Back-to-School Hints

Enjoying Your Kids

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Back-to-School Hints

Inform your child's teacher of your disability.
He or she needs to know so that he can be aware of you child's
circumstances at home. Teachers need to know as much as they can
about their students in order to help the child through the year.
Also, the teacher will be able to let you know if your child is
having any difficulty coping with your disability or adjusting to having
a disabled parent (especially if you have recently become disabled.)
If other children are teasing your child or causing problems for your
child the teacher will be better able to handle the problem if he knows
your situation.
Try to make back-to-school as normal for your child as you can.
If your family has any back-to-school traditions (pictures of everyone
before they leave the house the first day or a special breakfast or
dinner the first day), try to stick with those traditions.

Enjoying your Kids

Take advantage of having a good day healthwise!
If you're having a good day, enjoy the day with your children.
Do something that you usually aren't able to do. Go to the park,
take a walk, play an outdoor game, or do something the children choose.
Don't use a good day only for housekeeping or other chores.
Give your children a special day with Mom or Dad.

Housekeeping Hints

Find the time of day that you feel best (or are most energetic and productive)
and schedule major cleaning chores for that time of day.
If you have always been a cleanaholic type of person,
realize that you will probably have to lower your cleaning
standards to a more reasonable level in order to maintain
your health and a clean house.
Let your children help you. It makes them feel needed and teaches responsibility.
Realize that even very young children can complete age-appropriate tasks/chores.
For instance, a 2-year-old can learn to pick up his own toys and dirty clothes.
Provide accessible storage appropriate to the child's age (a toy box or bin for a small
child, storage boxes or shelves for an older child).
We all know how important it is to be able to access our possessions.
If the toys can't be easily accessed once stored, the child won't wish to put them away.
Your children can also help you by being spare legs.
Most children love to run errands around the house or even around the neighborhood.
Letting a child help is not cruel and unusual punishment or taking advantage of him,
so help him to feel needed and learn responsibility while saving your own energy.
Use that energy to play a game with him, to take a walk with him,
or to take him to the park, the zoo, a movie, or someplace else special
to your family.

Don't try to spring clean!!!
If you feel spring cleaning is a must, get someone else to do it.
Can't afford to hire someone?
Barter for the services you need.
Find a friend willing to help with your cleaning in exchange
for something you can do for her.
You could babysit her children, tutor a child, etc.
You know your strengths; work with them.

Vacation Hints
Do you have relatives with whom you get along well?
Don't hesitate to ask about combined trips to zoos or amusement parks.
A sibling with children near the ages of your child or children
might be willing and able to vacation with you.
Last year, I took my children to an amusement park about 50 miles away;
my brother and his family went also. We met at the park.
We rode rides, saw the sights, and ate as individual families
during the morning hours, but after lunch we joined forces.
I took the younger children and went to an area of the park
which had rides for smaller children and benches for parents.
My brother and sister-in-law took the older children and rode
the log flume, the huge roller coaster, and a few other rides
which required climbing stairs up or down to access or exit the ride,
since it is extremely difficult for me to climb stairs.
My sons are eagerly anticipating a return visit to the amusement park soon.
All the children had a wonderful time; and it was so much easier for me.
I didn't have to disappoint my children, and they didn't have to
feel different from other children because their mom can't do some things.
They also got to spend some quality, fun time with their cousins, aunt, and uncle.