Tag Archives: Family

How We Barely Survived Our Second Run of Virtual Schooling

T goes back to school next week, bringing to an end our second run of virtual schooling hell. The last six weeks were so incredibly hard, further amplified by other challenges like Ma’s unexpected health issue. Meltdowns, daily battles, frustration with getting T to sit and focus, embarrassing moments of T throwing a fit whileContinue reading “How We Barely Survived Our Second Run of Virtual Schooling”

“I Get Happy When I See…”

Our T turned 6 this past week! I felt like we just celebrated his 5th birthday. Where did the time go?! While it was a quiet lockdown birthday, the hubby and I still found a way to celebrate. When T woke up on his special day, he stepped out to a hallway and staircase decoratedContinue reading ““I Get Happy When I See…””

Why Special Needs Parents Should Create a Will

For our 40th birthdays, the hubby and I gifted ourselves the creation of our wills. It does feel morbid to think about life after death as we celebrate this wonderful milestone; the hubby last fall and me later this Spring. But we are pragmatic and recent events have emphasized the need to plan for theContinue reading “Why Special Needs Parents Should Create a Will”

A Visit to the Vet

A sick cat gave our little kindergartener a hand-on lesson about what a vet does. At 12:30 am on Monday, the hubby woke me up and said our cat Kyrie was sick. The hubby had been cleaning up stinky drops our cat had been dripping throughout the house. With everything going on in our lives,Continue reading “A Visit to the Vet”

The Necessity of Compartmentalization

The hubby and I re-entered homeschool hell this week. It was as exhausting as we anticipated. But thanks to experience from last Spring and to T’s organized and supportive teacher and child and youth worker, it felt less painful this time. As any parent, special needs or not, will say: taking time to recharge isContinue reading “The Necessity of Compartmentalization”

Why Youth Mentorship Matters

The hubby and I binged the latest season of Cobra Kai over two nights. The Netflix hit series continues the story of The Karate Kid movies 35 years later. I never watched the films but the show resonates with me, because it tells a compelling coming of age story. The aspect of the story thatContinue reading “Why Youth Mentorship Matters”

Thank You and Goodbye 2020

New Year’s Eve 2019, I played Snakes and Ladders with T. I said that along the way, we’ll encounter things that lift us up (ladders) or slide us back (snakes), but we keep going till we reach the end. Little did I realize the foreshadowing of 2020! The wonderful thing about a new year isContinue reading “Thank You and Goodbye 2020”

A Silent Merry Christmas

Despite the unrelenting challenges that keep coming at us, the hubby, T and I enjoyed a quiet and peaceful Christmas. T’s excitement was palatable. The last two weeks, we counted down the number of days till Christmas. “What’s 9 minus 1?” I asked him at one point last week. “I dunno,” he responded. “If thereContinue reading “A Silent Merry Christmas”

Like a Pure White Diamond

This Monday, Jupiter and Saturn came within the closest distance to each other in 800 years, forming a Christmas star. It lit up the sky like a white diamond on the shortest day of the year. It was a symbol of hope that brighter days are, quite literally, on their way. 2020 has been suchContinue reading “Like a Pure White Diamond”

Our Son’s Adoption Baby Book

The hubby and I took out T’s baby book a few Saturdays ago. We were feeling nostalgic. For the first time, we shared its contents with T. Contained in this scrapbook are photos and letters from T’s first 14 months of life, before he moved in with the hubby and I and became part ofContinue reading “Our Son’s Adoption Baby Book”

Challenging Conversations with Family: A Child with Special Needs

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”

Santa, Snow and Soothing Hong Kong Style Borscht

Thanks to the shorter colder pandemic days, we started Christmas early this year. Last weekend, we celebrated the hubby’s 40th birthday. He and T also set up the Christmas tree. We also unboxed our 8 feet tall balloon Santa, who had hibernated in our basement. To say T was excited was an understatement. He hadContinue reading “Santa, Snow and Soothing Hong Kong Style Borscht”

Celebrating Daddy’s 40th Birthday!

The hubby turns 40 today! T and I celebrated his big day starting with a homemade dinner last night. T was very excited all day yesterday. Birthdays, Halloween and Christmas are his holy trinity. We took it easy yesterday. As the sun began to set, the three of us decided to do something productive andContinue reading “Celebrating Daddy’s 40th Birthday!”

Challenging Conversations with Kids: On Death

During bedtime two weeks ago, T asked me, “Papa, are you old?” “I’m older than you. Why do you ask?” I replied. “When you get old, will you die?” He asked. I was caught so off guard. My gut reaction was, “Are you kidding me? It’s past your bedtime. I am so tired. And IContinue reading “Challenging Conversations with Kids: On Death”

Enjoying A Last Burst of Summer

We took advantage of an unusually warm weekend and soaked up the sun and outdoors. The weather forecast gave me the will to get through what felt like a long week and it looked even better as the weekend came upon us! Early November is an interesting time as Autumn gives us one last burstContinue reading “Enjoying A Last Burst of Summer”

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”

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”

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”

Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn

It’s the first Fall weekend and we enjoyed a Saturday afternoon hike at Rouge Urban National Park, a wonderful oasis nearby our home. We were blessed with a last blast of summer weather, so we all wore t-shirts and shorts with the added benefit of no bugs or sweltering heat. It seems like everyone inContinue reading “Goodbye Summer, Hello Autumn”