I am a Domestic Engineer, Total Babe and SAHM to two boys with autism, ADHD, OCD and a variety of other acronyms. I was a band geek in high school, live vicariously through computers and prefer dogs to people, which means I have STELLAR social skills.
Written on
February 11, 2011 by
MarjH
How do you deal with stress? It’s obvious that most parents of kids with special needs deal with more stress than the average parent. But how you deal with it can make all the difference in the world. Internalizing it? BAD. Finding a healthy way to release it? GOOD. How do I deal with stress?…
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Written on
February 4, 2011 by
MarjH
normal: adjective. conforming to the standard or the common type; usual; not abnormal; regular; natural. In the Special World we constantly hear about “normal” benchmarks and “typically” developing children. Our children are often measured against the “normals” to get an idea or a glimpse into just how delayed they really are. I know the intent…
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Written on
January 28, 2011 by
MarjH
Regardless of the fact that the title of this post conjures up images of bad eighties Bon Jovi music, Ian is a little runaway. He’s an eloper. He tends to “wander off”. But only at home. Ian has never, ever been content being boxed into one space for too long. He would leave his room…
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Written on
January 21, 2011 by
MarjH
It was a long weekend anyway and we braced ourselves for it. Then we had super-duper crappy weather on Tuesday, when the kids were supposed to go back to school. Which meant that the two-hour delay turned into a day off. Drat. (I said more choice words, but this is a family-friendly site, so I…
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Written on
January 14, 2011 by
MarjH
Mommies always feel badly when their little ones are sick. Even when they aren’t so little anymore, it’s natural to feel badly when you have a child who’s under the weather. And while I feel helpless and sad that my boys don’t feel well, I have a little confession to make: I secretly enjoy it…
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Written on
January 7, 2011 by
MarjH
Dear Mean People, You know that saying, “Mean People suck.” Well, it’s true. I don’t understand (maybe because I was raised better) how people can be so judgmental and so cruel sometimes. Seriously, how hard is it to mind your own business? Can’t you just go about your lives the way we go about ours…
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Written on
December 31, 2010 by
MarjH
To follow up on last week’s post of what NOT to say to a Special Needs Family, I polled some folks to find out what you SHOULD say. You know, stuff that would be nice to hear? And this is what my special friends told me: What can I do to help? If you don’t…
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Written on
December 24, 2010 by
MarjH
I wish I had a dollar for every time I’ve heard the following ten statements. Because I’d be a rich, rich woman indeed and there’d be no scrounging to get therapy stuff for my kid. Ahem. Without further ado: G-d doesn’t give you more than you can handle. Look, I understand the intent. I really…
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Written on
December 17, 2010 by
MarjH
Maybe it’s just me, but I think sensory toys look a little too much like adult entertainment toys. If you know what I mean. And sometimes, your kid might find the spot where those things are hidden, a spot in the house you never dreamed he’d find, and play with the adult toys. Because they…
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Written on
December 10, 2010 by
MarjH
Despite my usual annoyingly cheerful disposition, I’m feeling a little Scrooge-like this year. Bah Humbug. See, this year, Ian will be eight. Every year that passes is another slap in the face, another year that he gets further and further from his milestones. Another year he grows slightly taller and people will no longer mistake…
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