Weekly Round-Up: Week of May 25
Sunday May 31, 2009
Here's your weekend round-up of all the articles, blog posts, and site updates you may have missed from the past week in About Parenting Special Needs.
New Articles
Developing Vocabulary at ... Read More
Flubber, Film Lines, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday May 30, 2009
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
"Tea Tree Oil Is a Miracle" for Head Lice Treatment, Reader Writes
Friday May 29, 2009
I asked for your advice on head-lice remedies, and another reader is singing the praises of tea tree oil, of which I am also a fan. Writes rblave:
"My step-daughter (7 ... Read More
Request a Functional Behavioral Assessment
Friday May 29, 2009
When a child is acting up in class, when there are constant disruptions, when he is a danger to himself or other students, what options do teachers have? Recent reports ... Read More
This Week in Comments: Still Mad About Mady
Friday May 29, 2009
Here's a list of posts that have received one or more comments this week:
Moms of High-Schoolers Need a Clue, Too
Question of the Day: Neighbor Trouble
Non-Finger Finger Painting and More Fun ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Rewards
Friday May 29, 2009
Read: "It's often said that rearing a happy, healthy, well adjusted child is one of the most demanding and challenging of all human endeavors. Fortunately, it's also the most rewarding." ... Read More
Protect Your Child's Future With a Special-Needs Trust
Thursday May 28, 2009
Worrying about your child's financial future can be hard when you're already overbooked with medical or developmental or mental-health worries. Still, unless you've found the fountain of youth, there will ... Read More
In Praise of a Teacher Who Makes Kids Want to Be in School
Thursday May 28, 2009
I asked to hear about some positive school experiences for a change, and reader Karen offered the kind of story we'd all love to tell, under the title "Special teacher":
"My ... Read More
In the News: Diabetes in Europe, and in Supreme Court Justices
Thursday May 28, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Experts
Thursday May 28, 2009
Read: "I was a wonderful parent before I had children. I was an expert on why everyone else was having problems with theirs. Then I had three of my own. ... Read More
Thrifty Thursday: Do-It-Yourself Day Camp
Thursday May 28, 2009
Summer camp is fun. A great experience for kids. A wonderful break for parents. And, in too many cases, an expense that maybe can't be met this year. If you ... Read More
Reader Recommends Gluten-Free Candy Source
Wednesday May 27, 2009
I asked for your sources for gluten-free candy, and reader jallula had some suggestions:
"Go Naturally has hard candy flavors -- cherry, apple and honey. My son likes the cherry a ... Read More
Some Kids Really Can't Get Organized
Wednesday May 27, 2009
Executive function sounds like a party for CEOs, but it really refers to the brain processes responsible for things like organization, impulse control, cause-and-effect thinking, and short-term memory. If your ... Read More
Wordless Wednesday: What I'll Be Reading in June
Wednesday May 27, 2009
Sonia Sotomayor Would Be First Supreme Court Justice With Type 1 Diabetes
Wednesday May 27, 2009
If confirmed, Sonia Sotomayor will not only be the first Hispanic to sit on the U.S. Supreme Court; she'll be the first justice with Type 1 diabetes. As parents of ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Individuality
Wednesday May 27, 2009
Read: "Your children are not you. They are their own people. Its one of those lessons you have to learn on your own, no one can tell you (no matter ... Read More
Be a Partner With Your Child's Therapist
Tuesday May 26, 2009
It's tempting to drop your child at therapy and let the therapist deal with everything, but your child will benefit more from that occupational, physical, or speech work if you're ... Read More
Parent Seeks Votes for Inspirational Contest
Tuesday May 26, 2009
Posting in the Parenting Special Needs Forum over the weekend was a parent looking for help in winning an inspirational contest. Writes teddybobo:
"I have a special needs son ...26 years ... Read More
In the News: Returning Patient, Autistic Teachers, Actor's Memoir
Tuesday May 26, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Long Road
Tuesday May 26, 2009
Read: "It's not a race: We're all on this long road together, and some will get to certain points much more quickly, and with fewer obstacles---mud puddles, bends in the ... Read More
Jon & Kate Plus a Whole Lot of Symptom-Spotting Viewers
Monday May 25, 2009
Ooh, it's so tempting to diagnose other people's children, isn't it? It's one of the guilty pleasures of being the parent of a child with special needs -- a way ... Read More
Special-Needs Parenting Essential: A Sense of Humor
Monday May 25, 2009
If you could write a want ad for a parent of a child with special needs, what requirements would you specify? I asked for your suggestions, and reader BethAnne had ... Read More
In the News: Demi Lovato, Jodi Picoult, Twitter Confidential
Monday May 25, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: It Is What It Is
Monday May 25, 2009
Read: "I don't hate autism, but I do not love it either. I'm at that point where matter-of-factness meets autism acceptance. I accept it, I'm ok with it, but I ... Read More
Weekly Round-Up: Week of May 18
Sunday May 24, 2009
Here's your weekend round-up of all the articles, blog posts, and site updates you may have missed from the past week in About Parenting Special Needs.
