This is a follow up to How you can help a special needs parent. It may be better to read the original prior to reading this one. 

I know that my special needs family struggles many times and in many areas. I think that there are many special needs families out there, that are struggling for various reasons as well. In some cases we may need similar types of support. However, what my family may need could be very different from what your family may need.

I have written about this before but it was mostly from my perspective. You can read that here, if your interested. I think it’s important that others share the kinds of things that would help to improve their particular family’s lives. Let me say this, I have realized over the years that the Lost and Tired family struggles can be intimidating to many people, including family and friends. I think that people would like to help us but have no idea where to begin. I have actually had this conversation with a few people. They don’t know how they could help but they want to. Some people have informed me that they are afraid of offending us by offering help.

The truth of the matter is that I wish I could do this on my own. However, the reality of the situation is that our circumstances are so extreme, that no matter how hard I try, I can’t do this alone.

When I wrote How you can help a special needs parent, I was trying to address this issue by sharing simple ways that people could help a family facing struggles, like mine is. The suggestions I made were pretty universal I think, but they centered around my personal experience. I can’t speak for everyone, so I try to use my situation as a sort of guide for others to follow. With that said, I think we should share some ideas of ways we could help a special needs family.

I was thinking that it may be helpful to alot of people if we could all offer up ways that either people have helped or could help your family.

This could give some insight to those that may want to lend a hand to a special needs parent or family but don’t know how or what to do. I’m very aware how uncomfortable it can be to ask for help or to accept the help that is being offered.

Personally I don’t want to be a charity case but I more often than not find myself in way over my head and in desperate need of help. I know that at least some of you out there feel the same way.

So I want to create a dialogue about this very topic and I would love to get as many opinions as possible. This could be useful for many reasons not the least of which, is helping people understand how to help a special needs parent or family.

How can someone help your special needs family?

Please leave a comment about how someone could help your special needs family. Maybe it’s something someone has already done. The more ideas or experiences we can share, the easier it could be for someone to reach out and help a special needs parent or family they know. I think this is pretty important and something that is almost never talked about. There is nothing wrong with needing help and asking for it as well.

Sometimes a well timed phone call can help out more then anything else.

Please share how someone has, in the past,  been able to help or what someone could do,  to provide your special needs family some relief.

Let’s create a dialogue or discussion about this and help spread some ideas around.

In my experience, the best kind of help, is the kind you don’t have to ask for. BY helping people better understand the unique needs of your family, help that is actually….um…helpful, can be offered more often than asked for.

Rob Gorski

The Autism Dad

Father to 3 boys with #Autism, 1 with Fragile Health. Award winning blogger, techy and advocate. #AutismDad @GuardianLocate