Smart Parenting for Parents of Children with Special Needs in Special Schools in the Coastal Area of Lamongan

Abstract

Every child is the greatest gift of God Almighty with different expectations for both parents. The role of the family is very important to help children with special needs develop well, and parents must help children with special needs gain self-confidence, ability, and independence. Parents of children with special needs need appropriate parenting skills so that children can function optimally according to their potential and so that parents still feel comfortable with their parenting responsibilities. The aim of PKM is to help parents provide their best parenting to improve the skills and independence of children with special needs. Smart parenting carried out by the PKM team through socialization and seminars as well as counseling for parents with children with special needs at SLB Maharani Lamongan. The stages of implementing PKM activities are the discovery, design, Define, and Reflection stages. Based on the evaluation results by distributing questionnaires, it shows that socialization and seminars on smart parenting, FGD and counseling sessions are very useful for parents in caring for children with special needs. Smart parenting helps parents raise children happily, by fully accepting the children who are born even with limitations.