Parents of Children With Cerebral Palsy: It’s Okay To…

Parenting a child with cerebral palsy may be one of the biggest challenges of your life. It’s normal to feel a range of emotions and to need support.
Remember, it’s okay to:

• Feel anger and frustration. You spend so much time holding it together and being strong for your family and your child, but no one can be expected to take on the challenge of a child with CP without feeling bursts of negativity and anger. Why did this happen to your child and your family? Why isn’t your child getting what he or she needs? When will you get a break?
• Put aside dreams and expectations. Perhaps your child will never play on the varsity team in high school. Perhaps she won’t be able to walk down the aisle. It’s okay to mourn these changes or to feel sadness when putting away dreams. It’s also okay to focus on smaller goals, more reasonable expectations, and new dreams.
• Need frequent breaks. No one can be on call 24-7 for a disabled child and be the healthiest and best parent possible. Taking care of yourself, nurturing your other relationships, and getting quiet time is vital to being a great parent. Ask others for childcare help and accept help when it is offered.

While raising a child with cerebral palsy certainly comes with unique challenges and greater responsibilities, you will find that many of these challenges are similar to the challenges of raising any child: loving them for who they are, accepting their differences, and changing your expectations to match their abilities.
Do you have a legal question about your child’s birth injury or cerebral palsy? Speak with a Dallas cerebral palsy attorney at Rasansky Law Firm today.