Caring for a child with a disability—24/7 and year-after-year—is a very
demanding task. It is important to realize early on that your
welfare is as important as your child’s. You need to be strong
for a very long time because your child will need you in the
future. Please take care of yourself so your child can benefit
from having a relaxed and fit parent for a long time.
Here are our recommendations on how to feel better after a long day
caring for your child:
• Take a relaxing bath. Fill the tub with warm
water, light scented candles, close the bathroom doors behind you, and
enjoy the sound of the popping bubbles.
• Find a quiet spot in your house or in a nearby
park. Take a book with you that you planned to read ages
ago. Dive into the pages, and do not let others bother you.
• Take a yoga or Pilates class, and discover how
flexible and strong your body is. Yoga and Pilates relax the body
while strengthening it.
• Ask a relative to help out or hire a sitter.
Have your partner take you to a nice restaurant. Dress up and
enjoy an evening without worrying about juice spills, aspiration, and
behavior issues.
• Close your bedroom door, and listen to your
favorite music for about 20 minutes. Feel how your mood changes
as you let the music take you away.
• Get a professional massage. An hour long full
body massage will do wonders to sore and tired muscles. A monthly
massage is not luxury–it is a must for someone who lifts and carries a
child over 40 pounds.
• Remember that you liked doing pottery and arranging
flowers before you had children? Refresh those skills by joining
a club. Spend some time doing what you really like to do.