Having a child who is as fragile as a porcelain doll, it's understandable that, naturally, I would tend to be a little overprotective. My special needs son is very vulnerable, and it would be irresponsible of me not to be extra cautious and attentive. But how much protection does he really need? How much is too much, and how little is too little?

There are no parenting books that explain where to draw that line, simply because each child is very different from the next. Many times, I'm afraid my own fears may compromise his freedom. Yet, I can see how heartbroken he is when he becomes injured at the expense of a particular activity. Their welfare is our responsibility, and it's a tough job to figure out where that line is to be drawn.

We must encourage our children to enjoy their freedom despite our own fears. Risks will always be there no matter what, and, with our guidance, children will learn which activities are worth the injuries and which are not. Only experience will teach us where we draw that line with our own children.

Recently, I was offered the option to have my son take the bus to school in the morning and bring him back home in the afternoon. Up until this point, I was picking him up and dropping him off at school myself. It felt like a good idea to show him some freedom and save me some time in the morning as well.

To say I was apprehensive about this big step is an understatement. He is only 5 years old, after all, and not a normal 5-year-old either. Our friends and family were skeptical, but he was so excited at the prospect of taking the famous "school bus," I realized it might possibly work. I arranged to have him in a wheelchair from the time he left the house until the moment he entered the classroom to avoid anyone wanting to pick him up or hurt him in any way.

On the first day, I followed the bus to school. I just needed to see how they were going to handle him, who would pick him up, drop him off, etc. That afternoon, I was outside the house eagerly awaiting his return, and it warmed my heart to see his smiling face waving at me, excited that he was in the school bus. To this day, I've had no problems at all, and everyone is very helpful and kind. Despite my initial fears, it turned out to be a good decision.

I know that in the future I will have to make many more decisions to help my child in the direction of freedom, and I also know I will fear each outcome. Letting him get his driver's license, taking a trip alone, allowing him a ride on that roller coaster or going away to camp and so much more. But I vow to never let my fears stand in the way of my child's freedom. I will always keep my mind open to the possibility that things can work out, and his life will be improved because of it.

Want to see more?

• Welcome to Holland: Parenting a Special Needs Child
• Beyond Surprise and Shock: Learning Your Baby Has Special Needs
• When Motherhood Takes on New Meaning: Parenting a Child With a Disability
• Talk about it!