iTunes, Olympics, and More of Your Comments
Wednesday April 30, 2008
Readers are sounding off in the comments all over this Parenting Special Needs blog, but it can be hard to find and respond to those opinions when they're on posts ... Read More
Wordless Wednesday: On My Reading Pile
Wednesday April 30, 2008
Site of the Day: UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation
Wednesday April 30, 2008
Families of kids who need medical care that is not covered by their health insurance can turn to the UnitedHealthcare Children's Foundation, a charity "dedicated to facilitating access to medical-related ... Read More
Is Your Child Accident-Prone?
Tuesday April 29, 2008
Good Reading From the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday April 29, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by Diary of 1. In addition to my entry on our first Special Olympics, here are some more ... Read More
Site of the Day: dLife on YouTube
Tuesday April 29, 2008
Watch Other Users' Videos
Submit Your Own Video
The diabetes site dLife has its own YouTube channel full of videos on all aspects of living with diabetes. In addition to medical topics ... Read More
Tallying the Cost of Special Needs
Monday April 28, 2008
An article in yesterday's Wall Street Journal looks at the cost of a child with special needs -- not soaring medical bills so much as the thousands shelled out for ... Read More
The Kind of Scheduling Problems You Want to Have
Monday April 28, 2008
All of a sudden, my son has a social life.
I'm not used to him having places to go and people to see. We've always been able to schedule therapies and ... Read More
Site of the Day: Libraries and Autism
Monday April 28, 2008
If you've stayed away from your local public library out of fear of stern librarians, disapproving patrons, and your own non-quiet child, you may be amazed to look around this ... Read More
Sunday Quotations: On Death and New Life
Sunday April 27, 2008
The Weekly Quiz that usually runs in this Sunday spot is going on hiatus, and in its place I'm going to offer a few quotes from blog entries around the ... Read More
Around About: April 27
Sunday April 27, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since April 19
Saturday April 26, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
May Day, Maps, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday April 26, 2008
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 ... Read More
Friday Book Club: Straight Talk on Autism
Friday April 25, 2008
Every Friday is book review day for the Harried Parent's Book Club, and throughout the month of April -- Autism Awareness Month -- we've been looking at books on autism ... Read More
Setting Up an iTunes Account Without a Credit Card
Friday April 25, 2008
UPDATE: The iTunes Store now allows users to set up an account using only an allowance, and has made it easier to set up an account with a gift certificate ... Read More
Site of the Day: Horizons Autism
Friday April 25, 2008
There are six more days in Autism Awareness Month, and that makes six more days to take advantage of a special offer from Horizons Developmental Remediation Center, a Michigan company ... Read More
Why I Don't Watch Reality TV
Thursday April 24, 2008
Well, here's a pretty depressing juxtaposition.
This week on Dancing With the Stars, deaf actress Marlee Matlin -- who had been competing fairly amazingly considering she can't, you know, hear the ... Read More
In the Forum: Looking for Help
Thursday April 24, 2008
Dealing with a child with special needs is hard enough when you have a diagnosis and a community of parents who are facing the same challenges. When your little one ... Read More
Site of the Day: File Folder Heaven
Thursday April 24, 2008
"File Folder Heaven" sounds like where all my important papers wind up, never to be seen again. But in fact, it's a small site put together by a special education ... Read More
There's More Than One Way to Communicate With Your Kid
Wednesday April 23, 2008
My daughter got a MacBook laptop for her eighteenth birthday, and we've been having all sorts of fun with it.
I have our two computers linked together on an Airport Extreme ... Read More
Adulthood, Autism, and More of Your Comments
Wednesday April 23, 2008
Readers are sounding off in the comments all over this Parenting Special Needs blog, but it can be hard to find and respond to those opinions when they're on posts ... Read More
Site of the Day: Talking With Kids
Wednesday April 23, 2008
Getting a child with behavioral or developmental or learning special needs to sit down and discuss serious topics can be a struggle. Whether your child is too involved with his ... Read More
Good Reading From the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday April 22, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by Vanilla Joy. In addition to my entry on my daughter's eighteenth birthday, here are some more posts ... Read More
Kids on ADHD Meds Need ECGs, Says AHA
Tuesday April 22, 2008
Into the debate about stimulant medications for children steps the American Heart Association, which is now recommending that children prescribed Ritalin and the like should get an electrocardiogram (ECG) before ... Read More
Site of the Day: Children's Oncology Camping Association
Tuesday April 22, 2008
COCA represents 65 camps for kids with cancer around the U.S., as well as several in Canada and Europe. From the site, you can find camps and cancer organizations near ... Read More
Can Your Family Live Without TV?
