Special Needs Archives - Page 15 of 22

Planning For Your Special Needs Child’s Future

Feb 10 2013

I’m a compulsive planner which means I need like to know what’s going to happen next; and if I can control what that is, even better. FYI — I know what we’re having for dinner every night for the next two months. When it comes to my children, I have to remind myself to stop obsessively looking forward. However, there are some things that really must be arranged in advance when you have a child with a disability. Though I hope to be around for a long time to care for my family, even I, the master of control, can’t control that. So as unpleasant as it seems, we recently updated our wills and named our children’s guardians and Powers of Attorney. We also created a document listing all accounts, assets, debts, passwords, and any other crucial information family members would need in the case of, you know, our demise. We set up an RESP for our son. He’ll need it to help with law and medical school. After that, he’s on his own. I’m sure his astronaut salary and Pulitzer prize money will be enough to get by on. (What? I tend to dream big.) So with those details in place, I can relax and just enjoy my kids,[…]

Jan 31 2013

Perhaps it’s attention seeking behaviour or possibly it’s the thrill of being the centre the action. Whatever the reason, my daughter is rather dramatic. I haven’t the vaguest idea where she gets it from. *flips back hair and sighs emphatically* The first time she staged a “fake fall” we were shocked. We were spending the day at the Royal Ontario Museum as a family when Avery stumbled over a gentleman’s foot. She hit the floor with the force of a feather, but instead of getting up and moving on, she remained face down, arms and legs splayed every which way. The man was horrified and immediately went to her aid. We were concerned at first too, but when she looked over at me and grinned, I knew. She was acting. Since then our mini Meryl Streep has regaled us (and others) with many such dramatic performances. Like an Oscar worthy shopping cart accident at Chapter’s last week. Or this horrific (looking) bicycle fail at her cousin’s house last summer. Granted, she did tip over but… in slow motion. She took the time to place her cheek gently to the asphalt and even added some groaning for effect. […]

Jan 29 2013

“What grade is your daughter in?“ A simple question with a slightly complicated answer. Avery is six and technically in grade one. However, we have been blessed to work with such dedicated educators who have come up with a brilliant scenario. Avery is registered for grade one with a goal for her to complete full-days in the grade one classroom by the end of the school year. For now, there are times throughout the day that even with modifications to the curriculum, Avery is left behind. This is where the creative planning and organization comes in. The team has put together a schedule that allows Avery to spend part of the day with her age appropriate peers, participating in circle time, group work, as well as independent tasks assisted by her amazing E.A.s. Then she is taken to her kindergarten room where she can join in on language and math lessons and more hands-on activities to help further develop her phonics, numeracy and fine motor skills. As a teacher, I know how much effort this detailed schedule took to put together. But the team did it without complaint and with my child’s best interests in mind.[…]

Jan 22 2013

As the saying going, “Sticks and stones may break our bones, but words can never hurt us.” Really? That life lesson seems a little naive, if not excessively violent. Sticks are for roasting marshmallows. Stones are for skipping over a glassy lake on a hot summer day. Of course getting a stick in the eye is going to hurt and a stone to the skull will probably leave you dizzy and in need of an ice pack. Painful granted, but usually temporary. But words? They have a way of getting under your skin and festering for awhile; stinging and burning like a painful rash. I heard my kids playing upstairs when my son suddenly said to his sister, “Where did you get that from? Did somebody say that to you??” He came down to report that Avery had called him “Dumbo Ears.” She didn’t know what it meant and was obviously only repeating what she had heard. She told us somebody said it to her at school. She couldn’t name who. Avery’s ears do stick out and it’s not the first time she’s been teased about it. The thing is, she has no idea. In the face of[…]

Jan 15 2013

Some days I’d rather walk the plank than bring my kids shopping with me. I freely admit to having low mojo days when, if possible, I leave my youngest at home or bring her along, but strap her securely into the shopping cart, with a snack and my iphone. Does she enjoy being confined to the cart? Not for long. Once her snack runs out, she stages a loud and wriggly protest. The iphone apps don’t amuse her for long either. In fact, once when my attention was focussed on label reading, she “misplaced” my phone. I contemplated having customer service put out a loudspeaker call to find it, but instead I retraced our cart tracks and found my phone on a shelf in the bread section. I don’t have to tell you that left me feeling a little crusty. However, bringing along a pint-sized shopping sidekick doesn’t always have to spell disaster. Here are ten points to consider when shopping with Littles: Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need. Shopping in a hurry with a child in tow is a recipe for frustration. Never attempt to shop when your child is tired or hungry. Never attempt to[…]

Category - Special Needs

Planning For Your Special Needs Child’s Future

Overjoyed

Manners and Milestones

Sticks and Stones

Shopping With Littles