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12 | THE REVIEW SEPTEMBER 2026 Enjoying the joy of parenting Parenting is a rollercoaster ride of highs and lows, but when you add living with a disability into the mix, there are extra challenges to contend with. By MELANIE LOUDEN Cerebral Palsy Society members Kris Edwards and Tiresa Sio say when you live with Cerebral Palsy (CP) – Hōkai Nukurangi, there is a sense of fear and nervousness in the early days of parenting. But when they each made adjustments and gave themselves some breathing space, they were able to “enjoy the joy” of parenting. Kris, dad to 14-year-old Caleb and stepdad to Zac, 22, says he had “lots of fears” and was “secretly stressed” about having a child with Cerebral Palsy. “The second [Caleb] was born I checked his legs! I had concerns about how much my CP gets in the way of raising a child and how much more pressure that puts on my wife.” Kris, who is GMFCS 2, says there were practical and physical concerns that he had to consider including the impact lifting and carrying Caleb would have on his back. “The second [Caleb] was born I checked his legs! I had concerns about howmuch my CP gets in the way of raising a child and howmuch more pressure that puts on my wife,” Kris says. Above, left to right: Kris, pictured with his son Caleb, learnt to parent around his limitations. Kris, with his wife Caro, stepson Zac, right, and son Caleb. “I also was genuinely worried about dropping him or falling over while holding him as my balance wasn’t great, which did happen a couple of times. Thankfully I have mastered the art of falling safely so no harm was done to either of us.” The Auckland resident says the key was finding ways to work around his CP so he could be fully involved as a parent and enjoy it. For example, Kris helps train Caleb’s rugby team and ensures other people demonstrate the drills. When he went to school camp Kris arranged for teachers or other parents to help with their gear so he “didn’t look too awkward”. FEATURE