Above us and around us—and sometimes even inside of us—thunderstorms are building. Sometimes these storms may come from behind the closed doors of your doctor’s office, or on the other end of the phone line…or from your child with special needs. I’ve spent almost 16-years years as a parent to a child with special needs. More years than some of you. Not nearly as many as others who are … [Read more...]
What You Do Today Matters
His voice was a whisper, “What’s up? ” “Not much dude, why are you whispering?” I whispered back. In a guilty voice, the 35-year old father explained to me that he was calling from a closet. He was hiding from his five-year-old son, who was hunting for his favorite Sesame Street DVD. His son, on the autism spectrum, had a tendency to play the same small video segment over…and over…and … [Read more...]
Tired of Trying To Be the Perfect Parent
When it comes to parenting, how are you feeling? Is your family the picture that you had in mind? I know that for a long time I had this picture in my mind of the perfect family; the kind that you used to see on TV shows years ago. However, the reality of kids with special needs and the inability to totally control my life eventually made me take a more realistic look at image I was clinging … [Read more...]
Masterpiece
For my boys, hearing, listening, following directions, and (oh, let me just say it) compliance with others is like pulling teeth. (*Cringe*). When you throw their autism into the mix, it makes for some pretty difficult days. There are many moments when I have no idea how I’m going to make it until the end of the week. The constant demands, the needs, and the challenging behaviors can be like … [Read more...]
What Wonderous Love Is This?
Have you ever wondered why we call the Friday before Easter “good?” What’s good about humiliation, crucifixion and death? We don’t call it good Friday because we want to celebrate suffering. No, we call it “good” because, were it not for Friday, we wouldn’t have Easter Sunday. In order for Christ to conquer sin, death and darkness, he first had to enter into it – wholly and completely. He … [Read more...]
Show And Tell
I loved show-and-tell day when I was in Kindergarten. I was consumed with excitement to share my beloved teddy bear, rock collection, or other deeply meaningful item that I had dug up that week. My heart would skip a beat when the teacher called out my name for my turn. To me, and all the other kids in Kindergarten, we were all sharing the greatest treasures known to mankind. We were so sold-out … [Read more...]