5 Things I Do to Cope With My Child's Disability

From reading books and attending webinars to watching YouTube videos and reading online articles, I've become an unofficial expert on my child's disability. The more I understand my child, the better I can help her and handle what life throws at us.

Whether it is a support group where you can meet and speak with others face to face or an online community, it's important to have other people in your life that are in your shoes. Knowing you are not alone and that there are other parents just like you is so comforting and reassuring.

Being a parent to a child with a disability can be very stressful and exhausting. A well-trained and educated therapist or psychologist can be of tremendous help by offering their expertise on the subject and all that you deal with as a parent.

It's never a good idea to keep all of those negative emotions and thoughts bottled up, so confide in a trusted friend or family member and let it all out. Venting about your life as a parent of a child with a disability doesn't mean you don't love your child, of course. What it means is you are human.

This is much easier said than done, but try to get a family member or trusted friend to babysit so you can have some well deserved "me time" to recharge. You work so hard all the time, and getting a break once in a while greatly benefits your mental health, life, and family.