Raising a Child With a Chronic Health Condition

Luke 18:16 But Jesus called the children to him and said, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these.

I’ve written in the past about chronic pain and raising a child, but what about the other way around – raising a child with a chronic health condition.
 
The tables are turned.
Our hearts are a tangled mess of emotional pain.
We want to do something.
Anything.
To help our child heal.
But sometimes, we have to watch them suffer.
 
Having children is one of the greatest blessings in this life. It’s a chance to bring up out of you the love that’s been stored for years, and take a watering can and pour that love into a little life.
 
It’s fun to laugh together.
It’s fun to play together.
It’s fun to try new foods and watch the baby make funny faces.
It’s fun to hold them tight.
And fun to let them go as they swoosh down a slide at the playground.
 
But when your child suffers:
 
There’s not much to laugh together about
But much to cry together about.
 
There’s not much strength for your child to play
And many things they can no longer do.
 
There’s not much fun in trying new foods
And not much they will eat at all.
 
There’s not much of an opportunity to take them to the playground
And not much to help them find joy in.
 
But there are many times to hold your child
And many times to give them your comfort and love.
 
Yet still, no matter how much you hold or love your child
There’s not much time left to do so if your child may die any day.
 
Life has to be lived differently if you have a child who is sick or in pain all of the time. But if you dig deeply, and I know you will because you love your child, there are ways that you can help your child do more than just push through another day.
 
Take a look at the article, “Children With Chronic Pain,” on psychologytoday.com. A couple of things that the article discusses are the need to acknowledge the difficulties when they are pulled in to be their child’s advocate looking out for their care while all the time the parent is facing their own fears, grief, anger and powerlessness. Also, with all the time and energy that a parent is called upon when their child is in pain they must try to stop focusing so much on the illness because they may forget to see their child.
 
It takes much time and energy to raise a child with a chronic health condition. But take a look at the Bible verse above. Jesus called all of the children to come to him. And there probably were those among the children who were sick or in pain, and he blessed and held them all. He didn’t forget them. He didn’t stop them from coming. Jesus will do the same thing for your child. He will pick them up and carry them in his arms. Jesus knows you, the parent; as well and how hard life is for you. He is ready to give you the strength you need for each day and for extra love to pour into your child’s life.

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