Let’s not joke around. Parenting is hard work – quite possibly the hardest job I’ve ever had to do and will continue to do as long as my kids need me. While I’m trying my best to rear little personalities and educate growing minds, the challenges are never ceasing. How will I educate my child? What will my approach to discipline be? How will I protect my child from the growing dangers that are so ever-present in society!
Add to this the many challenges that arise when your child presents with obvious quirks or illness, and things can get pretty overwhelming.
I remember the first time we were called into a parent meeting to discuss my child’s need for speech therapy. I recall that sinking feeling that comes with the thought that something may be wrong with your precious bundle of joy.
Thankfully, my child has since reached all of her milestones and is now thriving, but for many parents, this is not always a reality. Many continue to raise kids with health and learning challenges. And many do so alone because they do not have access to support.
What to do when you need support?
The saying is true that you need a village to raise a child. And that’s pretty much how I found Togetherhood. This is a fabulous forum (more like a community) in which parents, practitioners and educators work together to provide info and resources to help families with quirky kids. These are the children who look like other kids but struggle with neurological, behavioural, or learning difficulties. But the great thing is that here you can also find information to help with the basics of parenting.
So, over the past 18 months, I have written numerous articles for the forum in my position as a contributing writer. I have enjoyed researching various parenting issues and reading about how others are coping with their unique family situations.
Becoming a member of the community is easy —it’s free, and you’ll have access to resources, practitioners, and parents who can enrich your understanding. I encourage you to sign up, read some of the content and share what you find most useful.
Whether you simply need help battling the terrible twos at home or need more info to help you find resources and support as a family with quirky kids, Togetherhood is a great library of resources you can access any time! There are also articles on more specific therapies and parenting approaches to give you insight and perspective on what is available to assist your quirky kid, with info on things like speech therapy, music therapy and much more.
Yes, parenting can be a very difficult and unpredictable journey – but it does not have to be a lonely one. Find a network of support and you’ll always have the courage to take the next step… for yourself and for your kids. They are worth every effort!
Find all of my articles on Togetherhood here.
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