Posted: January 27, 2016
The sad truth is that when your child is one in approximately 300, it can feel difficult to connect with other parents. Whether you live in a big city or miles away from anyone, there are common feelings of isolation that resonate within parents of children with special needs. Avoiding feeling like no one else understands your situation is difficult when no one walks around with a sign that says “Special Needs Parent.” The internet, though, provides a unique chance to connect. It also provides an opportunity to open up and express your emotions, which is why respect and appreciate those who blog about their experiences so much.
So – have you considered blogging?
Modern day blogging takes the place of traditional journaling of the past and allows users to open their thoughts and experiences to as narrow or large of a community as they prefer. Some parents look to use their blog as an opportunity to share their emotional journey while others use it to capture victories and inspiration. There is no truly wrong way as long as it is an honest reflection of your goals; so much good can be had when people engage and interact openly for the betterment of their children (and family).
One piece of advice we have is to ensure your online privacy matches your own expectations. Making the mistake of airing grievances that you would not like to reach their focus is something you can avoid from the start; privacy settings should follow what your goals are. For parents looking to simply vent, a complete private online blog may be a better route than one on a platform that encourages sharing. Similarly, if you are looking to connect, be sure to explore the public journals available to match your experience and learn where possible. In this vein of privacy, though, we would recommend openly speaking to any family and friends you think will come up in your journal about your endeavor. By being honest and learning what boundaries others might have regarding your experiences, you can head off any trouble a mistaken discovery might have.
With those tips out of the way, here’s how you can get a start on your online writing adventure:
- WordPress is a great platform for starting a blog. Here’s their starter’s guide for joining their site and getting started with writing: Five Step Blog Setup
- 7 Tips for the Newbie Mom Blogger
- See how it’s done: check out what others are doing when it comes to blogging about special needs!
- Be yourself! Ultimately this is your blog that you’ll need to keep up and maintain. Make it a labor of love and not an obligation!
We hope you enjoy this process – contact us at (800) 692-4453 or through our online form if you have questions about this or about any resources we have to offer parents of children with Cerebral Palsy.
