Define Sleep: A natural periodic state of rest for the mind and body, in which the eyes usually close and consciousness is completely or partially lost, so that there is a decrease in bodily movement and responsiveness to external stimuli. During sleep the brain in humans and other mammals undergoes a characteristic cycle of brain-wave…
Category Archives: Advocacy
Songs of Love review
Songs of Love is a non-for-profit organization that makes free CDs for seriously ill children. As a music therapist and a caring individual who knows people benefiting from this kind of service, I have contacted them a few times. Though they often advertise that they make CDs for children who have cancer or other serious…
Where’s the Line?
I realize I’ve been writing here for several weeks now without really introducing myself or my daughter. I haven’t written much about her specific challenges or my responses to them. I guess I expected all of this to come out more naturally, but there’s a hang up — which I’ll explain shortly. Our daughter is…
I Have A Dream!
I know, I’m late to the party weighig in on the legacy that is Martin Luther King Jr. But I post on Saturdays and Martin Luther King Jr. Day was Monday. Thing is, it really REALLY hit me on Monday just how thankful I am to this remarkable man who gave his life fighting for the simple God-given…
Apologetics
I’m totally one of those people who constantly feel the need to apologize for everything. It’s a curse. In all seriousness, my usual answer to almost anything starts with “sorry…” Jack had his quarterly visit with the developmental psychologist yesterday. As we discussed the plethora of things we needed to cover, we started to discuss…
Careers for Special Adults
If you are a parent of a young child with a cognitive impairment disability, you may not yet have given much thought to their life as an adult. But the time will come when you will be helping them make decisions about their “life plan”. Here is how we handled it.
Down Syndrome Statistics Turned Upside Down
I love hearing factoids and stats that raise an eyebrow and make me think a little deeper about things I thought I knew. Information presented in a way meant to shock but in the end, I find, actually gives me hope when turned inside out or upside down. Here are a few stats and how I choose…
Dear Mean People: You Suck
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…
Resolution: Don’t Give Your Power to Others
Like Santa, I know my children! I see them when they’re sleeping. I know when they’re awake. I know when they’ve been bad or good and I teach them to be good for goodness sake! So why… WHY, when a nasty, mean-spirited coward rolls down her car window as we exit the store where my children behaved…
First
So here we are on the brink of a new begining. It’s the First of the New Year…it’s a time of reflections of the past and we think about the future. Some may make goals of changes of what could be their firsts for the future. I’d like to reflect a little on the “Firsts” that we…