I have been a teacher seven years, and have taught special education for the last two. I have seen new research, new techniques, and even new diagnoses, but the one constant I have noticed is parents put all their energy into their children, thus neglecting themselves.

Often days are packed with therapy, appointments, and assessments, not to mention the stress and anxiety that can come with having a special needs child.  All these things are necessary and very rewarding, but can drain parents’ energy levels. And all children, especially those with special needs, need their parents to be operating at full capacity at all times. Here are some tips which I have heard:

Communicate: Talk with others about your situation, your needs, your goals . . . just talk. No one will know what your problem is unless you verbalize it.

Become an effective time manager: There are so many great resources out there to help us be effective, both electronic and paper. You can see my organization methods here and here.

Recognize accomplishments: both yours and your child’s.

Add some humor to your life: Subscribe to a daily joke site, play silly games, read uplifting articles.

Take care of your physical self: Exercise, eat well, and get plenty of sleep. Your child needs you to be healthy and strong so that he or she can flourish.

Just as it is important for your child to be well taken care of, it is equally important that parents are, too. How do you keep your self functioning? Please share your ideas and tips!

photo by: foundphotoslj