Self-Care for Parents of Children with Disabilities

Parenting a child with a disability or special health care needs is rewarding and fills us with love. It can also be challenging. When we are constantly in the role of caregiver, it’s easy to neglect ourselves. The best way we can help our children is to take care of ourselves.

What works for one parent may not work for another. We all face different challenges with time, money and how comfortable we feel being away from our children. The bottom line is that parenting a child with a disability or special health care needs is hard, and taking care of ourselves is important.

Here are some ideas from other parents we hope will help you and your family.

Taking Care of Ourselves Is Important

• By taking care of ourselves, we will be better able to take care of our family.
• It helps to recharge our batteries every day, even for just five minutes so we don’t feel as tired and run down.

Daily Self-Care Tips

Be gentle with yourself. If self-care is new to you, take baby steps. Don’t feel like you have to do everything suggested on this list. See if any of the suggestions below will work for you. If not, create your own list.

• Try to get enough sleep each night, drink lots of water, and eat healthy foods that nourish your body.
• Work some movement or exercise into your day, even if you can only do five to 10 minutes of dancing in the kitchen with your kids.
• Schedule and keep your own doctor’s appointments to help stay physically healthy.
• Find a few minutes of quiet time each day to write in a journal, read or listen to music.
• Deep breathing can go a long way in helping us relax and feel more centered. Breathe in deeply through your nose while feeling your diaphragm and belly expand, hold your breath for a few seconds, and exhale through your nose.
• Go outside. Nature has a way of calming and centering us. Go for a walk, run or hike through a park or your neighborhood. Kids love being outside, too, so this is a good one to do even when your kids are with you.
• Spend time with your spouse or partner. Even if it’s difficult to go on regular dates, set aside time each day to reconnect, even if you just have time for a cup of coffee together in the morning.
• Take people up on their offers of help or look into respite care, so you can have time to do other things like read or spend time with your other children.
• Join friends for coffee, a monthly book club or a night out. Build your support community, especially if you are a single parent. Start with one or two activities a month, and then add more.
• Nurture your emotional and spiritual needs. Some parents find talking with a therapist or clergy member helpful. Others practice yoga, participate in a spiritual community, journal, paint or read poetry. Do what helps you.