We figured out a long time ago that the child works best with routines, but with an occasional change of pace. I am also noticing that her apparently neuro-typical siblings can take advantage of routine to create chaos. Recently this has all appeared in the form of marathon bedtime routines that leave me ready to…
Category Archives: Conditions and Diseases
Homework Strategies for Moody Kids
A few weeks back in school and all the old frustrations are in full swing. The pencil-breaking. The paper-ripping. The weeping. The gnashing of teeth. You’d think schoolwork was, in fact, hell on earth. But really it’s just hell to a child with a learning disability. Especially one that’s at the mercy of bipolar mood…
What to do?
I have a few issues, just like everyone else. However, my current giant flaw is my inability to be mean. Seriously, I’m totally a “tell it like it is” kinda girl, but I can usually say it with as much grace as I can muster. I don’t like to hurt people’s feelings or make them…
Summing up Your Special Needs Child
Each new school year I hand over a “parent report” to the child’s new teacher. I wrote a blog post about it at my personal site a couple of years ago. I still think it is one of the most powerful tools in my special needs mom arsenal. Our report is about five pages long, though I’ve also…
Botox Saga Continues
As if it couldn’t get any worse. After fighting from March until May for Botox injections, we secured a donation from the manufacture in Canada for one round. Our hopes were to show our insurance company that the injections worked, that they would reconsider their decision. NO such luck. They wouldn’t even READ the letter…
Homework Strategies
Ah…now I remember what takes the shine right off of back to school – back to homework. The child brought home her first ever second grade homework packet yesterday. Yeah, it didn’t go so well. It didn’t help that the homework arrived on a Tuesday. We have gymnastics right after school on Tuesday and don’t…
Surviving “Too Many Balls In The Air”
The holiday has passed, the change of season seems to be upon us – something I am nothing short of thankful for. It’s this time of the year I get energized, my mood is much happier, the bounce is added to my step. If this morning is any indication, it’s a good thing it is….
Helping Siblings Handle Loss
Yesterday was a Labor Day my family won’t soon forget. It was the first weekend (and holiday) since one of our daughters was admitted to a residential treatment facility for mood and developmental issues. Sure, we did the usual Labor Day things: played games, bar-b-qued hot dogs and spent time with extended family. But it…
Closer to a diagnosis
The past eighteen months have been rough. We knew Fluffy had inattentive issues, we went ahead with ADHD meds. That took us on a wild ride on the emotional roller coaster. Stimulants had the opposite effect on her. Concerta trial turned the month of July gloomy. We were very worried that she was becoming bipolar. We took…
We’re all Different…We’re all the Same
I’m writing a story with the child about the things that make us different from each other. I’m hoping this will be a soft entry to explaining her challenges and her triumphs over them in a way that is positive and yet open and honest. We’ve already talked about how even the people in our…