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5 Things That a Child Living With a Disability Needs To Hear

Disclaimer: Elise Ho, aka “Dr. Ho” is a Holistic Health & Life Coach. Dr. Ho is NOT a medical doctor, licensed therapist, lawyer, or a bevy of other things. Products or services that Dr. Ho believes in are the only ones that she recommends. Dr. Ho may receive compensation, product, or an affiliate commission on anything you see on this site. This is a personal Website solely reflecting Dr. Ho’s personal opinions. Statements on this site do not represent the views or policies of any organization with which I may be affiliated.

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5 Things That a Child Living With a Disability Needs To Hear

 

Like other kids, a child living with a disability needs to live a life full of love, support, meaning and experience. As a parent, when they are feeling down, you want to lift them up. These simple pointers can help.

 

Child Living With a Disability

 

You Are Capable of Taking Care of Yourself

 

To live well with a disability, it is essential for children and adults living with a disability to know they can take care of themselves. Children have big imaginations that they can use in many ways – one way is using their imagination to create solutions or coping mechanisms when there isn’t an easy answer. 

You should motivate a child living with a disability to use their unique gifts to be independent because it’s doable! Also, don’t forget about putting in measures that’ll support their independence. For example, if your child uses a wheelchair, ensure to have a wheelchair ramp installed for ease and comfort.

 

You Are Not Alone

 

A child living with a disability needs to hear that they are not alone. They need to know that their journey isn’t a lonely one.

There are a few things that you can do to help your loved one feel like they aren’t the only person going through this. The first thing is to let them know you’re there for them and that you get it. You may not have experienced what they are experiencing, but you do understand their feelings of isolation.

The next step is to reassure your kid that no matter what happens, you’ll be there for them as they grow up. You may not know how their disability will affect them when they get older, but you’re always promising to be a part of their life and offer support through the hard times.

Lastly, kids living with disabilities need other kids to talk to. They need their peers who can relate and understand what they’re going through. So find them a group, or just be the one person that is there for them when things get tough.

 

No Person is Perfect

 

A child living with a disability needs to hear that;

  • It is okay not to be perfect. No person is perfect.
  • It is okay not to be like every other child. It is okay to have challenges with something that others seem to find easy.

Your child must know it’s not their fault, and there are resources available. Also, this assurance helps you, the caregiver, to take care of your mental health. This is mostly due to the fact that you’ll tend to be introspective while trying to reassure your kid.

 

You Won’t Always Get It Right

 

Let the child living with a disability know that you’re not perfect, and sometimes mistakes happen. Tell them about when you made a mistake too and how you resolved it and got better at it.

You won’t always get it right – let your child with a disability know that even adults make mistakes sometimes. Share an experience where you made a mistake, or tell them the story of how they were born so that they can feel less alone in this world.

 

Conclusion

 

Parenting a child with a disability can be overwhelming.  However, let’s also keep in mind that parenting any child can be overwhelming. 

 

As parents, our job is to make sure that our children know that they are loved, wanted, and supported. Click To Tweet

 

This will go a long way in building their confidence and hope for the future.

 

For more on parenting:
In this ongoing series on Positive Parenting Skills, Dr. John Gray and I turn to the often asked question of “Why Isn’t My Teen Listening To Me?”
Why Isn’t My Teen Listening To Me?
Older Child With Additional Needs
Parenting An Older Child With Additional Needs

Please use the comment section below to share your tips, questions, and/or thoughts about this post.

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Naturally Yours,
Elise Ho
Ph.D., D.N. Psych.
Behavioral & Mental Health Specialist

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26 thoughts on “5 Things That a Child Living With a Disability Needs To Hear”

  1. I know that it’s important for everyone to feel special. Even moreso I am sure if you feel different from the get go, for whatever reason.

  2. You Are Capable of Taking Care of Yourself – this is the most important thing! I mean most of the time they think that they need someone to take care of them and they feel that they are a burden when in fact, they are also capable! Give them moral support! 🙂

  3. “You are not alone” is so important a statement they must hear from you regularly. Otherwise, in the moments when they’ll feel overwhelmed, they’ll think they are all alone, with their struggles!

    1. When a person is assured that they are not alone and then they are confronted with a negative situation they can lean right into their confidence that we are indeed there for them.

  4. We are living in an era where human rights are preserved, including the rights of persons with disabilities. They need all our love and support so that they can live a meaningful life, too.

  5. Patricia Chamberlain

    These are things every child definitely needs to hear. As a disabled adult, I sometimes need to hear these things as well.

  6. “You are capable of taking care of yourself” – This is indeed a very wonderful message with a very deep emotional meaning. Kids with some disabilities should not be discouraged of what life could offer, rather they should be encouraged to love more and enjoy life.

  7. I have a cousin who was born with disability and yes, i do agree with all this. Family and relative support plays a huge role in motivating them to have a positive outlook despite their disability. It is important to make them feel capable of doing many things.
    Thank you for sharing this

  8. I think these tips should be applicable for everyone in general and not just for someone who has disability. Imagine if everyone could just easily accept that “no one is perfect” and “you won’t always get it right”… the world will be filled with great people.

  9. I know about self-confidence in children with disabilities. I was one of them. Sadly but my parents didn’t know how to support me. Around 30yo I started to work with a psychologist, it was what I needed!

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About The Author

Dr. Elise Ho

Dr. Elise Ho

Dr. Elise Ho is a Holistic Health & Life Coach with a special interest in emotional health, life alignment, and energy flow.

Elise will partner with you to align your mindset, your energy, your home and your career so that you can live your life's desire with freedom and love.

Elise offers 30 years of experience and multiple certifications and degrees including a Ph.D. in Natural Health and a doctoral degree in Naturopathic Psychology.