Rachel, my daughter with autism, adheres to routine. Her favorite activity is riding the school bus, which is not available on Saturdays. She didn’t get the memo. At 3 a.m.,…
Special Needs
Learning My Little Boy Has Epilepsy—And Its Unexpected Gift
It wasn’t quite the Christmas present we would have chosen. But it has impacted our family in a way we could never have expected. A few months ago, we were…
Expectations vs. Reality: What to Do When Life Doesn’t Match The Plan
Expectations are like rabbits. They can be warm and fuzzy, but when ungoverned, all manner of problems result. The other day I had only a few minutes to make a…
Autism, Food, and Weighty Parenting Issues
As a child I struggled with food. Texture issues and a strong gag reflex made meals a chore. I didn’t even like going over to friends’ houses because I was…
The Martyr Mom
Yesterday I starred in my very own production of Martyr Mom. I’m the only one who does any work around here, I thought. The closing act of my mom drama was…
Teens and Diagnosis
I spent one nervous day this past summer waiting for calls and texts from my husband, who was accompanying our teenage son during medical tests. We were waiting for results….
What to Say (and not to say) to a Parent of a Child with Special Needs
When you see a family with a child with special needs, what goes through your mind? Does your heart go out to them? Do you feel drawn to help? Maybe…
Comfort in the Waiting Room
When medical special needs first joined our family, we began spending a lot of time at our local children’s hospital. We are fortunate that it was just 10 minutes down…
3 Ways to Connect with Your Child in Five Minutes
In January my husband brought home two kids from the foster care system whom we are in the process of adopting. They are five and two, and they’ve had a…
Winning
A hot, humid evening. Bugs in the grass and bugs in the air. A small, rural southern town. A humble baseball field off an unnamed road. Rough bleachers. A concession…