“I just want my child to be happy!” A statement I hear from almost every parent who has come to me to help their child and from most other parents I’ve spoken to about their children. This makes sense; of course we want our kids to be happy! What doesn’t make sense to me is [...]
Bring Back the Wonder….
November 1, 2011 Leave a Comment
There was an article in my local newspaper recently that stated, ” More parents are using IPad, other tech gadgets to keep young kids occupied, entertained while at home, out and about.” The author, Rasha Madkour, writing for Associated Press, goes on to quote many parents who wouldn’t go out without their iPads or phones [...]
Going for Perfection: Siblings of Kids with Learning Disabilitiies
October 20, 2011 Leave a Comment
Lisa sat quietly playing with dolls. It was after school and she had already done her homework. She was feeling sad. Her best friend at school had gone off to play with some other kids today at recess and Lisa was all alone, just as she was now. She felt lonely and rejected. She was [...]
11 Things To Do To Help Your Child Strengthen Self-Esteem
September 1, 2011 Leave a Comment
“Nobody likes me!” “I hate myself!” “Everybody does ‘it’ better than me.” “There is no reason to live.” These are alarming and frightening things for a parent to hear. Are they true? How seriously should you take them? What should you do? You want to take it seriously enough to investigate further. Figure out how [...]
Protection and Independence – What is the Right Balance?
July 12, 2011 Leave a Comment
All parents face this question over and over again during their children’s lives. How do you keep your child safe and yet give them the opportunity to fall and get up again, learn from mistakes and build qualities of resilience? The solution, of course, changes with situation, age and developmental maturity. For those of you [...]
Kids with Sensory Issues Experience the World Differently, But How?
June 21, 2011 Leave a Comment
We are pretty egocentric actually! We see the world form our own perspective and kind of assume that everyone around us sees it or experiences it similarly. Often it doesn’t even occur to us that there is any other way to experience a situation or interpret what is going on. This can give us a [...]
A Sure Fire Way to See Beyond the Muck
May 3, 2011 Leave a Comment
If you are like I am, you can get into places where all you can see is the muck, the difficulties, the things that aren’t working. Believe me, I know how easy it is to get there and stay there when your child is having academic or behavioral challenges. Or, let’s be real, when s/he [...]
7 Ways to Help Your Child Feel Special, not Special Needs, and What’s in it For You
March 11, 2011 Leave a Comment
Behavioral and academic problems can wear on a family. The focus is so often on what isn’t working and how we need to improve this or that about our children. Parents often get caught up in how their children reflect on them as parents, what grades the kids are getting, and how difficult it is [...]
What Time Does it Hurt Most?
May 31, 2010 Leave a Comment
Oriental Acupuncture theory indicates that our life force cycles through our body’s organs in two hour segments. When the life force is focused in a particular organ area, any imbalances, diseases, or difficulties related to that organ will tend to flair. Likewise, as particular emotions are often related to particular organs, these emotions might be [...]
Being Brave Enough to Tell the Truth
April 25, 2010 Leave a Comment
The truth is that having a child with special needs or one who requires additional time and care, whether they have a diagnosis or not, can be a strain on any family. Yes, we can acknowledge the blessings of these individuals and the valuable lessons they teach us, AND it can be challenging to attend [...]