and now these three things remain . . . faith, hope and love
and the greatest of these is love.  1Co13:13

Step 1. Re“invent”

 Change Your Relationships
to help an Alphabet Soup Child
add...fasd...odd...ebd...adhd...pea...si...fas...fae...capd

By Jodee Kulp     www.betterendings.org

Raising a child with a multiple diagnosis can be isolating and exhausting. Supportive healthy adult relationships are necessary to help you be your best so your child can reach his/her potential.

• Unite with others. Find families you can use for respite even for an hour.

• Reach out at a seminar, conference or workshop or on-line to find others who. have experience with your type of child.

• Limit negative relationships and surround yourself with people who demonstrate positive energy.

• Make a list of 50 fun things you enjoy and put it in a place you frequent such as the back of your cupboard or in a drawer.

• Create time for your spouse, significant other or special friend.  

• Make love  Give one minute gifts of love  making– a smile, a wink, a soft touch, a cup of coffee. Realize that when you smile, make a meal, take out the trash, bring home the paycheck those are all ways we make love to each other. Have fun making love all day long; nourish your heart and fill up the hearts of those who support you.

• Think about your child. How can you change the relationship you have with your special child to be one of joy, love and laughter instead of frustration, anger and tears.

• Time Savers. 

  • Set the breakfast table at night before you go to bed. Set out the bowls, glasses, silverware and cereal boxes that night. Then, all the kids have to do in the morning is take out the milk and orange juice and help themselves, plus there is no surprise for breakfast. 

  • Make the kids lunches for the next day while you make dinner. 

  • Prepare double recipes. Eat one and freeze one. Or if you are frying hamburger fry extra and put it into a freezer container for another easy meal. If you are cutting onions, cut a couple extra and add to a zip lock freezer bag.

  • Use the cordless phone to talk with friends while I'm cleaning the house or ironing clothes. Soon, the living room is straightens, the kitchen is cleaned a load of laundry washed and the dusting is done

  • Open the mail over the garbage can and then have a place for bills and other important pieces. Consider dropping the old magazines at a retirement home. 

  • Check your email only twice a day. You'll be shocked at how much more you'll accomplish during the day

  • Let them wear their clothes to bed. Wave the white flag and buy wrinkle free wash and wear. End the morning clothes crazies. It is one less change. If you can't stand that make pretend person on their floor they can just jump into when they awake or pick the whole weeks clothes out on Sunday and have a different color hanger with the day's name and outfit waiting for the child to wear.