If you are the parent of a child with special needs, you know the challenges and opportunities presented to a family in your situation. Whatever the special needs may be, physical or mental, your child will be loved and cared for just as much as any other child with some slight variations to account for their disabilities.
It may be that extra attention needs to be paid to their school work, or you may need to spend more time to get them ready in the mornings, but these are relatively small efforts to make in the grand scheme of life.
Having a child with special needs also presents an opportunity for you and your family to sacrifice your own "wants" and instead focus on your child's "markets. " We all would like to get a little extra sleep or to be able to go out for the night on occasion, but if your child needs additional care or attention, the reward for spending the time with them is more significant than a nice meal or half an hour's worth of shut-eye.
Not knowing the future makes parenting a child with special needs similar to but also different than raising a child without special needs. While none of us can see into the future, we can assume that the path of a non-special needs child will follow along a way similar to the ones that we all took. School, career, family, etc., is a tried and true method of succeeding in our country.
This path isn't nearly as straight for special needs children and may not be possible. Working with educators, doctors, and other professionals means that more attention will likely be paid to your particular needs child's life course.
Be aware of your emotions and how you expose them to your particular needs to children.
Being a parent is emotional in and of itself. If you are not emotionally invested in your child and are well being, then I don't know how you would parent. Helping your child establish a strong sense of self-worth to succeed in life can be difficult in even the best circumstances. It is your job as a parent of a special needs child to establish a balance between accounting for the disabilities of your child while allowing them to flourish in whatever setting they find themselves in.
Feeling sorry for your unique needs child is probably not a reliable method to parent the child. If your instinct is to feel bad for your child constantly, this may lead to you preparing the "path" for your child rather than your child for the path. What I mean by this is that I've seen parents, good-natured and caring parents, attempt to micro-manage every aspect of their child's life.
No matter what their child was involved in the world, school, friends, and family would need to be tailored to their child. While I understand the motivation, I argue that preparing your child for the path is more efficient and effective parenting.
Prepare your child for experiencing the "real world" in a way appropriate for them based on their specific particular need(s). Make sure that they are aware that you understand the struggles that they face daily, but showing them that there are ways to overcome their disabilities and succeed even though they can be empowering and liberating for a child with special needs.
Sometimes as a parent, you need to remind yourself that no matter what you as a family are facing, there are people in your community that can relate to you and your unique needs child. Why not become as involved as possible with support groups, associations, and charities that assist children with the exact special needs as your child? Fostering a sense of giving back in your child can allow them to understand that it is essential for us to give of ourselves and our time no matter what circumstances we may be facing personally.
Medical care for special needs children is essential in many cases.
Depending on your child's particular need, they may require fairly consistent medical treatment and care. This can mean many different things for a family, specifically that the costs associated with such care can eat away at a family budget very quickly. One of the many meaningful discussions that we as a nation have right now concerns health insurance and access to care for American families. No matter where you fall on the spectrum of ideas associated with this subject, I think we can all agree that allowing the most vulnerable among us access to quality services is critical.
This need for specialized health care can be made even more challenging for families facing divorce. Taking away a parent's income and replacing it with child support can cost a child dearly if their unique needs are not accounted for. Tomorrow's blog post from the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, will discuss considerations to make if your child with special needs does require medical attention that is over and above a non-special needs child.
Questions about parenting a special needs child during a divorce or child custody case? Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, today.
The attorneys and staff with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, stand ready to assist you and your family with whatever family law issue you are currently encountering. Our office has represented clients with special needs children on many occasions and is happy to discuss how we can help you manage your case in this type of situation. A free-of-charge consultation with one of our licensed family law attorneys is only a phone call away.
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- Divorce and Special Needs Children in Texas Revisited
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Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC | Houston, Texas Divorce Lawyers
The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, routinely handles matters that affect children and families. If you have questions regarding divorce, it's essential to speak with one of our Houston, TX, Divorce Lawyers right away to protect your rights.
Our divorce lawyers in Houston, TX, are skilled at listening to your goals during this trying process and developing a strategy to meet those goals. Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC by calling (281) 810-9760 or submit your contact information in our online form. The Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC, handles divorce cases in Houston, Texas, Cypress, Klein, Humble, Kingwood, Tomball, The Woodlands, Houston, the FM 1960 area, or surrounding areas, including Harris County, Montgomery County, Liberty County, Chambers County, Galveston County, Brazoria County, Fort Bend County, and Waller County.
