by Jolene | Jul 17, 2019 | How-Tos
Surrounding the vulnerable with love is simple and profound– As simple as a neighbor walking down the street to visit a young father losing his fight with an incurable disease, As profound as the memory, 50 years later, of that neighbor helping the man’s...
by Jolene | Jun 24, 2019 | How-Tos, Special Needs Parenting
The caregiving lessons Mom taught me came thick and fast during my childhood. Every day, as she cared for my dad, her example provided lessons – some good and some not so much – to last a lifetime. Or so I thought. Nowadays, Mom lives in a memory care unit....
by Jolene | May 31, 2019 | How-Tos, Special Needs Parenting
Making summer magical for kids with special needs sounds like a worthy goal, doesn’t it? But many parents dread the arrival of summer for legitimate reasons. It’s hard to navigate the tricky bits of summer – find day care, keep kids busy all day long, and...
by Jolene | May 15, 2019 | How-Tos, Special Needs Parenting
Special needs parenting reminders came thick and fast when we were raising a son with major medical issues. But he overcame his health challenges, became an adult, and flew the coop long ago. These days, special needs parenting reminders arrive in strange ways. One...
by Jolene | Mar 25, 2019 | How-Tos, Special Needs Parenting
That child could have been me, I thought as I read through one of the responses to my survey about stress and compassion fatigue in caregivers. The respondent said her 60-year-old child lived with intellectual delays caused by an untreated Rh factor blood disorder....
by Jolene | Feb 14, 2019 | How-Tos, Special Needs Parenting
A sense of control is essential to kids. My grandson, who will soon turn 4 and beginning to outgrow daily napping, demonstrated his need for control this afternoon. His mother announced it was nap time, and he threw what can only be described as a tantrum. He’s...