New Articles
Book Review: Smart ... Read More
Non-Finger Finger Painting and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday May 23, 2009
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
Moms of High-Schoolers Need a Clue, Too
Friday May 22, 2009
My son went on his first high-school field trip today, and I'm in information withdrawal, longing for the days when permission slips came home with details about the activity. High-school ... Read More
This Week in Comments: In-Laws, Teen Shots, Zac Efron
Friday May 22, 2009
Here's a list of posts that have received one or more comments this week:
Teens in Cancer Disputes Suffer Recurrences
Does Mady Gosselin Need Discipline, or a Diagnosis?
Advocacy Brings Abuse for Alex ... Read More
In the News: IEP Goals, School Abuse, Raising Kids Differently
Friday May 22, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Frustrations
Friday May 22, 2009
Read: "Some days I am not in the mood for comparisons to others' 'typical' children, which makes my 'mama bear instinct' surface (a mama bear with claws displayed protecting her ... Read More
App Puts Picture Schedules on iPhones
Thursday May 21, 2009
I feel like I mention the iTunes store a lot here, as something to use for a child's allowance, as a reward facilitator or motivator, a place to get free ... Read More
Speech Therapists Say the Darnedest Things
Thursday May 21, 2009
I asked for your IEP horror stories, and reader Jen L. had one to vent about, under the title "Speech Therapist Clueless":
"During our IEP (after always having nothing but positive ... Read More
In the News: Little People, Cancer Cure, Toxic Teacher
Thursday May 21, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Shame
Thursday May 21, 2009
Read: "Even though I accepted the autism diagnosis from the beginning, I didn’t understand all the ways it affected Nigel -- the pervasive nature of it -- for many years. ... Read More
Reader Suggests Some Middle-School Strategies
Wednesday May 20, 2009
In response to a forum post from a parent worrying about middle school for a child with ADHD and bipolar disorder, momofpjm spoke up with some great information about accommodations ... Read More
Restraint and Seclusion are Only a Symptom of Special-Education Sickness
Wednesday May 20, 2009
There's a fairly terrifying article in yesterday's USA Today about the abuse of children with special needs in schools. The tales of restraint and seclusion -- taken from an investigation ... Read More
In the News: Privacy, Perseveration, Parents on the Lam
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Coming Far
Wednesday May 20, 2009
Read: "We need to make sure that kids who might start out with 'issues' and, yes, 'problems' have every chance they can to show us just how much they can ... Read More
Tonight on Lifetime: Zac Efron as a Teen With Autism
Tuesday May 19, 2009
I recently reviewed the memoir Miracle Run, a mother's story of raising twin sons with autism, and I've been keeping an eye out for a re-run of the 2004 Lifetime ... Read More
Praising Teachers Who Fight for Our Kids
Tuesday May 19, 2009
With all the negative stories parents tend to swap about teachers and schools and administrators and IEP meetings, I asked for some positive stories to round out the picture. Reader ... Read More
In the News: Test Scores and Treatments
Tuesday May 19, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Acceptance
Tuesday May 19, 2009
Read: "But silently, my mind explodes when I try to walk the line between being a parent of a child with a label, attempting to defend against that, seeking acceptance ... Read More
The R-Word Campaign Is Still Going Strong
Monday May 18, 2009
Have you made the R-Word pledge yet? There are more than 45,000 pledges to date in support of the Special Olympics' campaign to remove "retard" from everyday speech. If you've ... Read More
Worrying About Middle School
Monday May 18, 2009
The transition from elementary school to middle school, with its switching around from teacher to teacher, isn't just scary for kids -- it can give parents pause, too. Lorettabr shares ... Read More
In the News: Margie and Luke, Mandated Treatments, MMR
Monday May 18, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Inclusion
Monday May 18, 2009
Read: "Full inclusion is not worth being the only disabled kid in the class all the time for 12+ years. As well as the only disabled kid in the home ... Read More
Weekly Round-Up: Week of May 11
Sunday May 17, 2009
Here's your weekend round-up of all the articles, blog posts, and site updates you may have missed from the past week in About Parenting Special Needs.
