On Impaired Children - Learned Helplessness is Not an Excuse

Parents with difficult children - like those that have bad,learned helplessness is definitely not good. Learned
inappropriate, or abusive behavior - are faced withhelplessness is not an excuse to make your child feel
everyday problems that they'd consider mouthfuls forimmune from responsibility or functioning properly.
normal people to handle. But what about those withBecause what really divides the normal from the
children who have special needs? What problems dospecial is that the former can do things more easily
parents with handicapped or impaired children face?than the latter. It doesn't necessarily mean that special
Every parent who has a child that is special becausechildren with impairments or handicaps can't do those
of certain impairments or handicaps would alwaysthings at all. They deserve equal treatment not special
dread or fear for their child more than parents oftreatment contrary to what people think. By giving
normal kids would. But this behavior of spoiling,them all fair treatment without looking over the
worrying or pitying for children with impairments orimpairments, children hopefully learn to develop the right
handicaps is not very ideal in the family environment orproblem solving skills needed in order to enhance their
learning environment of the child in question.reasoning skills and acquire other necessary facets
There is a thin dividing line that separates how normalimportant for their holistic growth.
children and the special ones with impairments andA lot of parents might ask as to what extent should
handicaps should be treated. Sadly, most parents tendfair be fair. It is really up to the parent's clear
to make the mistake of seeing that line blurred anddiscernment on what they think is fair for their child
end up making their kid develop 'learned helplessness'.with special needs. As long as they keep in mind that
Learned helplessness is a condition when children whotheir bar of achievement is attainable for their child
think they are helpless learn to use this label onwithout letting them feel or think that the effort they will
themselves to their advantages. Parents should bebe exerting would be wasted or undermined.
distressed and alarmed about this mistake because