Today is Election Day in the U.S., and I'm celebrating Thanksgiving early -- thanks for an end to recorded calls from candidates, thanks for the end of campaign commercials, thanks that I may soon be able to monitor my Facebook and Google+ and Twitter feeds without being assaulted by my friends' political views. That's probably overly optimistic; there's sure to be a week or two of outrage on one side or the other, and it may stretch all the way to the actual Thanksgiving, at which politically divided members of my family will gather to, I hope, dine quietly and without conversation.
Politics aren't the only thing that make big family get-togethers tense for families of kids with special needs, of course. There's all manner of insensitivity that can curdle the gravy and make you wish to apply stuffing liberally to the mouth of a loved one -- indiscriminate use of the R-word, toxic comments about our kids, know-it-all instruction from people who Do Not Know.
If you're looking ahead to not looking forward to Thanksgiving, these articles will give you some tips on surviving the holiday, a laugh or two, and an opportunity to vent:
- Family Gathering Survival Kit
- Special Needs and Special Occasions
- Start a Thanksgiving Tradition With Your Child
- Dressing for Thanksgiving
- Warning Labels
- Recipes for Restricted Diets
- Ten Reasons to Give Thanks for Your Child With Special Needs
- 225 Substitutes for the R-Word
- What's the Worst Thing a Family Member Has Said About Your Child?
What will you be doing for Thanksgiving? Are you filled with anticipation or dread? Share in the comments.
Photo by Terri Mauro