Stay Positive SCW Parents!
How we, as parents, cope with our children’s illness can affect them in a positive or negative manner. We never want them to feel guilty for making us sad or hopeless. Instead, we want them to know the battle is never over and no matter what; hope never ends.
Staying positive when your child is sick isn’t easy but not impossible. It is vital not to wait until the hard times start. Instead, practice being positive every day your child is well by constantly speaking positive things into the atmosphere. For example, find something good in every situation. Reading daily affirmations can also build up courage and faith so tensions will be low when your child’s crisis appears. And when you feel you can’t be positive learn to pray without ceasing for strength, meditate, and relax. If that fails phone a friend! Call someone that you know will encourage you.
Keeping a journal is therapeutic! It gives the parent a chance to set free the emotions that your child shouldn’t see. It’s extremely hard not to cry from all the pain you see them in but keeping it together in their presence will let them draw from your strength. And it’s okay to cry but it’s not okay to have a total break-down. Children are not equipped to deal with all the worries running through parents’ minds…and they are so many; from the doctor reports or effects of SCD on the family unit.
Educate yourself constantly on SCD on how to keep your stress down as well as your families’ stress. Read about ways to improve your child’s health from diet to spiritual and emotional health. Simply hugging each other daily can relieve stress. Even letting other siblings participate in making their sibling feel encouraged daily will take some pressure off of you as a parent.
Parents that make that choice to think positive will greatly affect their Sickle Cell Warrior. The way we as parents live life impacts how our children will live their lives. [alert color=”2F38C2″ icon=”9881″] We are our children’s first example of how to handle adversity in life. And life may not be perfect always but children need to know it’s okay to still be happy. [/alert]
Thank you for that article,am a mother of 6 children 2 have have passed on and 3 have sickle cells,sometimes i think am the only one but everyday i come to this site it has really inspired me,what i have not done then i don’t know i read all research and i have given all types of medicinal herbs to my children which relaly help.i have written to government officials to sponsor me to get bone marrow transplant,sometimes i break down but i try not to show them and i pray a lot and cry a lot.
Thanks Alicia, I truly understand and that is why I wanted to write for sicklecellwarriors.com! It gives me an outlet to connect to others who go through the same thing as me. I cry alot too. The first 2 years, I cried nonstop. Keep yourself prayed up and around positive people & I will keep you in my prayers as you keep us in yours! Be Blessed, Elle J