Parenting & Family Information

This is one of my favorite parts of the day: Looking out my back window, watching the side door of the high school, waiting for my son to come out. And there he is, just another guy staying late to work on the yearbook, bopping down the stairs and walking home, arms swinging, shoulders hunched (but not as bent over as he used to walk), body bobbing a little (but not bouncing noticeably like he used to), blissfully unaware that he’s being watched, carefree, Mom-free. It’s a big step for him to be walking home by himself now. It’s a big step for me.

Maybe next year I’ll let him walk alone to school, too.

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The Walk Home originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 16:49:34.

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Read: “The reality is that if you burn yourself out and fall ill, your loved one will lose just as much or more than you do. It is in everyone’s best interest for you to take care of yourself so that you can successfully complete the marathon that faces you and your family.” — John W. Cassidy, MD, from Mindstorms: The Complete Guide for Families Living With Traumatic Brain Injury, this week’s featured book.

Reflect: Do I have trouble taking care of myself? What would happen to my child if I became ill? Can the supports I’d have to call on then help me out now?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Take Care of Yourself originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 09:00:56.

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Read: “No two injuries are identical. No two people are identical. Even identical twins are not exactly the same, as they have different experiences throughout their lives. No two families are identical. No two treatment programs are the same. You and your injured family member have a relationship that is like no other.” — John W. Cassidy, MD, from Mindstorms: The Complete Guide for Families Living With Traumatic Brain Injury, this week’s featured book.

Reflect: Does my interest in my child’s diagnosis keep me from recognizing his uniqueness? Do I adapt theories and treatments to her individual strengths and weaknesses? How do my own unique preferences and abilities factor in?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Identical originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 12:00:18.

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Read: “If words are said that have a hint of unfeeling, callousness; if actions are brash, jerky, not thought out, our children absorb it. Possibly to a deeper degree than that of neurotypical children. They have no release, no decisive, deciphered, constructive way of communicating what they’ve experienced to us. They have no way of telling us that they were hurt, they don’t understand why something happened, why something was said. They have no release. They are so delicate.” — Mia, from the post “Special Sensitivities” on the blog General Hysteria

Reflect: How delicately do I treat my child? Do I consider the effect of my words or my attitude? What can I do to be more gentle in my communication?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Words originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Friday, December 4th, 2009 at 12:00:20.

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Never mind the bird. The real Thanksgiving turkeys are those friends or family members who drive a carving knife through your heart with cruel or insensitive comments about your child or your parenting. If there were too many turkeys at your table today, let off some steam in the comments here or in our collection of toxic tales. On the other hand, if one of your blessings today was a supportive loved one who showed care and compassion for you and yours, cheer us up with a happy tale in the comments here or in our collection of kindnesses. Both burdens and blessings are better shared.

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Serve Up Those Thanksgiving Turkeys originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Thursday, November 26th, 2009 at 15:00:06.

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Read: “We want to build devices that provide not just communication, but the foundation for a change in perceptions. So if a person in a wheelchair with a device has a headline over their head that says ‘This is a difficult life,’ my vision is that the headline becomes: ‘This is an interesting life. This is someone who has insight and fun. This is someone worth knowing.’” — Richard Ellenson, from an interview with Louise Kinross on the blog Bloom

Reflect: What headline do people see over my child’s head? Over mine? What can I do today to change those headlines?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Headlines originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Friday, November 20th, 2009 at 09:00:19.

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Read: “Not a day goes by where I don’t find myself looking at my son and marvel over how much he has overcome, how rare and fortunate he is as a former 24 weeker and over the many, many more hurdles he must overcome or somehow get around as he continues to grow. He, with the help, love and support of his team of medical professionals, educators, his family, his friends, his fans has come so far, so very far. I celebrate it. I give thanks for it everyday. But then I look down the road and know there is so much more he must do. I’m confident in one thing of my son’s journey. I am confident that no matter how far he might come in his own climb, he will not be alone. That is all that I can promise and guarantee for him.” — Laura Scarborough, from the post “The Question That Can’t Be Answered” on the blog Adventures in Juggling

Reflect: Do I take the time to reflect on how far my child has come? Do I spend too much time worrying about the hurdles again? What would I like to be able to promise and guarantee my child?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Come So Far originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Tuesday, November 17th, 2009 at 12:00:43.

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Read: “The thing I find most tragic is that we as a society have been unable to find effective inclusionary environments. We haven’t found an appropriate teaching model for children of different abilities, so students with special needs are often excluded from a general curriculum and put in a separate environment. Yet in every high school, one kid is going to go to Harvard and one is going to community college. Their experience is not so different from that of people who are typical or have special needs and yet we don’t make that distinction.” — Richard Ellenson, from an interview with Louise Kinross on the blog Bloom

Reflect: Is my child included or excluded? Are there distinctions made among other groups at the school that include or exclude some students? Is my child included in any of these?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Inclusion, Exclusion originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Thursday, November 19th, 2009 at 09:00:06.

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Read: “Our children’s best hope for the future may lay in the discovery of some strength that blossoms into an island of competence, and perhaps even becomes a continent of possibilities for personal satisfaction and job success.” — Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel, from Late, Lost, and Unprepared, this week’s featured book.

Reflect: Where are my child’s islands of competence? What strengths can I help to blossom? Can I envision a future for my child that builds on those strenghts?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Island of Competence originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Wednesday, November 11th, 2009 at 14:28:11.

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Read: “Our language can build children up or tear them down. It can model respectful and caring social interactions or just the opposite. Effective language encourages and supports students in their learning, rather than criticizing them for their mistakes.” — Angela Maiers, from her blog post “Two Powerful Words: I Notice”

Reflect: Is the language I use with my child more about building up or tearing down? Do I focus so much on correction that I become too critical? Can I try today to say more positive than negative things today?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. … More Reflections

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Weekday Reflection: Building Up, Tearing Down originally appeared on About.com Parenting Special Needs on Monday, November 9th, 2009 at 12:00:44.

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