Raising a child with special needs means that we often feel we have to cut corners in order to stay afloat of our busy schedule. Those cut corners, however, only builds up the stress in your life. Think about it. If you start assuming that not brushing their teeth for one night won’t hurt, you gradually can become concerned with their oral health. Or if fast food once a week slowly turns into two or three, you can get in over your head with their physical health. This is why staying on top of your family habits is important. Here a few healthy habits of a special needs family that you can start to incorporate in your everyday life.
Structure
First off, structure. As human beings, we THRIVE on structure, and providing it for your child helps them to know exactly what is going to happen and when. Forming a structured routine makes it infinitely easier to stick to your healthy habits. Your child will know your expectations which means less pushback. Going back to dental care, brushing their teeth at the same time every day enforces the habit. Ask your dentist for some ways to help make dental care more engaging! Around here, we have pizza on Fridays. It is a fun way to change things up and its something the kids look forward to. The rest of the week, however, everyone knows to expect something a little more nutrient dense.
Try Not to Force
I’ll be the first to admit that when I feel tired, my frustration grows. It is all too easy to try & speed up the process of a healthy habit. Brushing their teeth is good for them, right? When there is pushback or they are taking too long, you may feel you want to jump in and force the situation. Keep in mind the importance of NOT pushing them. When you start to force it tends to make the problem worse. One of the best things you can do for yourself is to step away for a minute. Walk away from the bathroom or the dinner table and take 30 seconds to yourself. One of my favorite tips came from my husband, who was a sniper for the SWAT team. It is a way to focus your breathing & calm your nerves. It is called box breathing & it is a tactic that has also been used by Navy SEALS. Once you have taken a step back, you can try again.
Focus on the Concept of Family
When trying to incorporate healthy habits, it is important that our children feel secure. Parenting can be stressful and overwhelming, whether you are a special needs family or not. But putting healthy family patterns into place, like closeness, will immediately foster a positive environment. Without promoting family, its easy to feel stressed and emotionally distant, which can be detrimental to everyone. Healthy habits are so important, and this means that when we are feeling the pressures of looking after our children, the habits become the structure in which we hang our lives upon. When we start to incorporate a structure, it automatically makes us feel more content in ourselves, which results in a happier family, and from there, the only way is up.