Monday April 21, 2008
Our First Special Olympics
Monday April 21, 2008
On Saturday morning, my son competed in his first Special Olympics competition, meeting athletes from neighboring towns on the field of Bocce Ball. I had no idea bocce was a ... Read More
Site of the Day: The American Occupational Therapy Association
Monday April 21, 2008
April is Occupational Therapy Month, and if you're wondering whether OT would help your child, or how you can learn more about the OT your child is already getting, the ... Read More
Around About: April 20
Sunday April 20, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since April 12
Saturday April 19, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
Bubbles, Planets, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday April 19, 2008
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 ... Read More
Friday Book Club: Asperger's From the Inside Out
Friday April 18, 2008
Every Friday is book review day for the Harried Parent's Book Club, and throughout the month of April -- Autism Awareness Month -- we'll be looking at books on autism ... Read More
Five Play Opportunities You May Be Missing
Friday April 18, 2008
One of the things you get good at as a parent of a child with special needs is multitasking. You have to. You're a caretaker and a case manager, an ... Read More
Site of the Day: Sweet Nothing in My Ear
Friday April 18, 2008
Seems to be a good time for special-needs-related weekend TV movies. Last Friday, I spotlighted Lifetime's showing of The Memory Keeper's Daughter, which dealt with Down syndrome, and today I ... Read More
Today I Am the Mother of an Adult
Thursday April 17, 2008
My daughter turns 18 today.
I wasn't there on April 17, 1990, when she was born in a Russian hospital -- deprived of oxygen, in a coma for thirteen hours, not ... Read More
Site of the Day: Gluten-Free Passover Foods
Thursday April 17, 2008
Passover begins at sundown this Saturday, April 19, bringing with it traditional dishes and a restriction on eating regular bread products and baked goods. Nancy Lapid, About.com's guide to Celiac ... Read More
The Teaser and the Teased
Wednesday April 16, 2008
I wrote last week about how my daughter was having trouble with kids at school teasing her and calling her "robot." She and I have been talking pretty steadily since ... Read More
In the Forum: Three Invitations to Join the Conversation
Wednesday April 16, 2008
Several posters have shared their questions and experiences in the Parenting Special Needs Forum in the last few days. Here are three of the most recent topics. Do you have ... Read More
Site of the Day: Stop Bullying Now!
Wednesday April 16, 2008
Bullying can be a complex issue for parents of children with special needs. Things like language delays, academic frustrations, motor-skill problems, lack of understanding of social cues, and sensory-integration issues ... Read More
Twelve Things to Know Before Your Child Rides the Bus
Tuesday April 15, 2008
Does your child ride the bus to school? Many if not most kids in special education do, and if your child's educational placement is outside of your neighborhood, that might ... Read More
Good Reading From the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday April 15, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by On the Horizon. In addition to my entry on medical care from a pretend friend, here are ... Read More
Site of the Day: Memorizable.com
Tuesday April 15, 2008
I'm always on the lookout for new ways to help kids memorize things. My children did well with flashcards when they were younger, but I've grown weary of writing facts ... Read More
Ten Things I Learned at the Library
Monday April 14, 2008
A post on the About.com Children's Books site reminds us that it's National Library Week. I can't say much about children's programs in public libraries, because I haven't taken much ... Read More
Video Shows Autism Signs and Symptoms
Monday April 14, 2008
Watch Other Users' Videos
Submit Your Own Video
The collection of YouTube videos on this Parenting Special Needs site is always open to submissions from readers, and Valeria, who regulary creates videos ... Read More
Site of the Day: Night of Too Many Stars
Monday April 14, 2008
If you meant to watch "Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Concert for Autism Education" live on Comedy Central ... you missed it. It was on last night. But ... Read More
Weekly Quiz: Spot the Fake Special-Needs Story
Sunday April 13, 2008
How well do you know this Parenting Special Needs blog? Take this week's quiz and show off your skills. You'll find a list of five different stories; four of them ... Read More
Around About: April 13
Sunday April 13, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since April 5
Saturday April 12, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
First-Aid, Raffle Prizes, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday April 12, 2008
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 ... Read More
Friday Book Club: Autism Heroes
Friday April 11, 2008
Every Friday is book review day for the Harried Parent's Book Club, and throughout the month of April -- Autism Awareness Month -- we'll be looking at books on autism ... Read More
In the RAD Forum: Mom at the End of Her Rope
Friday April 11, 2008
A new poster in the Reactive Attachment Disorder Forum is sharing her pain and confusion about her daughter, who has not been diagnosed with RAD although her adoptive mother suspects ... Read More
Site of the Day: The Memory Keeper's Daughter
Friday April 11, 2008
A poster on the Parenting Special Needs Forum reminds us that an adaptation of The Memory Keeper's Daughter, Kim Edwards' novel about the consequences of a father's decision to give ... Read More
Hooligans, Hygiene, and More of Your Comments
Thursday April 10, 2008
Readers are sounding off in the comments all over this Parenting Special Needs blog, but it can be hard to find and respond to those opinions when they're on posts ... Read More
Join in the All About Parenting Blog Carnival
Thursday April 10, 2008
Do you have a parenting blog, whether special-needs-related or general? The About.com Parenting and Family guides are starting a blog carnival, and you're invited to participate.
