8 Tips for Moms of Special Needs Children

If you've recently been told that your child has a learning disability, or even if you've known from birth that your child would need special care, you're likely feeling scared, sad, angry - any number of emotions. That's okay. There will come a time, though, when you need to push negative feelings to the background and raise your child. Being the mother of a special needs child myself (he's now an adult), I have a few tips and recommendations which might make life easier for you and your child.

Tip #1: If your child is severely mentally and/or physically handicapped, there could come a time when you're faced with the decision of trying to keep the child at home, or placing him in a care facility. Should the latter occur, immediately dispense with any guilt you may feel, since you're probably doing what's best for the child. If you simply can't take care of him, there's no reason to feel guilty, you just aren't able - period.

Schedule lots of time for visitation, take the child on outings, and spend quality time with him when you're able. Don't beat yourself up over something that's out of your control. You'll only make yourself miserable and find it hard to work or lead a normal life. Find the best care facility possible and be there as often as you can.

Tip #2: From birth, let the child know who's boss. Discipline doesn't have to be physical threats or mental cruelty. Without strict discipline, though, the child will grow up throwing fits, possibly even hitting others, biting himself or others, throwing objects, and displaying further dangerous behavior. From then on out, you have no control over your child, and life is going to be miserable.

Although it's more difficult to convey a message to a special needs child, most can and do understand, particularly if they've been experiencing things since they were very young. Some parents of special needs children have success with simply removing a misbehaving child from the room, temporarily. They get the message that they won't be part of the group, or will miss out on the fun, if they don't behave.