Popi Malesi – Bachelor, Master in Psychology/ nevronas.gr

The truth is that when we become parents, we take on a role that none of us was ever ready for (in theory or in practice). When our child shows vulnerability or disability, this role becomes even more demanding and difficult.

We are invited (and necessary) …

• know well the nature of our child’s disability,
• recognize and manage their own (and not only) emotions in the process of their development.
• plan our child’s life in terms of health/education/entertainment/socialization/integration into a supported home (SYD), etc.
• always balance relationships within the family (brothers and sisters, spouses, grandparents, uncles) and …
• to develop relationships with the society in which we live and which is often left out because it simply does not know what situation we are facing.

It all sounds (and actually is) a very difficult daily life with many obstacles that often seem insurmountable.

Yes, they are stressful and we feel they are overwhelming. But only when we are alone, without networks of benefits and support from either the authorities (state or otherwise), or from our society itself.

Such parental support at all levels, in two sentences, means that from: “I am alone, in everything I face”, I ultimately know that: “I can succeed for my child, for myself and my families”.

A form of support, encouragement, and learning along the way for the parent are groups in which the parent can participate, known as parent groups. In this case… Groups of parents with disabilities.

Parents respond…

KIUGLU GOSPEL

While incarcerated due to the pandemic, I felt the need to reach out to parents who are experiencing the same difficulties as my own family.

Communication, understanding, support.

I met wonderful people! I gained strength, we exchanged opinions and ideas.

That I can only achieve something good. And that’s how it happened!

Oh sure! Group time was for me a time of confession, a time for rest and relaxation. It was my time.

No, we didn’t. I think it’s harder for dads to express their feelings to people they don’t know.

Oh sure. All parents are looking for ways to be informed. The team is very helpful with this.

I don’t know other parents with disabled children. But if it does, I will definitely recommend it to them.

A hug… and a strong one!

OLYMPIA LYASKA

It was a long time when I felt alone and that no one around me can really understand how we live as a family. When I saw the Facebook post, it felt like an oasis in the desert, and I immediately subscribed.

I joined the parent group nevronas.gr. I expected to be heard, to feel accepted, that I belong to a group that understands and does not judge me, and that I can speak freely about my problem.

At first it was a feeling of relief. I felt very comfortable in the team, warm, friendly and loving. We became very close as a team, and the coordinating psychologist certainly helped a lot with her simplicity, kindness, hugs and, of course, her experience in the field of autism.

I wondered if they were really helping or if the parents involved were just going through bad times and grieving.

Of course, there were benefits, and I am grateful for them. I felt…creative, strong, capable, accepted, enjoyable, helpful.

We invited our husbands as “guests” whenever we could because their work schedules were a bit odd. Particularly in my own family, our father had to keep a little girl so that I could be on the team.

Of course there is. We want to do our best for our children.

There are definitely concerns. For better or worse, we professional parents sometimes tend to get too introverted and have a hard time getting out. I happened to meet the mother of a child with many difficulties, whom I greatly admire for her strength, who, when I told her about the group, said: “Well … I don’t want to, I will definitely get worse.” . So maybe other parents feel the same way. Maybe they need some motivation to find the strength to get out of their rut.

Ha! Ha! … “Charlie’s Angels” … and I’ll explain … that’s what the coordinator-psychologist called our group. Because, as we finally saw for ourselves, we have a lot of strength, love and joy inside us to fulfill our mission, that is, to support our children and our family.