The Weight of Advocacy

People often tell me I’m a strong advocate. What they don’t always see are the moments when I don’t feel strong at all.

Lately, I’ve found myself wondering why some of this feels so much harder than it used to. Why answering one more email feels impossible. Why volunteering—something I genuinely care about—can suddenly feel heavy instead of energizing. And I think I finally realized why: I’ve been in the trenches for a long time.

When you’re advocating for your child, it isn’t something you do a few times a year. It becomes part of your life. You learn the terminology. You prepare for meetings. You read evaluations. You ask questions. You celebrate the wins while still wondering what might have been missed. Somehow, you’re always looking ahead to the next thing before you’ve even had time to process the last one.

You keep going because your child deserves it and because nobody knows your child the way you do. But sometimes, you get tired. Not because you stopped caring. Not because you’re giving up. And definitely not because the things you’ve been advocating for suddenly matter less. You’re just tired. There’s a difference.

I think sometimes we question ourselves when we don’t have the same fire we had before. We wonder where our passion went or why we suddenly don’t have anything left to give. Maybe the passion isn’t gone. Maybe you’ve just been carrying a lot for a very long time. Advocacy is heavy because your heart is attached to every decision. It’s your kid. Their education. Their confidence. Their future.

So if you’re in the trenches too, I hope you give yourself a little grace. Some seasons are for pushing hard. Some are for building. Some are for showing up quietly. And some are simply about catching your breath. They all count. The work will still be there tomorrow. And so will you.

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