Just One of the Kids

Book excerpt: Supporting and encouraging all members of the family when a child has a physical disability. If you have a child with a physical disability, how can you plan your family’s life in a way that is inclusive for everyone? What can you do to create a family where every member pulls his or her own weight (in appropriate measure), meets challenges, and has moments in the spotlight along the way? Most parents of a child who has a physical disability want their child to have fun, be responsible, make friends, and take acceptable risks—in short, to feel like “just one of the kids”—and they want to make sure that the needs of the whole family are met, too. Just One of the Kids is designed to help parents focus not on what could have been but instead on what can be, so that they, their children, and the grandparents thrive as individuals and as a family. The advice from psychologists Kay Harris Kriegsman and Sara Palmer is valuable for any family with children who have a physical disability, from any cause. Their warm and encouraging book is full of family stories, tips, and tools. Parents of children with physical disabilities can help them develop the skills needed to meet life’s challenges and launch into independence. Parents, building on that foundation and acknowledging each person’s contributions, interests, and aspirations, create an inclusive and resilient family.