A Saturday "Site of the Day" special: Most days, a single Site of the Day is plenty to keep you occupied. But on Saturday morning, with kids underfoot and a weekend's worth of amusement needed, something more intensive is called for. So be sure to stop by here every week for your super-sized listing of Five Fun Things to Do Today -- including a family activity, a site for the kids, a shopping site, a site offering humor or inspiration about parenting children with special needs, and a site that's just silly or fun. Today's list:

1. Activity: Tree of Thanks
2. Kids' Site: Shape Poems
3. Shopping: Wheelchair FX
4. Inspiration: "Every Smile a Memory: Cassidy, Dierks, and the Transformative Power of Friendship"
5. Just for Fun: Daily Grommet

Here's a list of posts that have received one or more comments this week:

• Freeze Items Exposed to Head Lice
• Just What Did That Thimerosal-Autism Study Say, Anyway?
• Marlee Matlin Can Take a Joke, But That Doesn't Make It Funny
• Weekday Reflection: Building Up, Tearing Down
• Does Your Child Hoard Things?
• Autistic Kids, Violent Adults
• Christmas Gift Ideas, Triumphs, and Disasters
• Wordless Wednesday: Flash Cards on Wheels
• Five Things Pediatricians Do That Drive Me Crazy
• Glee and Faking Disabilities

What's on your mind today? Speak out in the comments below, or add your opinion to the posts above.

Read more: Special Needs News | Site of the Day | Parenting Special Needs Forum

Photo by Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

Looking for something to put on your Christmas list? Consider adding some books about your child's disability, books to improve behavior or family relationships, books to inspire you to keep putting one foot in front of the other. I've reviewed more than 200 books for this Parenting Special Needs website, and you can find them indexed by both title and topic. Do a little browsing on the virtual shelves here, so you'll know what to ask others to put under the tree for you.

More Parenting Tips: Tips of the Day | Holiday Survival Kit | Parenting Book Reviews

_{Image by Terri Mauro}

Read: "There is no standard formula for parenting. Between the endpoints of doing too much and not doing enough, you find lots of variability." -- Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel, from Late, Lost, and Unprepared, this week's featured book.

Reflect: Which endpoint does my parenting fall closer to, too much or not enough? Do I need to adjust that? What would my child say?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. ... More Reflections

Also new today: Site of the Day | Today's News and Views | Tip of the Day

_{Cover image courtesy of Woodbine House}

What It Is: "World Diabetes Day (WDD) is the primary global awareness campaign of the diabetes world. It was introduced in 1991 by the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) and the World Health Organization (WHO) in response to the alarming rise in diabetes around the world. In 2007, the United Nations marked the Day for the first time with the passage of the United Nations World Diabetes Day Resolution in December 2006, which made the existing World Diabetes Day an official United Nations World Health Day." That day is tomorrow, November 14.

Who's In Charge: "The International Diabetes Federation (IDF) is an umbrella organization of over 200 national diabetes associations in over 160 countries. It represents the interests of the growing number of people with diabetes and those at risk. The Federation has been leading the global diabetes community since 1950. IDF's mission is to promote diabetes care, prevention and a cure worldwide."

Why It's Worth Checking Out: On Monday, you read about American Diabetes Month. Now find out what's happening around the world to raise diabetes awareness and research funds.

Where to Start: The Campaign.

More Sites of the Day

+ Page of the Day: Diabetes Sites of the Day +

_{Image courtesy of World Diabetes Day}

I watched my first full episode ever of Fox's Glee last night. The episode, entitled "Wheels," was kind of a special-needs extravaganza (if you missed it, you can watch it on Hulu; be warned that my blog post here will contain spoilers). One of the main plotlines focused on Artie, a character who uses a wheelchair, and dances pretty well in one, too. Efforts to get a bus with a lift so he can ride with his fellow glee-club members to the sectional competition leads to a consciousness-raising exercise in which all the glee-club kids have to go around in wheelchairs, and eventually perform as a group on wheels.

A second plot involves the notoriously abrasive and manipulative cheerleading coach, Sue, being unexpectedly decent to a girl with Down syndrome who wants to join the hypercompetitive squad. Later we find out where Sue's perspective comes from, as she visits her older sister who also has Down syndrome. It looks like the cheerleader may be a recurring character, which would be a neat addition.

There was, in fact, a lot to feel good about in the episode, including consideration of the need for ramps in a big high school, and a wheelchair-level look at how hard it is to get around without getting blocked or bomped. There were also a couple of subplots that dealt with faking disabilities, including one in which a girl admits that she's been faking her stutter, causing Artie to tell her how much it hurts him to find that they don't have this important thing in common after all, and she can just leave her disability behind.

Unfortunately, there's some irony in having actor Kevin McHale deliver lines like, "I'm sorry that now you get to be normal, and I'm going to be stuck in this chair the rest of my life. And that's not something I can fake," because faking is exactly what he's doing. Read more...

Little odds and ends of sensory-integration treats and toys -- squeeze balls, fidget toys, chewy tubes, wiggly pens -- make perfect stuffing for a holiday stocking. Your child will be delighted by them, and you'll know that those less-expensive toys may offer something of real value to your child. Browse my list of "Sensory Integration Stocking Stuffers" for some inspiration, then click around the sites I've linked to -- you're sure to find lots of fun little stuff for your quirky kid.

More Parenting Tips: Tips of the Day | Holiday Survival Kit | Parenting Book Reviews

_{Image by Terri Mauro}

Read: "The goal of interventions is to help our children to extend their abilities, one small step at a time, by working right at the edge of what they can do now and helping them move on to the next step. This requires an ongoing evaluation process as maturation occurs, as learning and experience move our children forward, and as expectations change." -- Joyce Cooper-Kahn and Laurie Dietzel, from Late, Lost, and Unprepared, this week's featured book.

Reflect: How frequently do I review my child's interventions? How often do I hesitate to give an intervention because it seems like coddling? How can I help my child appropriately, and keep adjusting expectations?

Respond in the comments with your own thoughts on this quote and how it applies to your life with your child.

Every weekday, take a moment to read, reflect, and respond to a passage from a book, blog, or article. ... More Reflections

Also new today: Site of the Day | Today's News and Views | Tip of the Day

_{Cover image courtesy of Woodbine House}

What It Is: "LivingWithLGS.com is here to help provide a bond of strength at a difficult hour, when your child's world is coming undone. Strength comes from information, understanding, and community. We connect parents and caregivers of children with LGS [Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome] with the resources they need to be strong -- information about LGS, treatment options for those who have LGS, and support for families."

Who's Behind It: Eisai, "a human health care (hhc) company seeking innovative solutions in disease prevention, cure and care for the health and well-being of people worldwide."

Why It's Worth Checking Out: It offers clear and thoughtful information for parents on Lennox-Gastaut Syndrome, including school issues and a video, "Navigating the Storm," designed to "help you understand more about the disease, offer a list of questions you can ask your own doctor, and provide suggestions to help families dealing with an LGS diagnosis."

Where to Start: LGS and Family

More Sites of the Day

+ Page of the Day: Book Review: Seizures and Epilepsy in Childhood +

Turn Toy Cards into Mobile Flashcards,
a great idea from About.com reader hopernch
(Photo by hopernch)

More Wordless Wednesday
Wordless Wednesday on About.com