When it comes to Primary children and dealing with those who have special needs it can be too easy to become so caught up in dealing with the difficulties that these situations may create, that you forget to love the child as a spirit sent from Heavenly Father. The needs that you deal with in Primary could be autism, deafness, food allergies or extreme shyness. It is important o look for the child who is underneath all these extenuating circumstances.
Often people are intimidated or worried about how the child is going to react or about how to best communicate with the child. They may be overly worried about helping the child fit in and this may cause the child to feel as though he is not fitting in. This is a tricky situation to deal with.
I have a brother with developmental disabilities and a sister suffers from extreme shyness. In many ways the fellowship was extended to my brother on a much more regular basis. In fact for the most part, the ward that he grew up in has been very welcoming and accepting of him. My sister’s shyness was never considered a special need, and so she has always struggled to fit in. The parents of children with severe food allergies generally worry about what their child may be exposed to, so clear communication can help with this problem.
If you can simply help the child with special needs to feel loved and welcomed you are taking the first major step. In fact this may be all that you focus on at the beginning of the year. As the relationship develops you may be able to remove the other boundaries that are a result of the disability. It is also important to build a good relationship with the child’s parents. This helps everyone to continue to have the desire to attend church.
Related Articles:
Helping Those with Special Needs
Young Men: Accommodations for Those with Special Needs
Primary Time: Helping Those with Special Needs