1. Intro
Parenting a child with Autism Spectrum Disorder, or ASD, is often more challenging than parenting a typical child. Asperger’s syndrome, or Asperger’s disorder, is a childhood developmental disorder characterized by extreme social and emotional deficits in individuals. In addition to behavioral problems, individuals with Asperger’s syndrome may have difficulties with language (verbal and nonverbal communication), auditory processing (the ability to detect, understand and respond to spoken language), and visual perception (the ability to see things as others see them).The term autistic spectrum was coined in the 1930s by Austrian psychiatrist Hans Asperger who created the concept of autistic spectrum disorder for the first time. It was later expanded by French pediatrician Jean-Paul Sartre into autism spectrum disorder in his book “Le Système Autiste”. The condition is similar to other developmental disorders including learning disabilities and emotional disorders such as depression and anxiety. According to autism expert Dr. John Elder Robison , “Autism does not occur because of any defect in the brain. It occurs when your brain doesn’t work right.”
2. The Role of a Parent
Parenting is a daunting task that can be overwhelming. One would expect the process to be easier with a little guidance and instruction. However, in today’s world, it can be difficult for parents to provide guidance and instruction without being overwhelmed. How do you begin? Where should you begin? What should you start with? What is the most important thing for your child to learn? Parents will often feel like they are missing out on something by not teaching their child something that could help them succeed in life. One of the most important things for a parent is to put themselves in their child’s shoes for a period of time. They need to understand how difficult it is for them, as well as how difficult it may be for their child. It’s not easy, but every parent has an experience that helps them understand why parenting is so difficult and what decisions they need to make while raising a child with special needs or disabilities. The experience of your own parents helps you prepare yourself mentally and emotionally so that when it comes time to parent your own children, you will have the experience necessary to help them succeed in life.
3. How to Cope with a Child with Special Needs
As a parent, you may feel frustration and sadness. The world has become very complex and confusing for a child with special needs. Often times, parents are confused about what to do. Parents are often more aware of the challenges their child will face than the challenges their child may face.As a parent, you may want to yell at your child or use harsh words in your frustration. You may want to threaten your child but do that too often and it is considered bullying by some. Your child’s needs will take up much of your time and energy. Sometimes you need to just stop talking, stop being angry or demanding something from them all together while they are trying to learn, then wait until they are ready and then talk again as if nothing has happened. There is no right or wrong way to parent a child with special needs. Some people believe that all children with special needs have autism; other people believe that some children with special needs have Asperger’s syndrome; other people believe that some children with special needs have ADHD; other people believe that some children with special needs have autism spectrum disorder (ASD). No one knows for sure how many children have these conditions but the number is estimated at about 23 million in America alone (Stark 2010).There is no one-size-fits-all strategy for parenting a child with special needs . It can be difficult if you have not been trained as an early intervention specialist to guide you through this process .Parents who feel resentment may find it hard to relate to their child’s feelings; they may feel like they don’t understand them or they aren’t good enough parents because their child has a disability . They may feel frustrated because there isn’t enough time for them because the demands on their time limit how much time they can spend on activities such as sports activities, watching television, homework and school work , reading books etc.…Parents who feel sadness may wonder why there is so much stress on them because their kid doesn’t seem like they need any help . They might also wonder why things don’t go as planned because there is something wrong with their kid but nobody seems able to fix it . Sometimes these parents feel angry at themselves for not being able to provide what their kid deserves . They might also wonder whether the world would be better off if everyone had more compassion towards others with disabilities and mental health issues instead of only towards those who are able bodied like themselves . The answer is no! Parents who think that all
4. What to Do When You Feel Frustrated, Sad or Resentful
This is not a common feeling. However, it is a very common feeling. It may be because you feel frustrated, sad and resentful about how much time your child needs to spend in daycare or school, or about how much time you must spend taking care of him or her. What do we mean by feeling frustrated? Are you frustrated by all the choices that need to be made? Do you feel as though your child’s interests are being pushed aside because there are too many other things on your plate? Then, there is this annoyance that comes from the fact that you keep thinking and thinking about what to do with your child. You can’t just leave him at home for two hours every day. Or, he needs to go to school for two hours every day. You have to readjust all the time. How hard is that? What if he falls down on the sidewalk? What if he gets sick at school? What if he doesn’t come home and you’re left to look after him by yourself? You may feel exhausted because of all those decisions. The pressure can get so high it feels like a constant weight falling on you, but there is a different way out of this dilemma. There are no wrong answers here; there’s only what works best for your family and your child’s needs. Here are some suggestions: Set up some accountability structures . These could be as simple as setting up a daily journal in which one parent writes down all the tasks that need doing in his or her child’s life (e.g., “I am responsible for making dinner tonight.”). This allows both parents to see how their roles have changed over time and ensures that each parent has something to fall back on when they need help with their child’s life(s).Make clear expectations . This means setting realistic goals for yourself about how much time will be spent on any particular task, such as: “Tonight I will make dinner.” “Tomorrow evening I will go grocery shopping.” “This week I will finish writing my novel by Friday evening. “Create some rules . Set up some rules as well (e.g., “No more eating chocolate cookies at night”) in order to create expectations around appropriate behavior (not eating chocolate cookies at night) within an allotted amount of time (e.g., three minutes) per night/weeknight/monthly/daily etc.). Be specific and let each parent know exactly what they have agreed not to do
5. Conclusion
Parents are human beings, and they should be treated as such. You may feel guilt when you think about your child’s special needs. However, not all parents would feel that way. Multiple studies have shown that many parents have quite a bit of guilt over the special needs of their children. For example, the results of one study found that parents with children with autism felt more guilt than fathers or mothers who had never had children with autism. One study also found that mothers who received prenatal care for their child’s condition reported more guilt than mothers who did not receive prenatal care for their child’s condition. In another study that compared the experiences of two groups of families—one group with a newborn infant and the other group with a toddler—it was discovered that mothers who had experienced childbirth were more likely to feel guilty than mothers whose infants were preterm or stillborn.