Posts Tagged ‘special needs siblings’
Happy Birthday Sweet Boy
Please help me wish this little cutie a happy 8th birthday today! I know it’s cliche, but the days are long and the years are short. I’m not sure how he’s 8 already! He will forever be my little buddy. Happy birthday Sawyer! Now time needs to stop! I can’t have you grow up anymore. Finding Cooper’s Voice is a safe, humorous, caring and honest place where you can celebrate the unique challenges of parenting a special needs child. Because you’re never alone in the struggles you face. And once…
Read MoreSlow Down Little One
There is something that happens between ages 7 and 8 in little boys. A part of development I didn’t know about. I was sitting on the couch a while ago when I heard the door burst open. I was confused because my son had just left mere minutes earlier to go sledding with our family friends. I yelled his name out. Just to make sure it was him. When he rounded the corner he ran to me and jumped into my arms. I held him like he was little again.…
Read MoreAs a Special Needs Sibling, She Will Learn From Him Too
She sat beside me in the car, diligently working on sorting letters from the Elmo case she so often carries in her clutches, occupying much of her days… We waited for her Brother, who inside the adjacent building sat working on his own set of goals, alongside his SLP, and OT. “A for Apple! B is for Baby!” Eva proudly exclaimed, gazing up at me, her smile filled with wonder and excitement. A girl after my own heart…her love of books, words, and the letters that encompass them all emanates…
Read MoreThe Importance of Being Present
Last week I brought my son to his hockey practice. It had been a long day and honestly I was so excited to sit in the bleachers, put my feet up, and relax. And of course I was happy to watch my son. For the next hour I watched him do drills, scrolled through Facebook, answered work emails, and peeked at Pinterest. When I met him after to take his skates off, the first thing he said to me was…’you spent the whole time on your phone doing your job.…
Read MoreTrying to Stop Time
My son, Your birthday is in 8 days. You have been counting down since mid December. You love your birthday. And you love being older. So much so that you are already telling people you are 8 years old. I lovingly correct you every time, reminding you that you are still my 7 year old. I also threaten you with a potion that will keep you little forever. But you have no time for that nonsense. You want to grow up. I want time to stop. Last night you snuggled…
Read MoreWhat Autism Brings Us
Hi. My name is Carrie. I have five kids, and my second son has autism. His name is Jack. He is sixteen years old. For me, autism brings a trifecta of hope, grief, and peace. Hope is the bundle of rocks I carry everywhere I go. Grief is the small box of feathers I let myself open every once in a while. And peace? Well, that is the long, jagged mountain I climb, clutching my bundle of hope and a box full of feathers. Jack and my firstborn, Joseph, are…
Read MoreThank you for Always Having Your Brother’s Back
Dear Jonah, You’re 11 today! How time has flown! There were a million things I wanted to write to you on your birthday card this morning but didn’t want to get too mushy. Birthdays are supposed to be fun and lighthearted. What I wanted to tell you is how proud I am of you. I know it can be difficult at times having a brother with special needs, especially when it’s your twin. There have been times you have told me you feel like the older brother and I get…
Read MoreWaiting for School
The sweet email said…’Cooper has been on my mind all day! How was his first day back to school?’ I’ll admit I teared up a bit as I read her words. The kindness of strangers continues to amaze and humble me. And she wasn’t the only one who asked about him. There were dozens of emails and messages asking how he did. Cooper had a fantastic day at school! I was a bit nervous this morning because somewhere wires got crossed and his bus never came. He was dressed and…
Read MoreTheir Special Bond
This morning we were running around getting three kids ready to leave the house. Packing lunches, finding school iPads, headphones and chargers, gathering snow gear…it was a lot. We are definitely out of practice. Jamie noticed that Coops put his shoes on the wrong feet. It happens quite frequently but we are also so proud of him for putting his shoes on that we don’t mind fixing them. Sawyer, who was soaking up his last few minutes of holiday break, and zoning out watching his iPad, must have heard us.…
Read MoreFinding the Balance
I remember when our oldest son Cooper started disliking a lot of activities. It didn’t happen overnight. More like an evolution over months. He was 18 months. And refused to go outside. He looked at the world as a foreign place. But because he was little, we could still go places. But as he aged, it became nearly impossible. Until, we couldn’t really go anywhere at all. We learned that he loves being home. He loves being warm and cozy and snuggling under 7 fuzzy blankets. He likes watching The…
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