I first suspected I had ADHD as a teenager, but finding the right professional to take me seriously was much harder than I expected. Previous attempts only ended in frustration and tears.
Enjoying the holidays with a food allergy sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? After all, eating together is an integral component of the holiday season. I looked forward to making our traditional holiday foods until I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy in 2012. What was to enjoy about the holidays when the foods associated with it were off limits to me?
It was a short, ten-minute drive from the hotel to the residential facility. I maintained composure while I navigated the busy public roads, and then residential streets. I had a whole range of emotions racing through my body, mind and spirit as we pulled into the campus. This was not just a pleasure drive or a routine errand, this was a significant milestone in the life of my son and our family.
While Halloween is a fun time of year for many children, it can be a really difficult time for some, including many children with additional/special needs. For them it can be a confusing, anxiety-inducing, or even utterly terrifying time. But it doesn’t have to be like that. If we stop for a moment to think about the things they might find hard and how to put things in place to help them, children with special needs can safely join in the fun, too. So what are some of the things about Halloween that children with additional needs can find hard?
“While we’ve had many years of travel speaking together on marriage, discipleship, and other topics, we are seldom alone and ‘just us’”Joe & Cindi Ferrini write on the struggle of never truly being along as special needs parents, and the importance of making time “just for us.”
The first time the engine-shaped glowing light appeared on my car’s display, I took notice. But over time, I learned to ignore the light all together, until my car suddenly needed a new transmission. Parenting a child with special and medical needs has triggered all sorts of “warning lights” in my brain and body. Here’s how I learned to deal with these warning lights in healthy ways.
The question seems ludicrous, even unfeeling when I consider what my father, son, and now my mother experienced due to disability. So how is it, the day after Christmas, that I am grateful for the disabilities that continue to bring sorrow, pain, and loss to our family? Upon reflection, I see the answer in the smiles of my father, my son, and now my mother.
What will go wrong next? This question has come up on a daily basis for my family this summer. After digging into Acts 18:21, I now see how the hardships faced by the apostles make our recent experiences seem like a walk in the park. Instead of asking “What will go wrong next?” and worrying about what was out of my control, I followed the apostle’s example, rested in the sovereignty of God
Assistive communication technology was a big help for our son through school and his past 15-year work experience. Having limited speech until he was 12, our now 41-year-old son has found that sign language and this simple technology have aided him in better expressing himself. Each individual affected by special needs has various and different needs, abilities, and disabilities. By getting creative, you can tailor solutions specifically for your child to help them express their needs.
The time quarantined with 8 children, including five teenagers and one child with profound special needs, has been intense. Prior to the worldwide pandemic, my husband Ryan and I successfully prioritized self-care. We understand how fragile our mental health can become in stressful circumstances, having each experienced bouts of overwhelm, PTSD, and anxiety. May is Mental Health Awareness month. Here are ten routines we have incorporated to preserve the integrity of our well-being that may be helpful to others as well.
