What CAN they do?

I think a lot about the problems my kids have or will have or will never have but I worry about it anyway. I stress over my oldest having ADHD (the real kind, not the bad kid kind) and the effects of it in his academic life and his future career and relationships. I stress over the youngest being easily set into tears, will he be bullied, will he learn to control his emotions? These are trivial things when I think about the parents whose children I serve everyday at work. I am a speech language pathologist and work with special ed preschoolers. Some of my students can't speak, can't hear, can't laugh, can't have relationships. Their lives are filled with CAN'T. It breaks my heart. But, it puts my problems into perspective really fast. Who cares if E cries? He's in touch with his emotions..... Who cares if J can't do a report without assistance...so he won't be a journalist. Someone always has it worse that I do or you do. We have to be glad and accept what we have and make the best of it. After all, we only get one shot at life.
What CAN they do? They can do everything else! My students at school CAN do many other things. Things that are so important that we overlook them. They can fill my heart with love and compassion (I have a tough exterior so you may not know that I actually love my job because of the students).
I want to focus on what my kids and my students CAN do. 

Turning the baby into a boy

Elijah is not a baby, he's 8. However, he's about as self sufficient as a baby. It's my fault and I admit it. I've  keep him co-dependent so I feel needed, it's a sick and twisted world we mothers live in. But now it's very annoying. He can't do a lot of things he should be able to do....he just learned to ride a bike for the love of God. I compare he and JC a lot (not to their face, obviously) and there are so many things that JC could do at this age that Eli can not do. It's interesting how different our kids are when they grow up in the same house, same parents, same situations.....
Last night he wanted to sleep in our room so I told him he had to make his bed on the floor by himself if he was going to stay. So he made his bed....wanted another blanket but I wouldn't get it, so he didn't get one. Then lights out and 10 minutes later he starts crying. I ask him what's wrong and he says that it's not comfortable because I wouldn't get him another blanket and he is 'squished' between the bed and the dresser......my words "um, move then dipstick, solve the problem don't just lay there and cry about it"....he had to go to his own room then because I was so mad that he was lacking so much self sufficiency that it was irritating. Eli is very intelligent but is not very street smart. I've created a baby !!!! So I am now making him do more things for himself, I pledge, I promise. This morning I made him fix his breakfast by himself and other than me having to take the scalding hot bowl out of the microwave he did it all by himself.....and got his own drink : ) Whew, so hard.I think it's funny how the 'need' to be needed rules our lives as mothers and as humans I guess. We all love to be loved : )
I will never give up the bedtime song, no matter how old or independent. Their wives will have to pull me out of their bedroom by my hair, first. Just try me, future ladies.
Is your youngest as co-dependent as mine?