The pace of life in 2019 doesn’t leave much room to breathe. And true confession: When I have a few minutes of down time I’m more apt to start scrolling on my phone than I am to just sit and enjoy the moment. But for those of us whose families are impacted by disability or chronic illness does it really help us to scroll endlessly on Facebook or other social media and fall into the trap of comparing our lives... Read more
I like to feel rested. My most satisfying days end with projects checked off my list and at least 7 hours of sleep. (And, hopefully, those are consecutive, uninterrupted hours.) But most days come and go with a lot of caregiving, emails with our daughter’s case manager, disability-related paperwork, medications organized, and the desperate need for a long winter’s nap! I know you relate. The truth is, most people don’t get enough rest or true refreshment in their lives. Special-needs... Read more
I’d just walked out the door from the latest appointment with yet another doctor, I’d pleaded again for help, “My child can’t eat food without vomiting and screaming in pain for hours. Help!” I was still feeding him solid food as often as I could, always trying new things, and nursing him every two to three hours all day and all night. This appointment the doctor reprimanded me for my son’s poor weight and told me that I needed to... Read more
A sense of control is essential to kids. My grandson, who will soon turn 4 and beginning to outgrow daily napping, demonstrated his need for control this afternoon. His mother announced it was nap time, and he threw what can only be described as a tantrum. He’s really good at tantrums. As his mother carried him to bed, she said, “You have to lay down and rest. You can get up after you wake up from your nap, or until... Read more
As we start getting back to ‘normal’ (whatever that is), after the holidays, it’s a time for pondering and contemplation… Over the 12 days of Christmas I offered 12 thoughts for families with children with special or additional needs, and they each serve as a useful reminder of some of what makes us all different, and how we cope. So, here’s my 12 thoughts all together, there could have been many more, but I hope you find them informative, helpful and... Read more
Everything was going smoothly. He was in a new classroom, and responding well to the change. All the staff reported increased participation and cooperation. Cheers all around! The past is behind us! Onward! 4 days home Then one morning, he just refused to get dressed. The morning routine is pretty tight and if we don’t stay on task, we likely won’t make the bus. Now that his siblings are in school 3 days for the week (although we still officially... Read more
“I don’t know how you do it.” “I could never do what you do.” “God knew just what He was doing when He gave Jordan to you. He knew you could handle it.” I’ve heard these phrases more than once and by different people. How about you? You have heard them too, right? These phrases or ones like them are commonly heard by us special-needs parents. I know they are said by good-hearted people meaning to encourage me, but that’s... Read more
Something is wrong with your baby. I remember, as though it were yesterday and not 1982, when our doctor sat down beside my hospital bed and uttered those words. Something is wrong with your baby. I reach through the decades at the young mother and wish I could go back in time and sit beside her. I wish I could tell her what we learned between then and now about raising the baby we both love. I wish I could calm... Read more
The start of a new year is one of my favorite seasons. I love blank calendar pages. I love setting resolutions and picking a word for the year. I even love reading productivity books and listening to podcasts. But I do think there’s something missing from the advice they give. It isn’t “one size fits all.” It doesn’t always fit special-needs families like us. That’s why I’m offering a webinar with goal setting tips and advice for families like ours.... Read more
Acts 28:2 tells us that when Paul and his shipmates wrecked onto the shores of Malta, “The native people showed [them] unusual kindness.” That is what will happen for you as well. You will be met with unusual kindness when you find a new network of support. They may seem to speak a different language (Who can keep all these acronyms and medical diagnosis straight when you’re hearing them for the first time?), but as you adjust to a new... Read more
Not Alone: Special-Needs Parenting
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