As a mother, I will never give up on my child. As a mother of a child who has autism, I will never give up hope.
I look into his eyes and I see all the potential that he has to offer to this beautiful world and I just know that one day the world can see what I see.

Follow my blog as I share my life and my experiences as a person who loves someone with autism.

Friday, May 28, 2010

My 10 Commandments

The Ten Commandments for Parents of Children with Disabilities:

1. Take one day at a time, and take that day positively. You don’t have control over the future, but you do have control over today.

2. Never underestimate your child’s potential. Allow them, encourage them, and expect them to develop to the best of his or her abilities.

3. Find and allow positive mentors: parents and professionals who can share with you their experience, advice, and support.

4. Provide and be involved with the most appropriate educational and learning environments for your child from infancy on.

5. Keep in mind the feelings and needs of your spouse and your other children. Remind them that this child does not get more of your love just because he gets more of your time.

6. Answer only to your conscience: then you’ll be able to answer to your child. You need not justify your actions to your friends or the public.

7. Be honest with your feelings. You can’t be a super-parent 24 hours a day. Allow yourself jealousy, anger, pity, frustration, and depression in small amounts whenever necessary.

8. Be kind to yourself. Don’t focus continually on what needs to be done. Remember to look at what you have accomplished.

9. Stop and smell the roses. Take advantage of the fact that you have gained a special appreciation for the little miracles in life that others take for granted.

10. Keep and use a sense of humour. Cracking up with laughter can keep you from cracking up from stress.

More children are diagnosed with autism, making it more common than childhood cancer, juvenile diabetes, and pediatric AIDS combined. More parents and families will be looking for the same encouragement, assistance, and answers that we are. Please embrace them, share with them, and support them in anyway and every way.

Feel free to click on the graphic below to save or print ‘My 10 Commandments’ for your own use. (PDF file)

My 10 Commandments

Thank you for reading,
Tanaya

This is a revised version of a blog post written by Voices 4 Autism.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Please feel free to leave a comment about this post.

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.