Parenting is a tough task, let alone parenting a child with special needs. There may be times when it may seem that you are unable to handle yourself, but remember to look out for yourself and your mental health. Following are few tips to help you take care of your mental health as a parent to differently abled children:

• Check with yourself: Most often you may be dealing with symptoms such as frustration, anxiety and pessimism. It is important to check with yourself so as to note how often you may feel such emotions. Be true to yourself and understand that such emotions are natural.

• Fall back on your social groups: It is important to fall back on your family and friends and ask for help when required. All super heroes have sidekicks for a reason! Even super heroes need someone to fall back on. So don’t shy away from asking for help.

• Accept the help of a therapist if you need one: It is important to reach out for help from outside your circle when you may feel overwhelmed or feel that you may not be able to handle certain situations or emotions. It is important to know when to reach out and that only shows how strong you are.

• Know that you are not alone: It is important to know that you are not the only one going through such emotion and it may be important to talk to others such as you, who may be going through similar situations. A support group can share techniques that have worked for them and those that have not.

• Self-care is important: It is important to know that self-care is not a selfish act. You need to look out for yourself and that in turn will help improve your mental health, and ultimately make you better prepared for any hurdles in your way. Reading a book, taking a walk in the park, or just having a chocolate milkshake. Do what you enjoy and make sure to set aside some time for that everyday.