Self-care for Parents and Caregivers of LD Kids

In considering parenting, some wise person once noted ““Parenthood is the scariest hood you will ever go through.” That’s because parenting isn’t for wimps. The old saw was that children don’t come with manuals. But the shelves at bookstores brim with volumes of what to expect, when to expect it, and how to deal with it, and yet, as another sage observed, “Being a parent is like folding a fitted sheet — no one really knows how.” Such observations likely were conceived with neurotypical children in mind. For moms and dads parenting children who learn differently and struggle with attention issues, the challenges can be exponential, and wearying. That is why this episode of “A World of Difference” is devoted to providing care for the caregivers, the parents, and guardians of children with learning differences. On an extended segment of “Ask the Experts,” our panel will discuss symptoms of caregiver burnout, strategies for coping, and ways to not only survive but thrive in the joys of raising your different thinkers. And later, you’ll meet this episode’s Difference Maker, Victor Villasenor, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated author who didn’t learn how to read until the age of 20 because of dyslexia.