Parenting is already a journey with many ups and downs add to it a child with special needs, then the community becomes your lifeline. Jessica created an amazing international community so we can all be brave together and we thank her for it.
What We Talked About
- The Mission of ‘We Are Brave Together’
- The importance of finding a support network for parents caring for children with special needs.
- The daily struggles and unique challenges faced by caregivers, especially those caring for children with disabilities.
- Understanding Prader-Willi Syndrome
- The difference between self-comfort and true self-care
Things to Remember
“What works for one child may not work for your next child. You have to learn the beauty and the complexity of your child to be the best parent for them.”
“Community is everything. When you have a crisis you have to be surrounded by other people who understand and who can validate what you’re experiencing.”
“As human beings, as parents, we must invest in our mental health.”
“I know you’re tired. I know you’re overwhelmed. I know you’re exhausted but when you have people around you who get it. It’s comforting and transformative.”
“You do not have to be a coach or a therapist to learn how to facilitate a safe sacred space for moms to share.”
“Self-comfort will not sustain you for the long haul of life or caregiving.”
“You have to believe that you deserve to invest in your mental health.”
“Taking care of yourself is not selfish but when we’ve heard the term ‘self-care’ we tend to equate it with selfishness.”
“Focus more on connection than control.”
― Jessica Patay
Additional Resources
Book: Becoming Brave Together
Episode 140: Parenting a Disabled Child. With Kelley Coleman
Let’s Continue the conversation…
Now, Jessica and I want to hear from you!
Are you ready to uncover the power of shared courage? Listen in as my guest, Jessica Patay shares her inspiring story.
Remember, The Art of Parenting was created for you. If you have any suggestions for experts, I should have on the show or parenting questions you want to be answered. Please let me know here.
More About My Guest
Jessica Patay is the founder and executive director of We Are Brave Together, a supportive community for moms of children with disabilities, and the host of the podcast Brave Together with Jessica Patay. She is mother to a 20-year-old son with Prader-Willi syndrome, a rare genetic disorder.
Jessica founded We Are Brave Together to help support other caregiving moms and strengthen their knowledge of “You are not alone.” Their mission is to preserve and protect the mental health of caregiving moms through support groups, retreats, online resources, connections, and community.
We Are Brave Together will release its first book, Becoming Brave Together: heroic, Extraordinary Caregiving Stories from Mothers Hidden in Plain Sight, an anthology of inspiring stories written by mothers of children with disabilities.
- Website: We Are Brave Together
- Facebook: We Are Brave Together and Becoming Brave Together
- Instagram: @wearebravetogether
- LinkedIn: Jessica Patay
- YouTube: We Are Brave Together
Show Sponsor
Learn how you can set your child on the path to complete health at Raising Healthier Kids: Integrative Approaches to Children’s Health & Wellness from August 5-11, 2024.
