You’ll probably think I’ve lost my mind when I tell you that I took nine children (two were at work) to the indoor water park today, all by myself. For the first ten minutes we were there I honestly thought I had lost it. The six year old that we’re providing respite care for this week has FAS, a speech disorder, I’d guess a fairly low IQ and possibly pituitary dwarfism. She nearly drowned twice in the first five minutes we were there. The shallow children’s area is on the right side, the deeper older child area is on the left side and all the way to the back is a whirl... more

I’m guessing that I’m not alone in my daily dilemma of which battles to take on. Everyday, parents of special needs children all over this world get up and have to choose which of the many dragons they are faced with to actually take on today and which ones get put off until tomorrow. My to-do list has never read as long as it does now. Not once when I worked a more-than-full-time job in a fast-paced career did I have so many and varied things I needed to accomplish. And they definitely weren’t as critical to me, my family and the world... more

If you’ve ever studied Love and Logic philosophy you’ll remember that you’re supposed to give the child two choices and you’re supposed to be just as happy with either choice. Therefore do not give the child a choice that you’re not willing to accept. For example, if you said to the child; you can either take a shower or take a bath, which would you prefer? Then you’ve given the child two choices both of which accomplish the same goal and make you, the parent, happy. However, it you said to the child; you can either... more

I have to tell you that I’ve been seriously mislead by my dentist whom I’ve trusted for years. A few months ago they told me that I needed to consider getting a crown. Well I thought, finally someone has recognized my regal qualities and the need for a public display of my position, so all may recognize me when I arrive.

I arrived happily at my appointment the other morning, prepared for my crowning. I even sat in the dentist chair with enthusiasm. My first clue that this wasn’t something wonderful was when the dentist came at me with a big needle. “Hey, why do... more

I realize that lying is a normal stage in a child’s development. They all seem to go through it somewhere between five and nine years old from what I’ve seen. I guess it’s one of those signs of maturing, when they realize they can think for themselves and manipulate the world around them. They can exert their independence by not letting their parents or other significant adults know everything their thinking or doing.

Children raised in a chaotic unpredictable environment during infancy when their supposed to learn... more

Here in Michigan there is something called Community support subsidy. I don't know if it's available in other states but it couldn’t hurt to check. Here you contact the community mental health provider it's not part of the Department of Human services. If your child has multiple impairments, which can be a combination of mental and physical impairments then they can qualify for respite. Respite money is about 120 dollars a month that they will pay to a sitter to give the parents a break.

If you can get the school to say that your child is SXI or has multiple impairments you can also get the monthly community support subsidy that is currently $222.11 a month in Michigan. It's... more

A reader asked me for some tips for getting your child to obey so I decided to share them on my blog too, since I practically wrote her back a book. This probably wasn’t exactly what she expected, Grin!

It’s been my experience with damaged children that they aren't about to obey someone that they don't have a vested interest in. Keep in mind they've lost everything. You may be thinking that your child came from a hovel what could she possibly have lost or what could she miss? She lost her bed, it was comfortable and it was hers. She lost her favorite play area, her best friend, her toys, maybe her favorite foods, and maybe her favorite smell, but whatever it was, it was hers,... more

My latest read has been Building a Joyful Life with your Child who has Special Needs by Nancy J. Whiteman and Linda Roan-Yager. This delightful book is so practical for parents trying to work through their feelings about parenting a special child.

The book is structured to include fabulous quotes and stories from parents of children with a wide variety of disabilities. Each chapter also includes exercises to help you explore your thoughts and feelings and develop the... more

Don’t you hate it when middle-aged moms try to sound cool? I know my teenaged daughter does. I was going to write "Homeys", but was informed Peeps was more “in”…being slang for People.

Friday night Super Dad and I joined several other parents at a dinner one of the awesome moms of challenging kids organizes for us each month. This group is comprised of adoptive/foster parents of traumatized children. The alphabet soup of diagnoses apply. And even though each and every child is completely different, unique and challenging in his/her behaviors and... more

It’s time to think about getting those registration forms in for summer camp for your children. Sending some of my special children off to several summer camps has helped me to keep my sanity for years now. The children absolute love camp, they have a great time. It is some of their fondest memories and mine. You’d be surprised how many regular camps, with regular prices, can accommodate special needs children.

One of my favorite camps that my children have been attending for about eleven years now has two registered nurses always on the grounds.... more