Perhaps, the ultimate mission in life is the pursuit of happiness. In whatever we do, or whomever we are with, we are in constant search for the things that would truly make us happy. For some people, happiness can be found in building a home and making a family.
One of life’s joys is seeing our children happy. As parents, we become truly selfless- putting our children’s needs first before ours. Becoming a parent is also difficult, as it’s a commitment and a challenging one at that.
Being a parent teaches us a lot of things, from becoming truly selfless to having a better perspective at life. However, some parents have it slightly different than others, especially when it comes to raising a child with special needs, particularly Down Syndrome.
In this blog, let us discover some of the life lessons that raising a child with Down Syndrome can teach us.
Life will be more rewarding and fulfilling
Several parents may recall how it felt like finding out that their child has Down Syndrome. The doctor’s words may become painful at first, but it changes their lives forever. While it is true that raising a child with Down Syndrome has its challenges, it could easily become the most fulfilling and rewarding thing that could happen to a parent- life becomes more colorful and more meaningful.
Raising a child with Down Syndrome requires dedication, time, effort, patience, and most of all realistic expectations. Every child with Down Syndrome is unique and has different learning abilities. Others may find it difficult to learn at a normal pace, while others are capable of learning enough to function and contribute to society.
A Realistic Outlook in Life
As a parent, you have to be realistic about your expectations for your child with Down Syndrome while helping them achieve their best potential. At the end of the day, all their achievements become yours. Life will be more difficult than you imagined; but with acceptance and understanding, it becomes rewarding and fulfilling. But you have to remember that Down Syndrome is not what makes life hard. The things that make life difficult have little or nothing to do at all with Down Syndrome.
Unconditional Love
Being a parent teaches you the most important lesson of life- unconditional love. Love is the motivating power for parents to strive harder and become stronger to support their child with Down Syndrome and navigate through the emotional rollercoaster of life.
Unsurprisingly, people with Down Syndrome are probably the most appreciative, sweetest and caring people one will encounter; thanks to the parents that have reared them with unconditional love. It becomes a strong foundation for them to build their experiences and relationships on.
Perseverance and Resilience
Parents raising a child with Down Syndrome work harder than any other parent. They have to persevere and become resilient twice as much as any parent will. They understand that they will not be there for our children forever. Since teaching children by example is the best way to instill perseverance and resilience in them, parents of these children work harder every day.
Today there are several ways to help children with Down Syndrome cope with their learning disabilities. Progress may be slow and time-consuming, but programs and interventions such as Occupational Therapy or ABA Therapy are some ways to help children develop perseverance and resilience.
Gratitude
It is humbling to become a parent, the more so if you have a child with Down Syndrome. At the end of the day, the rewards and satisfaction in raising your child outweigh all the sacrifices that you have made. This will leave you with a feeling of gratitude.
Sitting back and appreciating the little things in life is especially important for the parents of a child with Down Syndrome. So much of their parenting is about taking care of and supporting the child that they tend to forget life’s fleeting moments.
From the first few words and steps, the peals of laughter on the playground, the radiant smile on your child’s face, to their milestones, being grateful for life’s little moments can even make it less difficult and challenging for parenting.
You will recognize that these things make up what it means to become a parent of a child with Down Syndrome and that it’s something to celebrate and feel gratitude about
Help your child achieve his or her best potential. At Pulse Therapy and Learning Center, we can work together in giving the best quality of life for your child.