Posts Tagged ‘Special Needs Parenting’
The Plain White Coffee Mug
I will be 36 years old in one month and I’ve never been the plain white coffee mug. I’ve been the funny coffee mug. I have made it my job to make everyone laugh around me. I’ve been the accomplished mug. From grade school through obtaining my master’s degree. I’ve been the pregnant mug. Sickness all 41 weeks – Can’t see my feet Hangry – I will NEVER do this again. I’ve been the ew mom mug. I became a mommy for the first time in 2013. I was so…
Read MoreWhy We Push
It was only an hour and a half into the first day of my son’s school-sponsored summer enrichment program when my phone began to ring. It was supposed to be math camp – my 6 year old’s first love. Not enough kids signed up so they went with our third choice, farm camp. He does not dig farming so much, but I had viewed it as a chance to be around typical kids in a safe and fun environment.I had no expectations that he would grow even remotely in his…
Read MoreFind Your Tribe
A few weeks ago, I posted a blog about exactly what to do after you have learned of your child’s diagnosis, you can find that post here. It’s a bit overwhelming and once you pull yourself out from behind the curtain of sleep deprivation and emotional exhaustion, you need to do something very important. Find Your Tribe. At first, your friends and family will be there. Emphatically. Supporting you. Hanging on your every word and asking how they can be there for you. You may have friends that will want to…
Read MoreThey Have A Story to Tell Too
I have three sons. Most of you know Cooper. He has two younger brothers. A lot of folks ask about them. They want to know why I don’t share them more. Some are asking sincerely. Some equate photos on Facebook to love. Letting me know that I love my other two children less than Cooper. I don’t feel that’s true but what do I know I guess. I’m not expert in parenting, that’s for sure. Sawyer is 7 and Harbor is 2. They are both exhausting and amazing at the…
Read MoreOur Favorite Time of the Year
These three picked out the absolute best tree at the tree farm today. It was an experience I tell you. As it typically is with these three. The baby found mud. Then we lost him for a second. He was hiding. Sawyer wanted every tree. Cooper didn’t care what tree…he just needed ‘A’ tree in the back of truck. Jamie didn’t swear or yell once! No one threatened to call Santa! And after we went for doughnuts. But they were out of sprinkle doughnuts so it was quite a negotiation…
Read MoreGood People
For almost two years now, my son Jack has wanted a job. He wanted to work. I still don’t know why he chose the place he did—a local pasta restaurant in the center of town. He went online to their website and researched the requirements. Carefully, he printed out the application. He sat at the kitchen counter and answered the questions about his age, birthdate, and previous experience. He asked if he was a US citizen. I assured him he was. They hired him. For over a year, he has…
Read MoreThe Deafening Silence
My son Knox, five, lives each day with non-verbal autism. He has said some words, many sounds, but there is no consistent voice for him. Consistently, there is a deafening silence. A silence that makes my heart drop with each unanswered question I pose to him. A silence that is so loud, it makes me want to scream in pain. Scream in pain for him, for me, and for the voice that our family so longs to hear from him. A silence that is so deafening, it is all I…
Read MoreThankful
‘Along my journey I have learned that the more thankful I am, the more I have to be thankful for.’ Today I was…Woke up at before 6 am by a ‘Mama…wake up!’ Shot in the neck and the butt and everywhere else by Nerf Guns. Negotiated one zillion times over how many days it is until Cooper’s birthday. Cleaned every surface area of my house a dozen times. Wiped pee off the toilet seat every time I had to use it. (Life with boys!) Broke up fights. Kissed boo-boos. Got…
Read MoreA Reward for Cooper
Yesterday, Cooper’s dad and I took him to the paper store. He picked it as his reward for having an amazing week at school. Parents outside our world probably don’t know that understanding rewards and incentives and motivation is a huge deal. Something we hope and pray for! Cooper didn’t understand any of it until this year. Age 9. That also meant he was pretty hard to spoil. But not anymore. Something clicked and he is now independently able to pick where and what he wants to work for. Last…
Read MoreDora the Pirate
I’d love to bring you a smile today. Because over here we are grinning from ear to ear. A week or so ago, my son Cooper took an interest in Dora the Explorer. But not just any Dora. Because she has always been his favorite. He wanted to dress like Pirate Dora. He wanted her hat, jacket, backpack and black boots. He wanted to board a pirate ship and search for mermaid rock. He wanted a pet monkey named Boots. He wanted whatever the pig characters were too. He asked…
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