The Unique Struggles of a Special Sibling

“He gets mad at the smallest things and always causes a scene. I’m embarrassed to be seen with him.” ” I feel ignored and resent how much time he demands from my parents.” Click To Tweet “Why can’t I just have a NORMAL family like everyone else?!” “As much as I am embarrassed to be around my brother, I worry about if he is OK without me.” “It hurts when people are rude to him… but I feel guilty and ashamed because I am the rudest to him of all.” “Who will take care of her if something happens to …

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Solution Revolution

“You’re not doing the same things,” my husband said when I was working with my second son when he was 2, 3 and 4. “Yes, I am,” I remember answering, somewhat frustrated. “The same things aren’t working.” Regardless of the age, sometimes “the same things” don’t work. Developing children requires a diverse strategy arsenal. For academic development, we used alphabet puzzles, flash cards, animal alphabet cards, Bob Books, Now I’m Reading Books. One learned to spell his name first in sign language. Another chose Garfield over classics – our home library is stuffed with Garfield, Snoopy, the classics, World War …

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It Can Be A Lonely World

Motherhood can be lonely. Can’t it?  I mean, who counts the places that they’ve nursed a baby? (raising a sheepish hand.)  Who cheers for their toddler going potty and makes a phone call to Daddy while he’s working just to brag on it? (the other hand…) While we know other people travel these roads, it can seem like not another soul is on the same journey that we are as parents. Parenting came seem to be a lonely job.  But can I interject that being the mother of a special needs child is even more lonely?  Those feelings of “Our …

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