New Articles
Kids Create a ... Read More
Scrap Paper Art, Summer Challenge, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday May 16, 2009
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
This Week in Comments: Arthur's Friend, Margie and Luke's Critics
Friday May 15, 2009
Here's a list of posts that have received one or more comments this week:
Education Secretary Agrees: Giving Kids Tests They Can't Pass Makes No Sense
Jenny McCarthy Gets a Talk Show
Special-Ed ... Read More
In the News: Asking Questions, Hearing Emotions, Blogging on DisAbility
Friday May 15, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Outreach
Friday May 15, 2009
Read: "Why is it my job to educate every person who asks about my kids simply because they're 'interested'? Why does a stranger's interest in my children's special needs usurp ... Read More
Advocacy Brings Abuse for Alex Barton's Family
Thursday May 14, 2009
You know, I was feeling all encouraged about inclusion this week after announcing the results of the "ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search," in which 8,500 youngsters imagined a classmate with ... Read More
Need a Head Lice Remedy? Here's Another One to Try
Thursday May 14, 2009
Anybody out there dealing with an outbreak of head lice right now? You have my sympathies, and my suggestions for tea tree oil and smothering treatments. I asked readers to ... Read More
In the News: Consequences, Genetic Testing, Diabetes Research
Thursday May 14, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Ignorance
Thursday May 14, 2009
Read: "I think asking Joey to change and 'be like everyone else' is unreasonable and undesirable. However, leaving him to the wolves to fend for himself against kids who have ... Read More
How Not to Invite Kids to a Birthday Party
Wednesday May 13, 2009
Ever try to do something nice for your child, something to help win friends and ease social situations, only to have it blow up and make everything so much harder? ... Read More
Wordless Wednesday: Arthur's New Friend
Wednesday May 13, 2009
In the News: Medical Mystery, Messy Medicine, Parenting Play
Wednesday May 13, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Spotlighting Strengths
Wednesday May 13, 2009
Read: "I want people to know you and like you for who you are and not think you are different from them. I do want people to understand you and ... Read More
Arthur Has a New Friend: A Basketball-Loving, Wheelchair-Using Fox
Tuesday May 12, 2009
Several months ago, I told you about the "ARTHUR/All Kids Can Character Search," which invited children ages 6-12 to imagine a new friend for Arthur, one with a health problem ... Read More
Reader Recommends Recording IEP Meetings
Tuesday May 12, 2009
I asked for your IEP horror stories, and reader aprilmaria instead suggested a way to avoid them -- put everything on the record:
"After years of IEP battles, I notified the ... Read More
In the News: Joyfulness, Madness, Preparedness
Tuesday May 12, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Differences
Tuesday May 12, 2009
Read: "There are supposed to be differences in our society, it’s what makes our culture rich. Who gets to decide the differences that are ok and those that should be ... Read More
When Your In-Laws Outlaw Your Child
Monday May 11, 2009
When you have a child who's a handful, there are enough strangers around to give you the evil eye and wonder why you don't just stay home. It would be ... Read More
Note to Teacher: Don't Send Important Papers Home With the Student Who Loses Her Homework
Monday May 11, 2009
What do you do when school officials refuse to acknowledge your child's disability or compensate for it? I asked for your IEP horror stories, and reader sastefanik recently submitted this ... Read More
In the News: Autism Recovery, Amazing Race, Vaccines in Space
Monday May 11, 2009
Every day, I hand-pick news items, blog posts, and articles from around the Web of interest to parents of children with special needs and put them in my Today's News ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Laziness
Monday May 11, 2009
Read: "Laziness is not an innate trait. We all are born with a drive to produce, and like saplings growing in an orchard, we have within us the resources to ... Read More
Weekly Round-Up: Week of May 4
Sunday May 10, 2009
Here's your weekend round-up of all the articles, blog posts, and site updates you may have missed from the past week in About Parenting Special Needs.
