So you are new to the babysitter game and you have no idea what to expect. How much do you pay? Can you trust them with your baby or babies? What will they do when the kids are asleep? And what information do you need to leave with the babysitter? Leaving your child with a […]
Do These Things Now If You Have a Child With Special Needs Starting School
Is your child with special needs starting school in September? Then you need to do a few things now. I wrote this a few years ago, but it’s still extremely relevant, especially as we start to prepare for a new school year. Right now is the time to register your child. If you have a […]
How Do I Answer Hard Adoption Questions?
This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase via one of the links I receive a small commission. Mom, did I grow in your tummy? Why didn’t my parents want me? What was wrong with me? How come nobody gave them money or helped them? These are all hard adoption questions I have […]
Teach Your Child How to Be a Friend
This morning I have already connected with 3 of the parents I know who have kids with special needs. I am beyond grateful for their support. My kids are both having a rough week. Some part of that is life as a teenage girl. Another part of that is special needs. And yet a final […]
Stupid Tears and Being a Special Needs Parent
I’ve become a spectacle. The crazy Mom sitting in the grocery store parking lot crying stupid tears in a minivan. You don’t want to know her. She’s pathetic and cliche. But too many times lately she’s me crying in the parking lot at Sobey’s, No Frills or Food Basics. Look away. Perhaps you are new […]
Special Needs Families in Ontario Need to Know This Now
Special needs families in Ontario struggle. If you are a special needs parent in Ontario, regardless of the diagnosis, you are struggling in some way. The emotional and physical burdens of parenting a child or youth with special needs, are draining. FULL STOP. Now add financial stress to that. Extra programs, time off work, specialty […]
The Victory Lap in Ontario – Why Take the Extra Year?
The victory lap is what we call an extra year of high school in Ontario. It’s also known as grade 13. Today, high school is only four years long, but when I was a kid, it was a five year process. That means that kids today will be entering university at 18 rather than 19. […]
Getting on Track with Sharpie and Paper Mate #SpreadJoy #Giveaway
I have partnered with YMC and Sharpie/Paper Mate and have received compensation for this post. All opinions in the post are my own. Getting on track for the school year is especially important when the kids hit junior high and high school. Every year is important, but it seems like time is starting to run […]
“It Still Hurts” – Foster Care and Adoption Triggers – Teens
A smart person once told me at an adoption conference that adoption is not an event. Adoption is for life. So what does that mean exactly? In fact, adoption continues to be a piece of who you are as a family, as a person, long after happy court is done. Through elementary school and high school, […]
What Does FASD Look Like? #specialneeds
What does FASD look like? This is one of the most searched phrases that lands people here on my site. So, I figured it was time to share a few facts. Some of you know that we adopted both of our daughters when they were small. Both of my kids have unique needs. My youngest […]