During a recent chat with an aunt, she asked me if I ever regret adopting our five year old son. The question caught me off guard. She had not seen T in over a year and I was updating her on some recent challenges, including being confronted by an angry parent. I told her withoutContinue reading “Challenging Conversations with Family: A Child with Special Needs”
Category Archives: FASD
Confrontation with an Angry Parent
During a daycare pickup this week, the staff told me T threw a toy at a boy and caused a bump on his head. They said the parents were upset, because it’s not the first time T and this boy have had issues. I told the staff the hubby and I will speak with TContinue reading “Confrontation with an Angry Parent”
Creating an Individualized Education Plan for Our Kindergartner
Last Friday, we were notified by T’s child and youth worker that a parent had complained to the teacher, specifically about T not giving a classmate personal space. I read this entry in her daily log entry late Saturday evening after experiencing the high of a wonderful Halloween celebration with T. It bummed me out,Continue reading “Creating an Individualized Education Plan for Our Kindergartner”
Connecting with Special Needs Parents at the Playground
I believe the universe conspires to bring people together – and the recent gathering place is a playground. One of my favourite parts of my day is when I pick T up from his after school program. We spend an hour hanging out at the playground. Since July, he’s built friendships with a regular groupContinue reading “Connecting with Special Needs Parents at the Playground”
Giving Kids Chores and Building Their Confidence
While I was preparing to take out the recycling bin to the garage, T chirpily asked to help. It was overflowing in the pantry and I helped him pull the bin out; a mountain of plastic and boxes spilled onto the kitchen floor. T insisted on carrying the box down the hallway, out the doorContinue reading “Giving Kids Chores and Building Their Confidence”
Finding Conflict and Resolution at the Playground
On a recent Thursday daycare pickup, I got out of the car and heard yelling between T and a little girl. At first, I thought they were just playing but upon a closer look, I saw the two of them screaming at each other’s face, a parent standing behind the girl and the daycare staffContinue reading “Finding Conflict and Resolution at the Playground”
Taking Our 5 Year Old for a COVID Test
We had quite the unexpected start to our week when T was sent home midday Monday from school. He was sneezing and had a runny nose. He also told his teacher he had a fever. He didn’t and doesn’t have a fever – it’s his default word for everything – but because of his coldContinue reading “Taking Our 5 Year Old for a COVID Test”
Working with Teachers to Maximize A Special Needs Child’s Success
The first day of senior kindergarten is in the can and we are looking ahead to the new school year with cautious optimism. T got a fresh haircut from the hubby last night, went to bed early, got 10.5 hours sleep and woke up rather pleasant. We are thankful to be starting in a veryContinue reading “Working with Teachers to Maximize A Special Needs Child’s Success”
Wearing Red Shoes to Honour FASD Awareness Day on September 9
T is wearing red shoes to day camp today in honour of FASD Awareness Day. Commemorated annually on September 9, to symbolize the ninth month of pregnancy, this day serves to raise awareness about Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, specifically about the plights of drinking during pregnancy and about the struggles of individuals with FASD. WearingContinue reading “Wearing Red Shoes to Honour FASD Awareness Day on September 9”
Summer on ADHD Medication: The Good and The Ugly
Our five-year-old T started medication for ADHD in July. It has yielded positive and challenging results so far. Starting T on medication was a very hard decision. But we made this decision because we knew the potential rewards were worth trying and worst case scenario, we could stop it. We started him in early July.Continue reading “Summer on ADHD Medication: The Good and The Ugly”
What My Cousin and Downs Syndrome Taught Me About Parenting
We celebrated my cousin Tracy’s 40th birthday this weekend. It was the first time we saw her family since lockdown began. When my family first came to Canada, one of the first friends I made were my cousins Tracy and J. My mom and her siblings are very close and we saw my uncle’s familyContinue reading “What My Cousin and Downs Syndrome Taught Me About Parenting”
Finding a Younger Brother for T
Ok, before everyone gets excited – we’re doing no such thing! But if it’s one thing the hubby and I have observed and spoke a lot about during the past six months of lockdown, watching T play by himself at home and in the playground, or seeing T sit by himself in the back seatContinue reading “Finding a Younger Brother for T”
“Turn to Stone, Lose My Faith, I’ll Be Gone Before It Happens.”
August 16 is a Holiday at home. It’s my dear M’s birthday and we play her songs all day long. It’s fun introducing T to things I love – books, TV shows and movies, games, food, places, and yes, music. If he only knew “Jacket B” isn’t what his favourite Madonna song – “Unapologetic Bitch”Continue reading ““Turn to Stone, Lose My Faith, I’ll Be Gone Before It Happens.””
Meeting Mr. Alex
A year after starting at his daycare, I finally met the wonderful staff member who has won T over. I’ve always believed that teachers and educators play an important role in a child’s life and have a big influence on their self concept and their enjoyment of learning and school. For kids with special needsContinue reading “Meeting Mr. Alex”
Taking and Embracing the Detours on Life’s Journey
Parenting a child with special needs has taught me the journey is often times more important than the destination. And more interesting, rewarding, fulfilling and one where you will be stretched, bended, tumbled, spun around, flung, chewed up and ultimately become all the better because of it. I reflected on this during the long drivesContinue reading “Taking and Embracing the Detours on Life’s Journey”
Every Child Needs and Deserves a Hero
The late Terry Fox took his final steps in his unfinished Marathon of Hope in Thunder Bay, Ontario. We visited the Terry Fox monument on our first day in Thunder Bay on Monday. It honours his memory near the spot where he took his last step. Terry Fox is a famous Canadian athlete whose rightContinue reading “Every Child Needs and Deserves a Hero”
Living with Pragmatic Positive Thinking
I’ve always been a positive person but parenting a child with special needs has reframed how I approach optimism into one of living life with pragmatic positive thinking. I recently saw this tweet from educational consultant Doctor Marcia Tate on Twitter. She stated that “being positive doesn’t mean you ignore or lie to yourself aboutContinue reading “Living with Pragmatic Positive Thinking”
Loving and Supporting the Often Misunderstood Special Needs Child
While standing first in line to be let in the outdoor pool, T tells me he’s peeing. I look down and sure enough, a puddle of pee on the pavement with 20 people looking at my 5-year-old. I feel mortified and I could not hold in my embarrassment. “That is disgusting, why would you doContinue reading “Loving and Supporting the Often Misunderstood Special Needs Child”
“I’ll Never Give Up On You…”
One day, in the early weeks of lockdown, I was so worn down and T was out of control. In a fit of anger, I yelled to the hubby, “I‘d never have adopted if I knew it was going to be like this!” I regretted it as soon as those hurtful words left my mouth.Continue reading ““I’ll Never Give Up On You…””
Making the Hard Decision to Medicate Our Child for ADHD
I’ve avoided this for four years. But this week, the hubby and I face an important decision in our 5-year-old’s journey: medication. We adopted our beloved T four years ago – feels like an extra year in there with this pandemic! – and shortly after, he received a prognosis of at-risk fetal alcohol spectrum disorderContinue reading “Making the Hard Decision to Medicate Our Child for ADHD”