New Articles
Love Notes for ... Read More
Handprints, Heroes, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday May 9, 2009
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
My Mother's Day Gifts to You
Friday May 8, 2009
I heard on the radio the other day that what every woman wants more than anything on Mother's Day is flowers. Not. What I'd like more than a bevy of ... Read More
This Week in Comments: Contestants, Cerebral Palsy, Pudding
Friday May 8, 2009
Here's a list of posts that have received one or more comments this week:
Five Automated Calls I'd Like to Receive
Question of the Day: Special-Needs Adoption
The Latest on Botox for Cerebral ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Family Emotions
Friday May 8, 2009
Read: "You cannot tell your other children to be more human than you are. You cannot model one set of behaviors as parents, and then get upset if your children ... Read More
Not Feeling So Charitable About Charitable Giving
Thursday May 7, 2009
Do you ever feel like having children with special needs should give you an exemption from having to donate money to special-needs causes? I mean, when someone calls you up ... Read More
Education Secretary Agrees: Giving Kids Tests They Can't Pass Makes No Sense
Thursday May 7, 2009
Is someone in a position to do something finally going to see the light about standardized testing for special-education students? Today's News and Views folder has a post from Disability ... Read More
Share Your Proud Moments on the Forum
Thursday May 7, 2009
"I finally did it!!!!" exclaims Amy Yowell in the title of a post on the Parenting Special Needs Forum. Here's what Amy's celebrating:
"I did something I have been struggling with ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Electronics
Thursday May 7, 2009
Read: "As one father said, 'Things were different when I was a boy. My son's room has a color TV, a VCR, a CD player, and his own telephone. Now ... Read More
Add Your Comments on Special-Needs Adoption
Wednesday May 6, 2009
An older post about special-needs adoption recently received a couple of new comments on whether it's something that anyone who knew what they were getting into would want to do. ... Read More
Wordless Wednesday: Special Olympics Winner
Wednesday May 6, 2009
Eleven Questions About Special-Needs Parenting
Wednesday May 6, 2009
As often happens on message boards where parents of children with special needs gather, a request for an interview has been placed on the Parenting Special Needs Forum. In this ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Old Habits
Wednesday May 6, 2009
Read: "Parenting involves reliving your own childhood. It is inevitable that you will replay events of your own childhood with your children. You will basically treat your children the way ... Read More
Love Notes Cards Ready for More Than Just Mother's Day
Tuesday May 5, 2009
Last Wednesday, I announced that Love Notes for Special Parents designs are now available as Mother's Day cards -- which they still are, in case you're looking for a card ... Read More
Would You Let Your Child Bring an iPod to School?
Tuesday May 5, 2009
Today was another one of those mornings when I had to argue with my son about bringing his iPod to school. Since cause-and-effect thinking isn't his big thing, the fact ... Read More
Share Your Special-Education Experiences, For Better or Worse
Tuesday May 5, 2009
Have you had an experience at an IEP meeting that was so jaw-droppingly outrageous you just had to tell someone? I asked for your IEP horror stories, and a couple ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Parenting Advice
Tuesday May 5, 2009
Read: "Authors of popular parenting books contradict each other: Take charge of your family insists one; Celebrate your child's inner spirit, asserts another; Turn off the TV! shouts a third. ... Read More
Runaway Boy With Asperger's Drives Dad's SUV to Airport
Monday May 4, 2009
Could your child hop in the car, drive thirty miles, get on a plane, and fly cross-country without permission or assistance? I'm pretty sure mine couldn't, but I don't plan ... Read More
Jenny McCarthy Gets a Talk Show
Monday May 4, 2009
Here's good news or bad news, depending on your tolerance for Jenny McCarthy and agreement with her views on autism and vaccines: According to Entertainment Weekly, the actress has signed ... Read More
Wishing a Child Was More Comfortable With Cuddling
Monday May 4, 2009
I asked what was on your special-needs parent's wish list, and items are still coming in, including this contribution from jb0105, under the title "Hugs and Kisses From My Son:
"I'd ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Fuses
Monday May 4, 2009
Read: "Parents sometimes ask, 'Is it better to have a long fuse or a short fuse?' I tell them, 'It's better not to be a bomb at all.' Wherever your ... Read More
Weekly Round-Up: Week of April 27
Sunday May 3, 2009
Here's your weekend round-up of all the articles, blog posts, and site updates you may have missed from the past week in About Parenting Special Needs.
New Articles
Mother's Day Cards ... Read More
Math, MerDer, and More Fun Things to Do
Saturday May 2, 2009
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
Prince Talks About Having Epilepsy as a Child
Friday May 1, 2009
If you're in the habit of keeping track of celebrities with disability experience to use as "can-do" inspiration for your kids, here's another one to add to the list: Prince. ... Read More
The Latest on Botox for Cerebral Palsy
Friday May 1, 2009
The use of Botox to treat muscle spasticity in cerebral palsy has been getting a lot of attention lately, both in the comments to my old post about it on ... Read More
This Week in Comments: Botox, Bad Neighbors, Brain-Tampering
Friday May 1, 2009
Here's a list of posts that have received one or more comments this week:
Five Automated Calls I'd Like to Receive
Familiar Accusation Leveled Against Mom on The Amazing Race
Papoose Boards Make ... Read More
Weekday Reflection: Loneliness
Friday May 1, 2009
Read: "One of the things that's different about women is that we need to share our feelings. It's such a sense of loneliness when you're dealing with this, and you ... Read More