We are parenting multiple children with special needs. Out of those special needs we often see extreme behavioral shifts. We find ourselves pushed to the limits, and beyond, on a weekly basis. We haven’t always been able to keep our cool and peacefully navigate the pitfalls of raising difficult children. We understand this battle all to well. It’s been a process for us, as parents, as much as it has been for our children.

But we’re learning some valuable lessons when it comes to our own sanity and emotional balance. We need to stay in check when we’re dealing with meltdowns, and poor behavior. On today’s episode we discuss some practical steps we all can take in staying sane while parenting a difficult child.

Listen to the Podcast.

Notes and Quotes from the show.

We shared several valuable take-aways for any parent who is in the trench of raising difficult children. Here are several…

We are parenting the next generation. We are raising adults.

We discussed a two-step strategy for parenting difficult children. Here are those steps with definitions…

• Remain calm. You must keep your cool as difficult as it may be at times. When your emotions are on overload, your child’s emotions will be on overload.
• Remain firm. If your child crossed boundaries that you’ve established, broke something in your home, or said hurtful things to siblings (or you), consequences still apply. You must remain firm with your boundaries and consequences for poor behavior.

I knew you before I formed you in your mother’s womb.-Jeremiah 1:5

Parenting difficult children is a tension to manage, not a problem to solve.

Resources and Links.

• The Refresh Conference. If you’re a regular listener of our podcast or reader of our blog, you are probably very familiar with Refresh. This is a can’t miss conference. Make sure you save the dates: March 3-4, 2017!
• NTI Upstream. This is a great organization that we partner with to help give Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders a voice in today’s society.

Are you raising a difficult child, or one who pushes you to the edge constantly? Share your story with us.