Life
with a physical disability makes you strong. The world
is not always made for your ease, so you adapt and persevere. You may
find yourself making modifications in ways that don’t even occur to
people who don’t know what it is like living with a physical
impairment. If you decide to have children, that truth doesn’t just
go away. Being a parent comes with its share of difficulties, but
those difficulties are amplified in your case.
When you live with a physical
disability, you get used to listening to people who don’t really
know what they are talking about. Whether they are making incorrect
assumptions or doling out unsolicited advice regarding your
situation, you’ve heard it all. When you have kids, that (sadly)
does not change. In fact, you may find yourself dealing with more
external noise regarding how to live your life. The challenges
you face as a parent with a physical impairment
combined with the outside clamor mean it is imperative that you take
care of yourself in order to keep you mental health game strong.
Self-Care for the Parent with a Disability
You don’t become a parent if you hate
taking care of other people… but the crazy schedule and workload of
raising a child can sometimes distract you from taking care of
yourself. Taking time out of your day for self-care
is just as important for your child as it is for yourself. Self-care
allows you to refocus and refresh in order to cope
with the stress of being a new parent. You are better
able to care for your child if you have a healthy mindset thanks to
self-care. After all, the best way to care for others is to first
take care of yourself.
Practicing self-care can be as simple
as drinking a glass of water and as complex as confronting difficult
emotions regarding your past. Simple or complex, find ways
to practice self-care every day. Get light to moderate
exercise in when you are able to. Focus on eating fresh
and healthy whole foods, and cook if you have the
time. Make appointments with your general physician and dentist for
annual (or bi-annual) check-ups. It’s these little things you take
for granted before you have kids, then find you sadly neglect them
once children are in the picture.
Other Preparations to Make as a Parent with a Disability
While taking care of yourself is
paramount, there are additional preparations to make in your life
that can also help make life as a parent easier. New parents have to
child-proof
their home from top to bottom. As a parent living with a physical
impairment, you have extra home modifications on your to-do list.
- Add extra safety rails in the kitchen and bathrooms.
- Make stairs easier to handle with safety ramps.
- Invest in low pile carpet.
- Consider moving electrical outlets and switches so you can access them but your kids cannot.
- Automatic openers on doors can make it easier to lug in groceries and a car seat when moving around is already difficult.
- Wider doorways and walkways can also help out.
- Start saving extra money for emergency medical bills for the inevitable accidents that come with children.
***
Living with a physical disability makes
you resilient, which is a pretty important characteristic for
parenthood. As strong as you are, don’t let the stress of becoming
a new parent get in the way of taking care of yourself. If you aren’t
taking care of yourself, you can’t be at your best for your
children. Take time out of your day for self-care and reflection.
Prepare your home and finances for parenthood so you can focus on the
daily responsibilities-- and joy-- that come with your children.
Ashley Taylor is a freelance writer, photographer, and advocate for people with disabilities. She created DisabledParents.org to provide information and resources to other parents with disabilities. When she isn’t working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Thanks for the comment!