Grandparenting Your Special-Needs Grandchild

Special needs children require a tremendous amount of patience and a suspension of expectations that you may have for other grandchildren who are not special needs.

* The siblings of special needs grandchildren are used to getting second best because they are not “in crisis” or “in need” and therefore don’t get as much attention, typically, as the special needs sibling. Give the siblings special attention.

* Parents of special needs children need help. Babysit, don’t stress the parents, and do what you can to make their lives easier.

* Don’t blame anyone for the child with special needs. Don’t blame the parents or the son in law’s family or the daughter in law’s family. Don’t make the mother feel that if she hadn’t smoked, or hadn’t eaten so much or hadn’t exercised, the child would be normal. Accept.