Search Results for: blog special moms of special kids

U.S. Birthrate Increased Due to Older Moms

The overall birthrate in the United States has increased for the first time in seven years. In addition, the birthrate among teens has dropped. Where is the increase coming from? It turns out that the slight increase in births is due to older moms. The Verge reported some data from a report created by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Part of the report noted the birthrate in the United States for 2013 and 2014. In 2013, there were 62.5 births per 1,000 women. In 2014, that number slightly increased to 63 births per 1,000 women. The CDC … Continue reading →

What’s it Like to Parent a Child who has Special Needs?

All children are unique. This means that your parenting experience will have some aspects that are different from what other parents may be doing. Sometimes, people will ask a mom or dad who has a child with special needs what it is like to parent their child. There isn’t a “one size fits all” answer to this question. Here’s a quick roundup of the answers given by some parents. NR Today has a post titled “Jemelene Wilson: Raising a child with special needs”. She is the mother of two children. One of her daughters is grown, and married. Her youngest … Continue reading →

Happy Kids: Mission Impossible?

You’re familiar with the saying, “Happy wife, happy life,” but have you found the key to fostering that happiness? According to a new survey, happy kids beget happy moms/wives which beget happy husbands/dads. The equation seems simple enough until you factor in life’s discomforts, hardships and disappointments. I’d love for my child to be happy 24/7.  What parent wouldn’t?  After all, nothing makes most moms and dads happier than to see their children in high spirits. My own 8-year-old would love for her entire family to be happy every minute of every day and is visibly uncomfortable when that idealistic … Continue reading →

Homeschool Blog Focus: Brighton Park

  Brighton Park is a 2012 Circle of Moms Top 25 Homeschool blog, a Siemens Top 50 Farm Blog, and was recently featured in the Jan/Dec 2013 issue of Hobby Farm Home Magazine. Meet Katie Katie is the face behind Brighton Park.   Katie is a pediatric speech language pathologist.  Her homeschool curriculum is a hybrid of Catholic/Waldorf, or as her kids call it “Crafty Catholic”. She is a mom of five beautiful children, including twins with special needs. In addition, she is a yoga teacher, crafter, gardener, decorator, and backyard chicken keeper.  She loves inspired homeschooling and artful homemaking. You … Continue reading →

Illinois Has a Moms & Babies Medicaid Program

Medicaid is a low-income health insurance program that exists in every state. The program covers individuals and families. It also has a portion that covers the health care needs of pregnant women. In Illinois, there is a Moms & Babies program, and a Presumptive Eligibility program. Medicaid is a public, or government run, health insurance program. It is designed to provide health insurance coverage to individuals and families who are low-income and who cannot afford to purchase a health plan from a private insurance company. Medicaid is funded by both the federal government and by the government of an individual … Continue reading →

Parents Share Stories of Choosing Schools for Their Kids

How do you go about figuring out what the best school for your child is? It is a decision that many parents can struggle with. Parents of kids who have special needs have additional criteria to use when choosing a school for their child. NPR released an episode of “Tell Me More” on August 21, 2012. The episode is titled “Choosing The Right School for Special Needs”. In this episode, Guest host Viviana Hurtado talks with three moms, each of whom have children with special needs. They talk about the challenges they faced while helping their kids do well in … Continue reading →

A Book to Help Kids Cope With Food Allergies

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How do you explain food allergies, and how dangerous they can be, to young children? One way for parents to do that is to read a book called “Pixie’s Food for Thought”. The main character is a little girl named Pixie who has food allergies and self-confidence. Being different from all the other kids can be hard. When it comes to food allergies, kids can “blend” into their peers fairly well – until lunchtime. Situations that involve food, like lunchtime, birthday parties, and school celebrations, quickly reveal that kids with food allergies are different, even though you can’t tell it … Continue reading →

Moms Living with Chronic Back Pain

Is lower back pain keeping you sitting on the sideline of your own life? Like so many moms, I have been spending the last several years carting around infants, toddlers, and groceries, picking up stray toys and toting baskets of laundry. Now that my kids are older and I am spending more time working at my desk and driving them around in endless carpools, my lower back pain is flaring up again. Chronic back pain has plagued me in my adult life. I have gone through phases in my life where I have made more time for exercise and health. … Continue reading →

Parents of Kids With Autism Want Less Judgement

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No one wants to get “that look” from the other parents in the room. It is the look that implies that you are a failure as a parent because your child is misbehaving. Parents of kids who have autism want less judgement, and more understanding. What others see as “acting up” could be nothing more than a coping mechanism, and there isn’t anything wrong with that. The other day, I opened up a bottle of tea, and found writing on the inside of the lid. It was one of those “6-Word Memoirs”. This one said: “I have Aspergers. What’s your … Continue reading →

Special Needs Blog Week in Review – May 6 – 12, 2012

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Once a week, the Special Needs Blog Week in Review gives you a quick summary of all of the blogs that appeared here in the past seven days. It is an easy way to find the blogs that you might have wanted to read, but, didn’t end up having time for when they first appeared. What did you miss this week? The Special Needs Podcast Roundup went up on May 7, 2012. This week, I’d like to point out an episode of “Hold the Gluten”. The episode is called “Celiac Awareness Month”. One host shares her experience of being on … Continue reading →