Self-care for Parents of Children with Special NeedsPrioritizing time to reset and recharge Aug 09, 2016 Maggie Loiselle An airplane is not a place you’d expect to pick up sage parenting advice, but there’s a particularly relevant tip that you hear every single time you fly: If the cabin loses pressure and the oxygen masks drop down, secure your mask first before helping others, including your children. “To help yourself before your children goes against the grain of our biological intuition, but you have to take care of yourself first so you can help your children, and that translates to daily life,” stresses Megan Peck, a licensed clinical social worker who owns Mustard Seed Center for Growth in Hamilton County and a mom of two, including a son with Down syndrome, with another on the way. Making time to relax, recharge and address your own needs is one of the trickiest parts of parenting, and it can be especially difficult for families of children with special needs,
Family Voices Indiana is a family-led organization that provides information, education, training, outreach, and peer support to families of children and youth with special health care needs and the professionals who serve them.