|
Do you ever feel like you’re falling short as a parent because your child isn’t meeting the milestones you expected? Let's redefine what success looks like together.
It’s easy to set high expectations based on what we assume parenting 'should' look like—often influenced by our experiences of how our friends & family raise their neurotypical children.
But when you’re raising a child with developmental disabilities, these expectations might not only be unrealistic, they can be unfair—to you and your child—and set your family up for challenging behavior.
Today, we’re going to talk about adjusting those expectations to fit the reality of your unique parenting journey.
Forget What You Know - Understanding Expectations:
Many of our expectations are shaped by society, family, or our own experiences growing up. Recognizing that these may not apply to the unique challenges and triumphs of raising a child with developmental disabilities is the first step.
Often, these conventional parenting beliefs are not only incorrect for children with developmental disabilities, but they actually hinder your child’s learning and progress.
This is because children diagnosed with developmental disabilities perceive the world differently and often need support from their parents to make sense of it.
Neurotypical children, although they still require this support, need it much less so and can often learn what these assumptions mean over time.
While children with developmental disabilities often cannot.
The Trap of Comparison:
Comparing your child to others, especially to neurotypical peers, can be a major source of stress.
Every child’s developmental path is unique, especially so for children with special needs. Focus on your child’s individual progress, not a comparison chart.
Success might not look like what you originally imagined. Instead, it might be your child learning to communicate their needs in their own way or managing a full day at school.
Regardless these are significant victories worth celebrating, and the quicker you can understand your child's needs, the better you will be able to help them make progress towards achieving their full potential.
|
