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How Can You Respond to People Who Are Cruel about Your Child?

Pediatric Home Health Care Shadyside PA-When you're a parent of a special needs child, there are so many things that you are juggling. You shouldn't have to deal with cruel comments from other people, but it does happen.

As a parent of special needs children, you might find that some people say things that aren’t very nice. They may do this out of ignorance or because they just don’t take the time to be kind. Whatever the reason is, how you handle the situation can make a world of difference.

Pediatric Home Health Care Shadyside PA – How Can You Respond to People Who Are Cruel about Your Child?

Try to Mentally Step Back from the Comments

It isn’t always easy to step away from mean comments, but it can be an important first step. Chances are very good that what this other person is saying doesn’t actually have much of anything to do with you or with your child. Take a deep breath and try to remember that people sometimes say things that they shouldn’t say.

Stay as Calm as Possible

Your first reaction, especially since this is about your child, might be to come out of your corner swinging. But the calmer you are the better because these situations can escalate very quickly. If the other person is simply trying to rile you up, you’re playing right into her hands.

Choose Your Battles Carefully

Sometimes the right response is to educate the person who has said something ignorant or cruel. Other times, the right response might be to simply smile or walk away. It’s important to know when you should gear up for battle and when it’s wiser to stand down. Once you master this skill, it’s far easier to let some of these comments roll off your back.

Let Someone in Charge Know What’s Going On

If the situation is one in which you’re in a group setting and you’ll need to deal with this person again, you might need to let someone in authority know what is going on. This isn’t always possible or the right next step, but when this is something you can do, others may be able to step in and offer the education that this person needs. Hopefully it’s not a situation you’ll have to deal with again afterward.

Establish a Support Network for Yourself

You need a support network for yourself because no matter how well you handle the situation in the moment, you most likely will need to vent afterward. Other family caregivers in a support group or friends or pediatric home health care providers who understand your situation are more likely to be able to offer you support and some perspective on what was said and how you might respond to that person in the future.

Taking care of yourself and your child is what’s important in these moments. Take the time that you need to recover and do what you can to minimize the fallout from these situations.

If you or a loved one are considering Pediatric Home Health Care Services in Shadyside PA, please call and talk to the caring staff at Extended Family Care of Pittsburgh at (412) 693-6009. We will answer all of your questions.
Stephen Sternbach

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