When your child is diagnosed with cancer, mental illness, a Syndrome, ADHD, Autism, (put your child’s struggle here) or PACS1 a parents first thought is usually a variation of HOLY CRAP to what the heck do I do now?

The truth is, there is no road map to parenting a child who has more than typical needs.

• Whether it is learning that your child is not suffering from normal teenage angst but a serious mental illness.
• Whether it is learning that your child just isn’t making milestones but is seriously behind their peers
• Whether it is learning the worst news a parent can receive, that their child may have a terminal diagnosis
• Whether it is learning that your child has ADHD, something too many people think is a made up word for bad parenting
• Whether it is learning that although you always fed your child healthy meals, that child is now bulimic or anorexic
• Whether it is learning that your child committed a crime, even though they are a straight-A student
• Whether it is learning that your child was killed in a drunk driving accident, even though they were sober in the car

When a parent learns any of the above (or worse), that is sometimes all they learn. They may be given a pamphlet of with website information. Their child may be placed on medication. Yet from this moment on, that parent is facing the battle to have their child survive without any clue of how to start. Continue reading →