Last Tuesday my son let me know that he was asked to speak on a panel that was kicking off his high school’s participation in Autism Awareness month. “Mom, they want me to speak about being a friend to kids on the spectrum as well as a brother to a sister with autism.” Part of me was proud and thrilled for him. Tom’s best friend is not only an amazing, brilliant young man … [Read more...]
Sweet 15: Dealing With a Teenage Special Needs Child
“I hate you. I hate you. I hate you.” I heard my soon to be 15-year-old daughter sing my praises from the back seat of our mini-van as I pulled into our driveway the other day. “Well, you know Liz, I’m not that fond of you right now either.” The car was now safely parked, and I heard the swish of her door open. “I hate you, and that’s all there is to it.” My dear … [Read more...]
Praying for a Christmas Miracle
The other day, as the kids and I were driving home from picking up Tom from his after-school club, my youngest said, “Mom, there’s another baby Jesus,” referring to a manger scene on someone’s front lawn. “Oh, that’s great. How many does that make this trip?” “That’s three. Oh, I just saw another one. Four.” “Four, that’s good. I wonder how many more we can find … [Read more...]
When Something Is Wrong With Your Child
I still remember the morning, 14 years ago, when I knew in my soul something wasn’t right with our daughter Lizzy. She was six weeks old and gorgeous. I was enjoying a few lazy moments of cuddling with her in my bed after a feeding. I’m not sure what made me notice it that day, but as I was talking to her, it struck me that she wasn’t looking back at me. That was it, … [Read more...]
A Survival Kit for the Special Needs Parent
As the new school year starts and I watch my three kids get ready to enter grades 12, 8 and 6, I can’t help but think of all of the moms and dads with children entering kindergarten. The kids all are amazing, but some don’t fit the typical mold. Perhaps your child has dyslexia, like our first son has, or they struggle with ADHD, like our youngest son does. You know in your … [Read more...]
