* Collaborative post
Raising children with disabilities is a part of life for many parents. And for that reason, they need to think carefully about how they raise their kids in ways that their peers perhaps don’t.
Knowing where to start, though, can be a challenge. Nobody coaches you to be a parent. And certainly nobody teaches you how to raise a child with profound disabilities.
So what tools can you use? Let’s take a look.
Give Your Child A Sense Of Control
Children with disabilities can often tell instinctively that something isn’t quite right, and it can lead to frustration. For that reason, parents should provide them with a sense of control to the maximum extent possible. Having choices can help them better process the world and feel as though they have a sense of agency. It’s the simple things that make the biggest difference, like being able to choose what they have for dinner or what to watch on TV. Big decisions - such as what school to attend - matter too. But often it’s the small things that have the most significant impact on their psychology.
Get Access To Benefits
Did you know that the government offers a host of help and disability schemes for parents of children living with disabilities?
Here’s a rundown:
Motability. The Motability charity runs the Motability Scheme, and it provides cash off new cars on certain family cars. For instance, Audi Q2 Motability offers give you money off the Audi Q2 SUV and so on.
Disability Living Allowance And Personal Independence Payment. This scheme is for parents of children with disabilities under the age of 16. The idea is to provide parents with additional money if their child has difficulty getting around.
Carer’s allowance. This payment is for parents who are carers for their disabled child.
There are also a bunch of other schemes you might want to investigate, such as council tax reduction, help with health costs and disabled facilities grant.
Seek Specialist Assistance
While disabilities are usually permanent, there are often ways to manage or reduce their severity. Many children with autism, for instance, can improve their cognition and social skills with the help of trained educators and therapists. Often, you don’t have to pay out of pocket for these services: the state provides them. In some cases, you may need to hire additional help, particularly speech and language therapists or physiotherapists.
Add Learning Slots To The Day
Children with disabilities can find it challenging to sit down and decide to learn. For that reason, they need bite-sized learning slots, fit in throughout the day. Experts usually recommend you limit these to between fifteen and forty-five minutes. Short bursts are generally much more useful for learning than longer sessions lasting more than an hour, especially if your child has ADD. Move More Movement is a huge stress reliever for both adults and children. Try to make it a regular part of your day - just something that you do as a family to stay healthy and happy.
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