Category: Parenting

Balancing Act: Self-Care for Parenting Children with Disabilities

10/24/2023

Image via Freepik

Guest blog by Jennifer MacGregor
Caring for a child with a disability requires unswerving dedication plus emotional and physical resilience. The unique challenges make parental self-care an overlooked priority.
Here are some strategies to help parents cope:

Getting enough sleep can be difficult, and Sleep deprivation is a major trigger for many parents. Sleep trackers can help understand sleep patterns and quality. They identify sleep disturbances, enabling you to make necessary adjustments for improved rest.

An acute awareness of one's emotional and physical state is crucial for nipping fatigue in the bud. Mobile apps that track mood and emotional well-being offer a convenient way to monitor fatigue levels. Such apps can send alerts as a reminder to take a break or employ stress-management techniques, allowing you to step back before exhaustion impacts your caregiving abilities.
Setting personal goals adds a layer of intentionality to self-care. These objectives should be both achievable and fulfilling, considering the additional responsibilities that come with parenting kids with disabilities. Time management software can help you allocate time effectively between your caregiving duties and personal goals. It tracks the time spent on various activities so your personal development doesn't take a back seat.
Continued personal development is essential, even when faced with the challenging responsibilities of caregiving. Activities like online courses can instill feelings of accomplishment and elevate self-esteem.
Outside support can be invaluable, such as therapy and support groups. Telehealth services make appointments convenient.

Navigating the landscape of special needs parenting is a monumental task that makes self-care not a luxury but a necessity. You can establish a well-rounded self-care plan by recognizing fatigue triggers, developing self-awareness, and formulating and pursuing personal goals.

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How an Autistic Child Has Changed A Career…For The Better - 12 years later

2/14/2019

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by Lonnie Pacelli

This is part two of How an Autistic Child has Changed a Career…For the Better

In 2006 I wrote of Patty’s and my decision to homeschool our son Trevor to help provide a learning environment more conducive with his autism. It’s now twelve years later and time to write about how things worked out.

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Portraits Tell "Stories of Autism"

12/18/2014

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By Patty Pacelli

It takes a gifted photographer to create beautiful, meaningful portraits of people with autism. As the mother of a child with autism, I know it can be difficult to reach beyond the exterior that everyone sees and pull out the true inner beauty of someone who tends to have differences in how they express themselves.

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Teaching my Autistic Son to Ride a Bike

11/16/2014

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By Patty Pacelli

I'm sure some children with autism learn to ride a bicycle just as well as any other child, but my son Trevor had a hard time with it, and more significantly, had practically zero interest in learning. According to HowtoLearn.com, bicycle riding is usually more difficult for children with autism.

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Using Your Interests to Expand to Other Interests

10/4/2014

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By Trevor Pacelli

It’s a challenge for anybody: finding an interest in a topic with no prior experience to. I mean, if you are not planning on ever becoming an engineer or accountant in the future, then where could you find any interest in math? While it can be a problem for many people, it is even more of a challenge for those with Autism. Because I am Autistic, my mind is much more geared toward very specific areas of interest, making it harder for me to leave those areas and open my mind to anything else. The same is true for a lot of students on the Autism spectrum who are required to take classes that are far out of their league of interest. As a result, their grades may suffer and they may be received poorly by their teachers. But I have found an easy solution to helping myself find interest in a subject that is juxtaposed from my subject of interest.

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How an Autistic Child has Changed a Career….for the Better

3/3/2014

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By Lonnie Pacelli

This article on Trevor's dad's website chronicles our family's experience deciding to homeschool Trevor as a couple when Trevor was in 7th and 8th grade. It was a major career decision that paid great dividends for Trevor's education and future. Read the article here.

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Balancing Act: Self-Care for Parenting Children with Disabilities

How an Autistic Child Has Changed A Career…For The Better - 12 years later

Portraits Tell "Stories of Autism"

Teaching my Autistic Son to Ride a Bike

Using Your Interests to Expand to Other Interests

How an Autistic Child has Changed a Career….for the Better

Inspiration for Life with Autism

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