Many parents say that when they are told that their child has some condition, it is almost as shocking as hearing the child had died. Some parents go into a state of grieving because their perception of that child's life is changed dramatically. Their hopes and dreams for their baby being successful in the way that they envisioned success to be often disappears. Sometimes, all they see is a life filled with heartache and despair, and that can prove to be an overwhelming burden. If the child senses this grief and despair from their parents as it relates to their disability, it will impact how the child learns to cope. But, more important, the child will tend to dwell on all the things he or she cannot do rather than focus on all the things he or she can do. That is a major difference in focus, and a major contributor to how he or she will live life. In this article, the author, born with cerebral palsy, shares how her parents brought her up doing the same things that her five older siblings did. From her perspective, parents should always see the child as a person, his or her disability a distant second. They should never put the main emphasis on disability, but rather focus energy on ability. Children will have successes and failures as they grow up, and a child with a disability should be allowed to experience the same. A person, with or without a disability, only grows and becomes stronger and more capable when allowed to experience and learn from their own successes and disappointments. It is the role of the parents of a child with a disability to keep things in perspective. Let the child be a child. Let him live and experience all that life has to offer.