As the New Year approaches, I am beginning to reflect on how the past year went and to start to create goals for the coming year. These are my ten resolutions as a special needs caregiver.
- I will make a special needs trust.
This is a top priority and one that I have already started to read up on. I would like to think that I can live forever and take care of my son, but I know it’s not going to happen that way. Even if money is tight, by establishing a trust using a qualified expert in this field, I am taking steps to protect his future. By the way, I am a big do-it-yourself person but not when it comes to this. This needs to be airtight. I’ll skimp on other things to make this happen. - I will make a will.
Hand in hand with the special needs trust, I will also make a will. I am not leaving it to chance if something happens to my husband and me. I want all of our assets to go where they should go to take care of those I love the most. - I will appoint a guardian and have the paperwork notarized.
Who will take care of my kids, and, long term, my son when my husband and I are gone? I’m locking it in now. I can always change it later.
4. I will speak up when things don’t seem right at school.
I have already kickstarted this one but I am going to continue into the new year. I plan to be alert and proactive. If I don’t speak up for my son, no one else will.
5. I will not underestimate my son.
Sometimes I predict how my son will react to a situation and I am utterly wrong. I think that maybe he won’t like something or a situation will cause a meltdown. This can make me restrict experiences for him unnecessarily. I am going to assume that HE CAN.
6. I will remember to reintroduce experiences that were formerly rejected.
Just because my son has rejected pizza countless times doesn’t mean that next time he won’t try it. Persistence beats resistance, as my husband likes to say.
7. I won’t be so hard on myself.
I am going to make mistakes. I am going to be tired sometimes. Such as life. I plan to acknowledge, forgive myself and move on in the coming year.
8. I will think of and introduce new experiences on a regular basis.
I am going to dare. We are going to try new things. If I fail, I will have successfully figured out something that doesn’t work. And then, I’m moving on to the next new experience.
9. When I realize that I have dropped the ball, I am just going to pick it back up again.
There have been and will be times where I am not giving special needs parenting my full attention. Times when I realize that am being less consistent than I wanted to be with oils and vitamins and home lessons and tablet time and everything else. Instead of beating myself up about it, when I notice that I have dropped the ball, I am just going to pick it back up again. I know that I can do anything in life but I can’t do everything, not all at the same time. Its OK.
10. I am going to remember how blessed I am. That my life is full of abundance.
I remember when I dreamed of having what I have now. I didn’t envision it quite this way. In a lot of ways, what makes it different makes it better. I am so thankful.
What resolutions will you put into place for the coming year as a special needs caregiver? Please share in the comments below.
This is great…and beautiful!
Thank you so much!