Dear Eric: I have two daughters with special needs. They function around the level of a 10-year-old. They are also nonverbal in public. It is very unlikely that they will ever have a relationship with anyone, much less have children. So, it is likely that I will never be a grandmother. My question is how do I deal with the grief that causes me?

I have two daughters with special needs. It is unlikely that they will ever have a relationship with anyone, much less have children.

Talking openly about the way that you’re feeling – with a therapist, with friends, with other parents of children with special needs – is a good first step. Being able to lay it all out may not lessen the grief right away,