So I was thinking, draw 3 circles on a piece of paper. One inside the other, so really you have 3 cirles around each other(as pictured) The inner circle is our children, this is their culture of being a child with special needs. The middle circle is us, the parents. We’re not in the…
Category Archives: Advocacy
The Eruption…
My daughter is home schooled…sorta. See, we utilize an online virtual public school for her education. This has served us perfectly with Jack’s needs and our crazy schedules. The problem I have with public schools is this ridiculous state testing that each student must pass. So, you know, the entire year is geared towards passing…
What Happens When They Grow Up?
One of the most difficult things to think about when raising a child with autism is what happens when they are no longer a child. The unknown is very scary to me. I know there are options and I’ve looked into a few things, but I’ve not actually met a real, live adult with autism….
Feeling Like a Wimp Here
This will be short because my finger is hurting. It happens to be the index finger on my right (dominant) hand…perhaps the finger I use most…or at least I’m noticing how much I use it now that it’s hurting. You know how that goes. I think it is some sort of tendonitis or repetitive stress…
What no parent should ever have to do
It’s not something any of us want to think about. I faced it once, 4 years ago, when my then-1-year-old had inexplicable black outs and seizures over the 18 months following her 1st birthday. As a parent of children with profound special needs, it’s a constant, if hidden, companion to us. What if the unspeakable…
Here We Go Again
Sometimes I wish I wasn’t so tuned in to the special needs community. Sometimes I wish I could just get on Facebook and see what goofy things people are doing, even if it’s so mundane as “I’m getting a haircut this afternoon.” But, in my group of friends, that’s not always possible. I have many…
Circle of Friends
As a parent of a special needs child, we often befriend other parents who are walking a similar life path. Friendship among parents can bring great benefits. But pitfalls lurk below the radar. Today I share what we have learned about our circle of friends.
Botox Dip
My son had his Botox treatment this week. I knew about 2 weeks ago it was needed. It’s funny how that works. At first you think, is it worth it? Am I doing it for him or for me? Actually, both. I do it for him. His spasticity is so severe, he could curl into a…
Mildly Concerned
I’ve just about decided I don’t like the word mild – except as it relates to cheddar cheese and salsa. Mild should come with a warning label… I believe I recognized the signs of “mild” cognitive decline due to dementia in my mother-in-law a couple of years ago. Although I did what I could to…
The School Board
We’ve been working hard over the last month to get Precious into the right placement next year in Grade One. We got all our paperwork done and submitted it before the deadline and asked that she be placed in a special class at a nearby school. The local school team was amazing and they really…