Wellbeing is defined as the state of being “comfortable, healthy, and happy,” a simple definition for something that, for many people, isn’t quite so simple. Life gets in the way of our self-care and our wellbeing, and this can be especially true for parents of children who have special needs.
In this episode of “Autism: A New Perspective,” Dr. Sheely talks about the things that might trigger a state of crisis again for some parents, how to know if you’re in a crisis state, and what you can do to move yourself out of it.
My advice to RDI® parents is to make sure you and your consultant are asking, “How does everybody get on the same page and how do you come together as a family?” Not an autism family, but how do you come together as a family?
For all of us who have had a child diagnosed with autism, we know that they aren’t the only person who is vulnerable in what’s going on.
All of these feelings that accompany a diagnosis of your child are ok. Other parents have felt the same way, you are not alone.
When we have high expectations for our children with autism it makes a huge difference. Believing in our kids will help them believe in themselves!
In RDI, we really believe in parents and we also believe that there is a developmental structure inherent in the way children are raised worldwide. And that just because that’s difficult for parents who have a child on the spectrum, it doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
This idea of independence is one that we sometimes skirt because we get caught up in the daily routine of the things that we’re teaching or the things that we’re doing, or I think we get caught up in avoiding it because we worry about it so much. We’re afraid to face it.
I think the important thing for anybody who is either giving the diagnosis or working with a newly diagnosed family is to help parents know that there’s a beginning point, and that that beginning point is almost always the same
Dr. Sheely discusses the value of parents in developing a child’s sense of self.
