How Do I Parent My Adolescent with Special Needs?
by Dr. Liz Matheis, published in Psychology Today
Raising an adolescent is hard. Their moods change quickly—one minute they’re angry and raging, and the next, they’re a pile of tears in your lap. They want independence and freedom and yet they are afraid of it. They want you to tell them what to do, but they don’t want your advice. They want you to listen, but then they tell you to go away. The mixed messages are intense. I know. I have two adolescents, one of each gender.
But what happens when that teenager is a child with special needs? For many children with special needs, the developmental milestones and struggles are the same but on a different timetable. If you have a comparison point with another child—a niece or nephew—you are likely going to notice that your teen’s development is not all that different.