What surprised me was his honest sharing about his reaction.  I had never bothered to ask other people what their reaction was after learning about attachment disorder for the first time!  He said it scared him.  The stakes are so high, it is like life and death, and having children with such inner rage and extreme behaviors was a little scary for him.

Wow!  What a concept!  I have grown so used to attachment disorder, it doesn’t scare me anymore.  Oh sure, I remember specific events that were pretty scary for me, but as a whole, attachment disorder doesn’t scare me.  I have lived with it, I have seen the ugly depths of it, and yet I have seen the beauty of a healing heart in the midst of it.  It doesn’t scare me  - it excites me!  When I am discouraged, I go back and read letters from parents or watch footage of Family Challenge camps as I trace the healing that I am privileged to watch over time.  That is a sure cure to any discouragement!

Yet, it was good to remember that for those who do not have first-hand experience are scared.  It allows me to approach them and our conversations with more compassion.  In my conversations with them I want to focus on the hope that there is for attachment disorder – do my part in my conversations to dispel fear, and to introduce hope.

Your thoughts…

How do you share about RAD or your experiences with Family Challenge Camps with the 'outside world'? What reactions have you gotten back? Have you been able to encourage or offer hope to other families?  Share in the comment section just below!