Language
  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Portuguese
  • Spanish
  • Swedish
Back to Firefly Blog

Special Needs Parenting: It’s The Law

Special Needs Parenting: It’s The Law

I was hesitant about my husband going away.

Why?

Because our younger daughter, Miss Z, is the master of, “Whatever can go wrong, will go wrong”, - and usually at the worst possible time.

Let me give you an example.

Earlier this year, my husband wanted to travel to the UK for 10 days.

The girls and I would stay at home.

I encouraged him to go, saying, “We’ll be fine… just so long as Miss Z doesn’t end up in the hospital.”

(Followed by a chuckle, because Miss Z was fine when I said it).

I’m sure you know what happened next.

My husband flew out to the UK on Thursday afternoon and by Saturday I was calling an ambulance for Miss Z.

She ended up spending 7 out of the 10 days he was away in the hospital.

Generally, Miss Z is slightly subtler in demonstrating her, “law”. I’m usually faced with things such as seizures just as the school bus arrives or coughing fits when we walk into the library.

If we’re planning a big outing with Miss Z, she’ll be happy and healthy the two days before, only to wake up in a foul mood, constantly crying and probably running a temperature on the day that matters.

I can give her anti-constipation medication for days, but it will only kick in when she’s in the pool for hydrotherapy.

This is also the girl who gives everyone big, silly grins until you pull out a phone or camera – and then she’ll scowl like no one’s business.

Whereas Murphy’s law incorporates an element of hope – sure if something can go wrong, it will, but you can do something to prevent it going wrong, right? – Miss Z’s law is heavy with inevitability.

No matter what you do or how prepared you are, it will still go wrong when you least expect it.

So, on that morning when I need everything to run like clockwork in order to get one child to school, one child to an appointment and me to somewhere else, I can plan and prepare the night before all I want, set everything out so we only have to get dressed and walk out the door – Miss Z is still probably going to throw a spanner in the works!

Z’s law makes me superstitious.

After all, she has a history of developing issues shortly after I proclaim to a doctor that she has never had that issue.

So now, I do a lot of knocking on wood, crossing my fingers and prefacing sentences with, “I hope it’s not bad luck to say…”.

Here’s how a typical conversation with the neurologist goes:

Neurologist: How have Miss Z’s seizures been?

Me: Well, her seizures seem to have decreased (knocks on wood).

Neurologist: How has she responded to the new medication?

Me: So far she has responded well - she hasn’t shown any side effects.

Since I’m most superstitious about seizures, Miss Z’s neurology appointments sound like a hungry woodpecker is in the room.

Based on the fact our neurologist doesn’t seem to find this unusual, I suspect I’m not the only parent with this type of superstition.

Z’s law isn’t all bad though.

Like Murphy’s and Sod’s laws, it can be really effective at making me laugh at the situation – and myself.

It is also a reminder that things go wrong and yet we still survive.

Missing the bus, interrupting the library with loud coughing, frowning at the camera – this has all happened before and will happen again, but we’ll go on.

Because that is the second part of Z’s law – if something can go wrong, it probably will, but we’ll survive it and laugh about it… eventually.

Firefly Blog

Real life stories, issues and experiences of day to day life by special needs parents and
healthcare professionals.

One of the Wonders

Meet Our Blogger

I'm the mum of two beautiful, vibrant, opinionated girls, one of whom has a complex, life-limiting condition. Living in Australia (a place I'd never expected to end up), I try to balance caring for my daughters with a career as a writer/researcher, a serious caffeine habit and occasional running (or jogging... or walking around the block with the dog).

View Sarah’s Profile

Become a Firefly Blogger

Would you like to write for Firefly? Join our blogger network of parents, therapists and professionals.

Get In Touch

Become a subscriber today

Join over 40,000 subscribers to our weekly newsletter with insightful articles just when you need them.

Join Mailing List

By using our site you agree to our use of cookies. Click here for more info.

Accept & Close

No Interest if paid in full in 4 months on

Purchases on £99+

UK Customers only. Subject to credit approval. See terms below

Paypal Credit

Pay now or pay over time with PayPal Credit. Just use PayPal Credit in PayPal checkout.

Subject to credit approval.

Purchases of £99+:

No Interest if paid in full in 4 months on purchases of £99 or more.

  • A minimum monthly payment is required and may or may not pay off the promotional purchase by the end of the 4-month period.
  • No interest will be charged on the purchase if you pay it off in full within 4 months. If you do not, interest will be charged on the purchase from the purchase date at the Purchase APR applicable to your account.
  • Any remaining balance due after the 4-month promotional period or any transactions under £99 will be charged interest at 19.9% p.a. (variable).

Purchases of £98.99 or less:

Buy now and pay over time with PayPal Credit when you spend £98.99 or less.

  • If you pay your balance in full each month by the payment due date that is on your statement, you can avoid paying interest.
  • Or, make minimum monthly payments, or any additional amount of your choosing, until you've paid off your balance according to your standard account terms. Please note, interest charges may apply.
  • We'll send you email reminders when your payments are due. You can also keep track of your account and view your statements online at any time.

About PayPal Credit

  • PayPal Credit is a reusable credit line available on purchases at thousands of stores that accept PayPal. It's also available for purchases on eBay and exclusively at thousands of other online stores. Plus, it comes with the same security and flexibility you trust from PayPal.
  • In order to maintain the 0% offer, you need to keep up monthly repayments and stay within your credit limit. Credit subject to status. Terms and conditions apply. UK residents only.

Please wait...