ERIC Number: EJ959409
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2011-Dec
Pages: 3
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0046-9157
EISSN: N/A
Answering the Questions
Wolfe, Julie Leavitt
Exceptional Parent, v41 n12 p26-28 Dec 2011
As a mother of a daughter with special needs, as well as to a son without, the author can say having had both experiences, all mothers, regardless of her children, struggle in one form or another. That may actually be a part of the job description: Mother: must be able to function well with minimal sleep; is capable of multi-tasking; be clever enough to deal well with loneliness, boredom and isolation; and be able to mentally manage all of the struggles she'll undoubtedly encounter. For the mom with the exceptional child, however, one more requirement need be added: She must retain a sense of humor. Each person with a special needs child must have had several experiences where "that" question came up--that one question that one gets asked that one simply "hates" to answer. The thing is that while "that" question isn't necessarily an inappropriate one, "that" question would be a whole lot simpler to answer if one is responding about a child without special needs. In this article, the author shares her experiences and suggests how one should answer when asked uncomfortable questions.
Descriptors: Mothers, Humor, Child Rearing, Parenting Styles, Parent Child Relationship, Interpersonal Communication, Family Environment, Coping
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Descriptive
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A