Paradigm shift: “A time when the usual and accepted way of doing or thinking about something changes completely” (The Cambridge English Dictionary). I don’t know about you, but God often shifts my paradigm of disability when I least expect it. It was a Sunday morning. I’d been laid flat with a flu-like virus for four days. I woke up that morning determined to get up and go to church with my … [Read more...]
Top Five Self-Care Tips for Special-Needs Parents
Self-care is a phrase that gets tossed around often, but for special-needs parents, self-care is not optional. If we don’t care for ourselves, we can’t properly care for the children God has given us. Last October I focused on self-care for the entire month of October and shared what I learned on my blog. Five tips seemed to resonate most with the readers of my site and I'm sharing them … [Read more...]
Run Your Own Race
It all started with his friend, Jon. Sam started 6th grade this year, and the opportunity came up for him to join cross-country (also referenced as XC). Sam and Jon are good friends; they go to church together, and they go to the same school too (though not in the same class.) Jon's been running XC for a couple of years now, and he really loves it. Naturally, Jon told Sam how awesome it was, and … [Read more...]
When You Know Too Much
This summer our family embarked upon the grand adventure of multi-generational living. It began in May when our daughter, her husband, and their then 13-month-old son moved into our upstairs as they transition from starving graduate student status to starving artists status. The adventure is going well, everyone is adjusting, and my husband and I love sharing every day life with our … [Read more...]
(Faith + Hope) > (Fear + Loneliness)
Let’s face it. If you’re raising a child with a disability, then your life is anything but typical. More like fragile, complex, overwhelming, exhausting. After battling the everyday challenges that never seem to leave you alone, there is not much left in the tank. You may also be in the situation where caring for your child for the rest of your lives is becoming more and more real. The older you … [Read more...]
Are You “Ghosting” Your Child?
"Mom! Mommy! Mama! MAAAAA!" On top of that, it does something terrible to my child. It shouts right back, “You AREN’T important to me.” I am telling my child that her needs aren’t a priority. Her concerns are insignificant. I don’t care. Epiphany My eldest child, now in college, unwittingly brought this to my attention recently. She described what she is learning in one of her communications … [Read more...]