My child was diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) [1] four years ago. Having a diagnosis that explains your child's behaviour [2] provides parents with an incredible sense of relief. However, having a child with a disability [3] also provides parents with an enormous amount of stress and worry, more so than other parents.
There have been times when I stayed up all night worrying about my child and what her future holds. Sometimes, my stress levels are through the roof [4] and my patience wears thin. This results in an emotional breakdown, followed by extreme guilt. My child doesn't deserve this type of behaviour from me. What she needs is for me to be her rock and her calm in the storm. So in order to help me cope with my child's disability, and therefore help her, I do these five things.
Learn All I Can
From reading books and attending webinars to watching YouTube videos and reading online articles, I've become an unofficial expert on my child's disability. The more I understand my child [6], the better I can help her and handle what life throws at us.
Join a Support Group
Whether it is a support group where you can meet and speak with others face to face or an online community [7], it's important to have other people in your life that are in your shoes. Knowing you are not alone and that there are other parents just like you is so comforting and reassuring.
See a Therapist
Being a parent to a child with a disability can be very stressful and exhausting. A well-trained and educated therapist or psychologist can be of tremendous help [8] by offering their expertise on the subject and all that you deal with as a parent.
Vent
It's never a good idea to keep all of those negative emotions and thoughts bottled up, so confide in a trusted friend or family member and let it all out. Venting about your life as a parent [9] of a child with a disability doesn't mean you don't love your child, of course. What it means is you are human.
Make Time For Myself
This is much easier said than done, but try to get a family member or trusted friend to babysit so you can have some well deserved "me time" to recharge. You work so hard all the time, and getting a break once in a while [10] greatly benefits your mental health, life, and family.