Parenting is difficult enough, and when your child has special needs, including autism, Down syndrome and cerebral palsy, you are challenged even further. The struggles seem to double, and if you don’t have support or you don’t practice acts of self-care, you can end up feeling alone, helpless and ultimately, an exhausted mom.
All of us are still reeling about the news of Kobe Bryant’s death. As someone who was so influential in the public eye as a role model and hero for so many kids as well as adults, it strikes extra hard to our hearts. When a catastrophic event like this happens, children may be troubled by what they see or hear about the tragedy. They may react with emotions such as fear, worry, shock and grief. And if you have a child with special needs, he may respond in ways that are difficult to handle. And while we may not be able to shield our children from tragic events, there are plenty of ways to help them through.
California State’s In-Home Supportive Services program (IHSS) provides an amazing program for financial support to enable you to stay at home with your child with a disability and keep her or him safe and happy. Children with special needs such as autism, Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy can often take a heavy financial toll on a family. It is common for you to have to stop working in order to take care of your child. But disability benefits such as In-Home Supportive Services (IHSS) and Protective Supervision allow you to be employed as your child’s in-home caretaker. But what if you already have IHSS, and they recently cut your IHSS hours? What do you do?
As a parent, you want to make sure that your child with special needs is never subjected to discrimination and that he or she gets every opportunity to thrive. To be an effective advocate for your child, however, you need to understand the laws that are in place to protect children with special needs. Federal laws regulate special education services and make sure schools provide accommodations for children with disabilities. Almost all states now have anti-bullying laws on the books as well. With a more thorough knowledge of these laws, you’ll better understand your child’s rights and how to defend him or her against unfair or discriminatory treatment.
School breaks offer great opportunities for extra fun and relaxed downtime for you and your child with special needs. However, time off from school can also create challenges for all parents and children. Disruption in your daily routine and an increase in unstructured moments for your child may result in low levels of motivation and higher levels of anxiety and stress. For you as a parent of a child with a disability like autism, these may seem magnified. Below are some helpful tips to help you survive these days during winter break with your child with special needs.
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