EMBRACING A FAMILY LIFE THAT’S PERFECTLY IMPERFECT
Most parents weather occasional storms. That’s life, after all. But with complex children—kids who struggle with life or learning—it can feel like we are living in a constant state of high alert, with a hurricane threatening to move in at any moment.
It’s deceptive: The skies appear sunny and blue. But you see that gray cloud looming, closer than you’d like, and you never know when it’s going to swoop in and rain on your parade. You never know when your child’s challenges are going to hijack family life.
If you’re often walking on eggshells or waiting for the other shoe to drop, then you, like me, might have complex kids.
• Are you concerned your child is lazy or disrespectful?
• Do you feel helpless watching your child suffer?
• Does your kid lash out in ugly ways, only to apologize later with deep regret?
• Does your child struggle to make and keep friends?
• Are sibling squabbles much worse than you ever imagined?
• Does your smart kid think they’re “stupid” and struggle in school?
• Do you regularly disagree with your coparent about how to help your kid?
• Are you convinced something’s going on, but your child hasn’t been assessed?
• Has your child been diagnosed with a chronic condition?
Maybe your child’s been diagnosed with ADHD, learning disabilities, anxiety, depression, autism, sensory processing, food allergies, or something related. Maybe not.
Chances are, there’s a reason for their difficult behavior. If you feel like you just don’t know how to help your child, or you’ve tried everything and nothing works, then you are in the right place.
The first part of this book will demystify what’s really involved with parenting a complex kiddo. So, I want to invite you to take a deep breath and let it out really slowly. And again. Lengthen your exhale. Now, let’s begin.
If you feel like you just don’t know how to help your child, or if you’ve tried everything and nothing works, then you are in the right place.