No matter what type of special needs your child has, it can feel daunting tackling each day. It may cover anything from repeating yourself fifty times in a day to getting nothing else accomplished except getting your child dressed and fed. It’s important to keep in mind a few things to help yourself and your child make more progress each day.
Understanding What Your Child Needs
Your family may have just recently found out that one of your children has a special need, or maybe you’ve known for years but you’re feeling stressed and overworked. Either way, you need to do your research and find out as much as you can about what your child’s special needs entail. Gather information from their doctor, teacher, and potentially therapist to know how to better focus on their health aspect of life, whether it’s more diet based or education based. As well as learning a lot of information for your own family to use, whether it is tips on how to get a day to go smoothly, or how to understand where your child is coming from.
Having a better scope of what your child is going through everyday and what they do and do not understand will make a huge impact on reaching them. It can help them feel comfortable in their own home and in accomplishing tasks. And helps you understand what they can and can not do in a day and how to better talk to them and get your point across.
Seek Support
Whether you are a single parent or not, seeking support outside of the home is always a good idea. See if there are specific support groups around you that meet in person or at least meet online. These groups of parents can help you and be a sounding board for any stresses or questions you may be experiencing. They also have the hands-on experience that you’re dealing with on a daily basis and may be able to help you. Or at least be another person you can vent to!
This can also help you potentially find other parents with special needs children who may live close by. You can stay in touch with them and meet them as well to help your child see more children who are experiencing what they are going through too. And make sure to set aside some time for yourself to recharge too, especially if you are a single parent. See if any of your parent-friends would mind baby sitting here and there to give you a chance to have a break, and then do the same for them. Remember that in order to be your best self, you also need time for yourself!
Katie Kyzivat