Jobs Change

20We have new jobs to do at home but Mom has told us how important it is for Connor and me to still play sports and hang out with our friends. The house is messy a lot and the dishes aren’t always done on time but those things just don’t seem as important now.

When a parent is sick, kids often do more chores at home. You may have jobs to do that your friends don’t have. You might have less free time to play or to watch television. Remember that your MAIN job still is to go to school and have fun with your friends. You can feel proud about doing new jobs at home, too.

Often, a mom or dad who used to go to work will stop because of FTD. This is a big change for the whole family. The parent who is well may get a new job or work more outside the house to earn money for the family. This leaves less time to take care of the house or to spend time with kids. The person with FTD may not be able to help around the house as much as they once did. Grandparents, relatives and friends may visit more to drive you to activities, or help with homework or meals. Some families find they need to hire people to come and help care for the person with FTD. Or they may help with cleaning or taking care of you while the adults are working.

Families dealing with FTD find that learning to be FLEXIBLE makes the day-to-day things run more smoothly at home. There are ways to make life a little easier, even though so much has changed in your family. Be willing to pitch in; recognize that plans often change; share responsibilities and even ask for help when you need it. When someone at home has FTD, those things can make a SUPER difference.

7

We had a few chores around the house before but now that Mom is working at a job, we are SUPER at pitching in and helping out. I was one of the first kids in my class to learn how to change the sheets on my bed AND how to take the heavy trashcans down to the curb. I think that’s something pretty special.

Back