Each month the carnival will ... Read More
Site of the Day: Melissa Riggio
Thursday April 10, 2008
A little more than a year ago, I wrote here about then-18-year-old Melissa Riggio, daughter of Barnes & Noble CEO Steve Riggio and already a powerful advocate for people like ... Read More
Teasing Does Not Compute
Wednesday April 9, 2008
My daughter is getting teased in school for being a robot. Seriously. There's a boy in one of her high-school inclusion classes (a fellow special-ed student, as it happens) who ... Read More
Floortime Versus Applied Verbal Behavior
Wednesday April 9, 2008
One of the many things they don't warn you about when your child is diagnosed with a disability is that you will become an unpaid and unappreciated professional in the ... Read More
Site of the Day: MES English
Wednesday April 9, 2008
Spring break is going to be coming up soon for most of us, and with it lots of unstructured kid time to fill and academic skills to keep up. If ... Read More
The Best Care Invisible Money Can Buy
Tuesday April 8, 2008
I've been sick the past few days with a cold I'm going to call "The Sinus Crud," because it involves some sort of sludge blopping along behind my nose and ... Read More
Studies Link Kids' Sleep Loss to Overweight, Depression
Tuesday April 8, 2008
I'll admit, the question of "Are the kids getting enough sleep?" doesn't get asked nearly as much in my house as "Is mom getting enough sleep?" to which the answer ... Read More
Site of the Day: Little Horizons
Tuesday April 8, 2008
Looking for a DVD to get your kids interested in the alphabet? "Fun With the ABC's" from Little Horizons has the usual cute graphics and music, but it has one ... Read More
In the Forum: Paraprofessionals, Hemophilia, and Vaccines
Monday April 7, 2008
Several posters have shared their questions and experiences in the Parenting Special Needs Forum in the last few days. Here are three of the most recent topics. Do you have ... Read More
Are Hospitals Harming Kids With Medication Mix-Ups?
Monday April 7, 2008
Following on the heels of reports of actor Dennis Quaid's newborn twins receiving an overdose of blood thinner comes a study suggesting that eleven out of every 100 hospitalized children ... Read More
Site of the Day: Autism Resource Center
Monday April 7, 2008
One of my favorite publishers for serious books on special needs is Brookes Publishing. Every year for Autism Awareness Month, the company gives away a library of autism books once ... Read More
Weekly Quiz: Spot the Fake Special-Needs Story
Sunday April 6, 2008
How well do you know this Parenting Special Needs blog? Take this week's quiz and show off your skills. You'll find a list of five different stories; four of them ... Read More
Around About: April 6
Sunday April 6, 2008
A Sunday "Site of the Day" special: Just as Saturday's "Five Fun Things to Do" points you toward amusing and informative places to visit around the Internet, every Sunday morning ... Read More
Saturday Catch-Up: What You Missed Since March 29
Saturday April 5, 2008
It's the weekend! Stretch! Take a deep breath! And catch up with all that stuff you meant to read on this site over the past week! Here are the new ... Read More
Wheels, Weather, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday April 5, 2008
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 ... Read More
Friday Book Club: Act Early Against Autism
Friday April 4, 2008
Every Friday is book review day for the Harried Parent's Book Club, and throughout the month of April -- Autism Awareness Month -- we'll be looking at books on autism ... Read More
Adolescence Stinks
Friday April 4, 2008
Following up on Wednesday's forum post about puberty and kids with special needs, a few more observations about those tumultuous teenage years:
In response to Southern_Mom's request for input about puberty, ... Read More
Site of the Day: Model Me Kids
Friday April 4, 2008
Social story books are a good way to help kids with autism spectrum disorders model appropriate behaviors, but Model Me Kids takes that one step forward with training videos that ... Read More
Top Principles of ADHD Management
Thursday April 3, 2008
Last Friday, I posted a review of ADHD: Living Without Brakes, which in addition to being a quick, accessible guide to Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder, is full of good advice for ... Read More
Potential, Poof!, and More of Your Comments
Thursday April 3, 2008
Readers are sounding off in the comments all over this Parenting Special Needs blog, but it can be hard to find and respond to those opinions when they're on posts ... Read More
Site of the Day: Sunkist Smiles Photo Contest
Thursday April 3, 2008
Have you ever put an orange wedge in your mouth so that the peel shows when you smile? That look is the one citrus specialist Sunkist is seeking for a ... Read More
Today, Spring Training Begins
Wednesday April 2, 2008
Baseball season may have started a while ago for the big leagues, but tonight is the first practice for my son's Challenger League team. The Challenger League offers an opportunity ... Read More
In the Forum: Puberty and the Special Needs Child
Wednesday April 2, 2008
Puberty has been hitting my son with a big stick lately.
His body has been going through changes for a couple of years now, getting bigger and hairier and scarier, and ... Read More
Site of the Day: Autism Unraveling the Mystery
Wednesday April 2, 2008
It's Autism Awareness Day, at the start of Autism Awareness Month, and the cable news network CNN is devoting special coverage to the disorder today, both on TV and online.
From ... Read More
Good Reading From the Carnival of Family Life
Tuesday April 1, 2008
I participated in the Carnival of Family Life again this week, hosted by Intensive Care for the Nurturer's Soul. In addition to my entry on penny behavior management, here are ... Read More
Site of the Day: Idioms By Kids
Tuesday April 1, 2008
It's April Fool's Day, a day often marked by verbal pranks and fibs. But for some kids with special needs, language is tricky and undependable every day of the year. ... Read More