Comment by squigz
This is good advice, but very tricky for parents. How do you know what is too much? How do you reconcile this advice with the innate desire to protect your child, which is turned up to 11 for a disabled child?
Not easily, I imagine is the answer. Still important stuff to keep in mind.
I think what's most important is that you love and your respect your child, even while protecting him. That means listening to him when he expresses his feelings about how you do what you do. If you do that, and are able to back off when necessary, they'll probably be okay.
(My mother was on the low end of the "overprotective spectrum." As a kid this bugged me, especially with interactions with other people. As an adult, I appreciate what she was trying to do, even if she was a bit overzealous at times.)
Whenever you think "not easy" remember that whatever it is, its far easier then what your disabled child has to manage. Whenever you, as a parent of a disabled child, think you have it hard, rememeber that that is just not true and you are exaggregating. YOU have it pretty easy, compared to your child. So please, dont pity yourself, its laughable and sad at the same time.
How do you know? If you ask yourself, is this perhaps too much? The answer is almost always "yes".