b'AARReellaattiioonnsshhiippBBaasseeddoonnCChhaannggeeAlan R. SegaloExecutive DirectorHaving raised three wonderful children to adulthood with my beautiful and brilliant wifePhyllis, I know that parent/child relationships are among the most complex relationshipspeople can experience. The nature of parent/child relationships requires constant change. Asparents, we go from being solely responsible for the decisions that aect a childs life to beinghappy if they ask for our advice on their decisions. Eventually, we may nd ourselves consultingour adult children about the decisions we make for ourselves, or planning ahead for when theymust make decisions for us.This gradual change in roles is a natural part of the parent/child relationship. We hold themup as they take their rst steps, they give us an arm to lean on in our elder years. But MS oftenalters these dynamics too soon. Many parents with MS nd themselves needing that arm to lean on much earlier than theywould like. Often this leads to feelings of loss, guilt, and worry. In this issue, family studiesprofessor Darbi Haynes-Lawrence shares her experiences with these feelings, and what sheslearned about parenting with MS in times of stress from living through a pandemic. See herstory on page 12.One thing Dr. Haynes-Lawrence stresses in her article is the importance of goodcommunication with your children. Tips from Matt Cavallo (page 16) and resources fromJoanne Fortunato (page 28) are designed to help you improve communication with yourchildren and family members. One touching article from the May children, whose father hasprogressive MS, gives insight into how children really feel living with a parent who has thecondition. See their article on page 18.What about when the situation is reversed, and the child has MS? Are people with pediatriconset of MS aected dierently? Dr. Teri Schreiner explains on page 22 that often parents bearmuch of the emotional burden. Ellen Whipple and Tiany Somereville provide resources tosupport caregivers of pediatric MS patients on page 52. Finally, several teens and young adultsshare their experiences of pediatric onset MS. We hope these articles will help you to appreciate that while MS may change the dynamicsbetween parent and child, these dierences dont necessarily mean the relationship has beenchanged for the worse. MS is one of many life experiences that will shape your relationships,and with good communication and wise use of the resources available to you, your relationshipswith your parents and your children can be as strong as possible.7 msfocusmagazine.org'