Tips for Daily Living

Parenting with Parkinson’s: 7 Tips to Help Kids Flourish

Father reading a book with daughter

Parenting is one of the most important jobs people with children will ever have. It is also one of the hardest. Raising a family while living with Parkinson’s disease (PD) or supporting a spouse who does, creates unique challenges. Building a stable, emotionally supportive environment can help you focus on the joys of parenthood while ensuring your children thrive. The tips that follow can help.

1. Build Trust

A child can detect when something has changed within the family. If they aren’t told what it is, they can suspect the worst. Parents tend to want to protect children from difficult conversations. However, Parkinson’s affects the whole family. Ongoing, honest communication builds trust.

When you’re ready, talking openly about your diagnosis, while using clear, simple, age-appropriate language, can minimize fears of the unknown and help everyone adjust. Choose a time when you won’t be interrupted, are able to speak calmly and can fully answer any questions. Talking sooner, rather than later, eases worry and helps the whole family begin to navigate the future — together.

Read our fact sheet: Parkinson’s and Your Children/Teenagers

2. Teach Resilience

Children are aware of the impact Parkinson’s is having on the parent living with the disease and the rest of the family. Discuss how Parkinson’s might change day-to-day living. Look inward to find hope and channel positivity. Navigating Parkinson’s together can bring a family closer while teaching self-sufficiency and empathy. It can also help children learn healthy ways to cope with life’s unpredictability.

Talk about how you are taking charge where you can — through creating healthy habits, staying active or finding support — and suggest small ways your children can help at home. Daily responsibilities can empower children with a way to contribute, giving them some control.

Taking action in bigger ways, such as volunteering together as a family, can give them a sense of pride. Find events you can attend as a family, such as your local Moving Day, A Walk for Parkinson’s.

3. Create Stability

A sense of stability is an essential part of a healthy childhood. It creates a foundation for future emotional, social and physical well-being. When parenting with Parkinson’s, it’s important to maintain the style of parenting you practiced before diagnosis and to stay actively involved in your child’s life. Continuing the same values, rules, expectations and boundaries creates consistency, which helps children succeed.

Continue to provide direction and structure. A daily, but flexible, routine benefits the whole family. Some days, symptoms, appointments or activities may interfere with what you have planned. However, overall predictability helps children feel secure.

4. Maintain the Magic

Childhood is a time of wonder. Children are learning about the world for the first time. The enchantment of seeing the world through their eyes offers a rare kind of happiness.

While Parkinson’s may change daily life, encourage your child to pursue new experiences, interests and hobbies. Continue to provide everyday family life while involving your child in what interests them. Make time to support their efforts.

5. Enlist Emotional Support

Navigating the obstacles of growing up, whether it be finding one’s identity, a friendship feud or a difficult teacher or class, can be hard. Occasional feelings of sadness, anger or worry are not uncommon.

Processing the changes and emotions that come with a parent’s PD diagnosis can be more challenging. Children can experience a range of tough feelings, including social isolation, anger, depression and anxiety, grief and a heavy sense of duty.

As a parent, you know your child best. If you notice emotional changes that last more than a few weeks, connect your child with someone they can talk to about their feelings. Your family doctor can offer a referral to a counselor. Sharing your diagnosis with educational staff can offer your child support during the school day. A trusted teacher or coach can help you keep an eye on your child’s emotional well-being outside of the home.

6. Practice Self-Care

Everyone wants the best for their children. To meet their needs, make time to care for your own physical and emotional health. Stay on top of your neurologist appointments, build your care team to help manage progressing symptoms, work on getting enough sleep, eating healthy and pursuing your interests.

Children learn a lot about coping from their parents. Model healthy coping by sharing your honest feelings appropriately as well as using strategies to cope like exercise and connecting with friends.

Leaning on family, friends and neighbors for help and support can help you create space for your needs. Finding a support group can help you connect with others, many of whom may also be parents, and find shared understanding. Practicing patience with yourself, your partner and your children, can help you manage stress.

Find your Parkinson’s Foundation chapter to explore LOCAL support groups and exercise classes

7. Keep Talking

Parkinson’s is progressive. Future concerns may look different from today’s challenges — and that’s okay. Consider bringing children to a neurology appointment so they can meet your PD doctor and ask questions.

Keeping the Parkinson’s conversation going will help you learn and grow as a family. While checking in regularly about how to best meet hurdles together and be sure to celebrate the wins, both small and large.

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