Possible tumult might spare my Angel and I during the month of May
April is National Stress Awareness Month, and for author Wladimir Kaminer, it's a time to focus on self-care. Living with a 13-year-old child with Angelman syndrome (AS), Kaminer understands the challenges that come with caring for a child with special needs.
Kaminer has decided to face May, historically a difficult month, without dread. To do this, he has made a list of self-care actions to slow down and give himself breaks. These include napping, putting his feet up, getting back in bed, going to bed an hour earlier, and doing a favourite thing.
Taking care of oneself, Kaminer believes, is crucial for being a good care provider. He acknowledges that it will be challenging to pull these actions off, but he is determined to try.
One concept he is particularly focused on is foreboding joy, a term coined by professor and author Brené Brown. Foreboding joy refers to the feeling of joy tainted by a sense of impending doom or anxiety. Kaminer hopes to become more aware of this feeling and find ways to combat it.
Screaming can be a significant challenge for Kaminer due to living with a child with AS. Despite this, he took a Sunday off from usual preparations to read and relax, intentionally neglecting some tasks. Nothing exploded in the house, and he found the break refreshing.
Kaminer reiterates that he is not providing medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment, and readers should always seek the advice of a physician or qualified health provider. He will let the reader know how the self-care challenge goes.
Kaminer has encountered families with children with AS who have had falls and surgeries. He hopes to usher in a little more calm to balance out the mayhem scheduled for May, and he intends to take care of himself all year long, not just one month a year.
Writing down his self-care plans helps Kaminer be ahead of the chaos that's coming. He feels anxious about the number of events in May that mark the end of the school year, but he is hopeful that by taking care of himself, he can navigate these challenges with more ease.
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