X
theAsianparent Logo
theAsianparent Logo
Product GuideSign in
  • Awards
    • Parents' Choice Awards 2023
  • Pregnancy
    • Due date calculator
    • I'm pregnant
    • Trying To Conceive
    • Labour
    • After birth
    • Baby loss
  • Parenting
    • Parent's Guide
    • Relationship & Sex
  • Child
    • Newborn
    • Baby
    • Toddler
    • Pre-Schooler
    • Kid
    • Pre-Teen & Teen
  • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diseases-Injuries
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Meal Planner
    • Health
    • Allergies & Conditions
    • Vaccinations
  • Education
    • Pre-School
    • Primary School
    • Secondary School
    • Primary School Directory
  • Lifestyle
    • Money
    • Travel & Leisure
    • Fashion
    • Home
    • Fitness
    • Contests & promotions
  • News
    • International
    • Health
    • Celebrity
    • Singapore
  • TAP Recommends
  • Shopping
  • Press Releases
  • Project Sidekicks
  • Community
  • Advertise With Us
  • Contact Us
  • Become A Contributor
  • VIP

Mum wants to put special needs son to sleep

29 May, 2013
special needs

Parents of special needs children are usually unsung heroes

Many parents would condemn Jenny Young for such a heartless statement—after all every child is a gift from the heavens, no matter what the challenge. Let’s take a peek into the mind of Jenny to see how she has to deal with pain and frustration when handling her mentally challenged son Ryan, who is now 10.

RELATED: Handling an autistic kid

Move him out!

Jenny has three other children who were also a challenge as they were all pumped up with too much energy; she suspects they all had ADHD. Jenny Young, 53, has been married and divorced three times. In her second marriage to a lorry driver she had three kids: Douglas 24, Greg 23, and Josephine 19.

Her youngest son Ryan, has severe learning disabilities and ADHD. Ryan may be 10 but he has the mental age of a two-year-old. In fact mummy Jenny wants Ryan to move of her three-bedroom terrace home in Hertfordshire to a residential care.

She said: “I don’t want to be doing this when I’m 80 and he’s 40. You see people like that and they just look exhausted.”

Watch the video here:

No rewards for being a good mother

Caring for a normal child is a tough job but caring for a special needs child can zap everything from you. There is nothing easy about parenthood; it’s sheer love, devotion and selflessness. But it seems that Jenny needs recognition and appreciation for her hard work. Jenny revealed that her son gets violent with her daily—scratching, punching and tugging her hair. He can’t event go to the toilet like a regular child.

She said: “Where is my diploma, where is my pay rise, where is my promotion? Just think what I could have achieved if I’d spent ten years in a career.”

In an interview conducted by Daily Mail, she was asked if she would retract her very hurtful statement where she said if her son were a dog, she would put him down. She responded: “‘No, I stand by what I said. I’m glad it’s out there now. It needed saying, and for every comment castigating me, I’ve had five which are supportive.’

special needs child

Do you have a special needs child? Tell us your story: [email protected]

Hard work and no play 

No excuses for her but perhaps she has been stretched too thin for the past decade that she is spewing such heartless comments but she clearly loves her son and her son is utterly dependant on her. She also has no help from a spouse.

ADHD: nature or nurture?

Some studies suggest that perhaps ADHD is not biological; it could be a child’s surroundings or upbringing that could be a factor. Read the article below about why France has a lower rate of kids with ADHD compared to America—it’s all about parenting.

RELATED: Why French kids have low ADHD rates

Heroes suffering in silence

The job of a mother is one for life and it is accepted and embraced. Many mothers have special needs children but graciously carry out their loving motherly duties without uttering any complaint. Perhaps they feel that it’s not right to grumble—as the child may have it worse.

Here’s to all the unsung heroes—devoted and selfless mothers and fathers who continue to beat the odds and climb that hill, knowing that it will be a struggle for life.

Partner Stories
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
Celebrity Dad Mark Lee Shares the 3 P's of Raising School Going Children - Parenting Tips, PSLE Preparation & Protecting Your Child’s Eyesight!
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
NTUC First Campus (NFC) Expands Child Support Model to Include Support for Mental Well-being
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Singapore's Dengue Cases Surpass The 35,000 Mark, Highest Since 2013
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort
Typhoon Haiyan relief effort

RELATED: Mum won’t give up on baby with half a heart

Forgotten families: Families and their struggles dealing with special needs children

Got a parenting concern? Read articles or ask away and get instant answers on our app. Download theAsianparent Community on iOS or Android now!

img
Written by

Felicia Chin

  • Home
  • /
  • News
  • /
  • Mum wants to put special needs son to sleep
Share:
  • Tips for Parenting Toddlers With Special Needs

    Tips for Parenting Toddlers With Special Needs

  • How to Detect Early if Your Child Has Added Needs: Recognising Signs and Knowing What to Do

    How to Detect Early if Your Child Has Added Needs: Recognising Signs and Knowing What to Do

  • 'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

    'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

  • Tips for Parenting Toddlers With Special Needs

    Tips for Parenting Toddlers With Special Needs

  • How to Detect Early if Your Child Has Added Needs: Recognising Signs and Knowing What to Do

    How to Detect Early if Your Child Has Added Needs: Recognising Signs and Knowing What to Do

  • 'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

    'Family is Priceless': Malaysian Man in Singapore Rents 2 Buses So He and 60 Other Strangers Can Join Their Families for CNY

  • I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

    I Try Tracy Lee's Hack for Egg Tarts and It's So Easy That Even Kids Can Make it

Get advice on your pregnancy and growing baby. Sign up for our newsletter
  • Pregnancy
    • Baby
    • Education
    • Events
    • Allergies & Conditions
  • Family Occasions
    • Breastfeeding & Formula
    • Child Safety
    • Health
    • Diseases-Injuries
  • Lifestyle
    • Home
    • Money
    • Feeding & Nutrition
    • Diet & Weightloss
  • Normal Delivery
    • Cesarean Delivery
    • Behaviour
    • Secondary School
    • Formula Feeding
  • Ages & Stages
    • Latching & Concerns
    • Festivals & Holidays
    • Education
    • Pre-teen & Teen
  • More
    • TAP Community
    • Advertise With Us
    • Contact Us
    • Become a Contributor


  • Singapore flag Singapore
  • Thailand flag Thailand
  • Indonesia flag Indonesia
  • Philippines flag Philippines
  • Malaysia flag Malaysia
  • Sri-Lanka flag Sri Lanka
  • India flag India
  • Vietnam flag Vietnam
  • Australia flag Australia
  • Japan flag Japan
  • Nigeria flag Nigeria
  • Kenya flag Kenya
© Copyright theAsianparent 2023. All rights reserved
About Us|Team|Privacy Policy|Terms of Use |Sitemap HTML
  • Tools
  • Articles
  • Feed
  • Poll

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

We use cookies to ensure you get the best experience. Learn MoreOk, Got it

theAsianparent heart icon
We’d like to send you notifications for the latest news and lifestyle updates.