Inability To Concentrate
For parents of special needs children who are around them consistently (in other words they are home schooled and you are also with them home) do you find that your ability to concentrate deteriorating?
Well, yes. I think it can be the cause of two reasons:
1. Stress. You're constantly on the edge of "what's next" that you're not able to concentrate and you lose focus.
2. Most kids with special needs (particularly ADD/ADHD and autistic kids or both) have ONE of the parents with this condition (most of the time, undiagnosed).
In my case, I doubt I have any signs of special needs, I am naturally quiet and able to act in the same manner too, so for me to lose concentration means the noise or distraction is above what one can normally bear. Indeed, when you multiply that distraction in terms of weeks / months / years without break then it mounts and becomes stress. This is why it is so important to have breaks often to regain a sense of normalcy
It is actually quite common to find parents of special needs children with quite a lot of psychological conditions due to stress. Taking breaks (no matter how small) and keeping a healthy and positive attitude helps. Since these kids absorb everything, if parents are angry and frustrated, the kids will act up that way too.
An hour break is like a miracle. Our break usually comes at night when the kids fall to sleep and that is if Felipe does not decide that he is going to keep getting up to ask for something or see what we are doing. However, by the time night comes around you are exhausted from the day. Based on our situation breaks are usually WITH the kids rather than away from them. For instance in a blue moon we may go to the mall.
I appreciate you comment on breaking with them as I am isolated from family geographically in distance. Perhaps this is an area I can focus some prayer for you both. A trustworthy person to spell you both once in a while.
From your experience do you feel having a larger lot of land would help with this? I am thinking the ability for outdoor play in a fenced area with you watching from a porch. just to help displace loudness of children play.