Availing Of Friends And Family Support For Children With Disabilities
In this article, I felt it was important to discuss how family and friends can be availed of in the care of your disabled child.
By care I mean the emotional and physical wellbeing of your special child.
Sometimes parents try to do everything themselves but if family and friends are willing to and have offered to help out, you should at least be open to this possibility and give them a chance to help.
This would not only allow you time to get on top of household chores, shopping etc but also time to recharge your batteries and take some time for yourself as a person.
There is a great temptation for parents of children with disabilities to close up emotionally, but if you can share this pain with another it isn't as bad as holding the burden all by yourself.
When it comes to relationships, it is quite easy to fall out with family and friends.
After all these are the people we expect most from and we can be hurt or offended by things they say or do about your child.
Even with family and friends you will always be dealing with other people's reactions to your child's disability.
Other family members may be unsure of what they can do to help.
Some may even have no wish to help.
Family and friends may also react to your child or to you in a way that upsets you.
This is often as a result of a lack of understanding or by simply just not knowing what to say.
Consequently they may react inappropriately.
Instead of falling out with the person give then the benefit of the doubt and make allowances for their unintentional ignorance.
Take it upon yourself to educate them in a constructive and informative way.
This is the best advice I can give to parents of children with disabilities.
Grandparents can be especially upset with their grandchild's disability.
They may experience double grief not only due to their own child's pain but also to the grandchild's special needs.
It is important that friends and family get to know your child as a person and not just a person with a disability.
Help them understand the child's needs and strengths and do not be afraid to ask them to help your child with something they struggle with in addition to participating in a task they enjoy.
Your child will benefit from the company of a person close to you, once they are willing to help out.
They will have the child's best interests at heart and will do their very best to offer support to you as the child's parents and to the child so that they can have the best quality care possible.
By care I mean the emotional and physical wellbeing of your special child.
Sometimes parents try to do everything themselves but if family and friends are willing to and have offered to help out, you should at least be open to this possibility and give them a chance to help.
This would not only allow you time to get on top of household chores, shopping etc but also time to recharge your batteries and take some time for yourself as a person.
There is a great temptation for parents of children with disabilities to close up emotionally, but if you can share this pain with another it isn't as bad as holding the burden all by yourself.
When it comes to relationships, it is quite easy to fall out with family and friends.
After all these are the people we expect most from and we can be hurt or offended by things they say or do about your child.
Even with family and friends you will always be dealing with other people's reactions to your child's disability.
Other family members may be unsure of what they can do to help.
Some may even have no wish to help.
Family and friends may also react to your child or to you in a way that upsets you.
This is often as a result of a lack of understanding or by simply just not knowing what to say.
Consequently they may react inappropriately.
Instead of falling out with the person give then the benefit of the doubt and make allowances for their unintentional ignorance.
Take it upon yourself to educate them in a constructive and informative way.
This is the best advice I can give to parents of children with disabilities.
Grandparents can be especially upset with their grandchild's disability.
They may experience double grief not only due to their own child's pain but also to the grandchild's special needs.
It is important that friends and family get to know your child as a person and not just a person with a disability.
Help them understand the child's needs and strengths and do not be afraid to ask them to help your child with something they struggle with in addition to participating in a task they enjoy.
Your child will benefit from the company of a person close to you, once they are willing to help out.
They will have the child's best interests at heart and will do their very best to offer support to you as the child's parents and to the child so that they can have the best quality care possible.
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