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...]
Morning Miracle: Mom Gets Kids Up and Out of the House in Less Than 30 Minutes
Tuesday morning was like most: I woke up around 5:00 am, had a cup of coffee, and glanced at the paper my husband left on the kitchen table. Yes it’s early, but I relish this time when all my chickens are present, accounted for, and sleeping soundly. I do my daily check of the backpacks, write notes for the kids’ teachers, and pack snacks for my second grader and … [Read more...]
The Harder Days of Being a Special Needs Mom
The other day I found myself getting angry, frustrated, and even sad at a parenting article I read in a magazine. The funny thing is, it wasn’t a piece on the pros and cons of feeding your kid sugar, whether I’m a good or bad mother because I stay home, or whether my youngest child is forever damaged because I bottle fed him but nursed his older brother and sister. No, it … [Read more...]
How a Barbie Doll Helped Me Deal With Our Decision to Put Our Daughter on Medication
As a mom I make quick decisions every day. Many are no more important than what to serve for dinner or how much do I want to battle my teenage son over his decision to wear shorts on a winter day. Too often the stakes are higher. I won’t soon forget my decision to give my first son a peanut butter sandwich only to watch him have a severe allergic reaction to it. Or the day … [Read more...]
The Healing Power of the Family Outing
I love my life as a mom. I really do. But every so often I experience a case of burnout that has me dreaming of getting on a plane, train, or bicycle and hightailing it to anywhere where nobody knows my name. No mention of toilets flooding, cries that we are out of milk, or complaints about what I made for supper. Just peace and quiet. For a few weeks, there’s hardly … [Read more...]
