, and it took time to find people who truly listened instead of treating my child like a checklist of symptoms. And yes, raising a child with disabilities can be incredibly hard sometimes. Emotionally, financially, physically… it adds up. People outside the disability world often don’t realize how expensive CP can be. Therapies, equipment, appointments, braces, surgeries, adaptive tools—it never really stops. But I also think attitude matters more than people realize. Not fake positivity. Not pretending things are easy. I mean the kind of attitude that says: “We’ll keep adapting. We’ll keep trying. We’ll celebrate progress however it comes.” Because even on the difficult days, those moments of growth matter. Raising any child is challenging. Raising a child with CP just means the challenges come in a different shape. And honestly, some of the strongest, most determined families I know are part of this community.