Why do parents of special needs children suffer such guilt?
Not all parents do suffer guilt per se, but virtually all parents hope for their children to be well. When their children are not well, most will go to great lengths to make things as good as possible. If you consider this from a Darwinian perspective, guilt and wanting what’s best for your child leads to their care and hence survival. So guilt isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but if it is overwhelming and gets in the way of proper care, then it must be managed. 2. What are some positive ways to overcome this kind of guilt? The best antidote for guilt is taking appropriate action with regard to the needs of your children – even if that means counseling for the caregiver too. Appropriate action provides a mechanism to overcome. Further, parents should take delight in their child’s achievements. This is good for the child and parent alike. 3. You discuss two possible ways parents try to deal with guilt. The first is a “heroic effort to meet the child’s needs.” What are the dangers of this
