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How My Word of The Year Became a Matter of Life or Death
“I wish Dad was younger,” my daughter said driving home from a play rehearsal the other night. “If you think about it he could be 70 when I am in my 20s.” Math is not usually our conversation on the drive home. Neither is life or death. But here we are. Often I have to wonder how their minds work. “I wish you were younger too. I mean if you think about it you could both be dead before I’m 40.” Oh my god my head hurts some days keeping up with this kid. But I get it. It’s a fear of dying and every child has that to a…
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Special Challenges With a Special Child – Angelman Syndrome
THIS IS A GUEST POST about Angelman Syndrome and part of what I hope will be a series here for parents of children with disabilities and special needs. Have an idea for a guest post that might help another parent? Please email inkscrblr7@gmail.com I used to think my family was among the less-than-lucky few gifted with big challenges. We have Anna, a 17-year-old toddler with Angelman Syndrome, who was “disruptive” long before the term became popular. Special Challenges With a Special Child and How We Survive Them However, as I listen carefully to everyone around me I find that the semi-perfect families, the normal ones, are the true exceptions to…
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7 Father’s Day Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny
Dads are such special people in our lives, so when Father’s Day rolls around we no doubt want to give them the best day ever. If your budget is tight, you might be concerned that a fantastic Father’s Day isn’t possible, but the good news is that even on the smallest of budgets, you can make Dad’s dreams come true! Look below at 7 Father’s Day gifts that don’t cost a penny, and see how simple it can be to give Dad the ultimate Father’s Day he deserves. 7 Father’s Day Gifts That Don’t Cost a Penny 1. Give him the gift of laughter. Dads love to laugh and truly…
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What are the Best Ways to Celebrate the Last Day of School?
What are the best ways to celebrate that last day of school? There are many ways to mark the accomplishment of finishing another year of school. This school year has flown by. June is almost here! There is nothing quite like the excitement of a child who is climbing off the bus after the last day of school. It truly is a landmark day for both kids and parents! They have completed another grade and you have survived an entire school year – hopefully unscathed. It’s the great time for both of you to celebrate. So what are some ideas for an end of year party? 5 Best Ways…
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STEM Camp Brings STEM Education to a Wider Audience
STEM education has become a huge part of public, private, and homeschool curriculum. It is the focus of many toys and games. The world is changing. With more and more career opportunities surrounding STEM and the advancement of technology in general, it’s important for Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) to play a larger role in children’s education. In a recent post, I talked about how STEM Camp makes STEM fun for children. A friendly atmosphere combines with experiments that promote critical thinking and hands-on learning making STEM Camp a joy. I couldn’t be happier to share two big ways that STEM Camp is making a difference in the world. By…
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What Happened One Crazy Weekend with Robot Baby
On Friday I became a grandma. My oldest daughter became a Mom and Ainsley an aunt. Which by default then made my husband a grandpa. Robot Baby Lucas joined our family this weekend. And it was nostalgic, fun, comical and a little bit crazy bringing a pretend baby home. But it was also a whole lot more than that too. The road to toy robot baby Lucas began last year when Payton, then 15, told me she wanted to take a parenting course at school. She was giddy over the prospect of having Robot Baby for a weekend in grade 11. Initially I balked. How does a parenting course prepare you for a…
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My Word of The Year Check in – March Progress
Time for my March Progress Word of the Year checkin. Every year I pick a word or phrase to help guide my personal goals. I find this activity helpful for my own health and wellness throughout the year. This year you might recall my word of the year is MOVE. I am working on monthly checkins here to keep myself accountable to all of you. It’s technically three months into the year. Quarter one is done. So how did March progress? Am I making my personal goals this year? Have my fitness goals evolved or changed or slipped by the wayside? What have the challenges been? Have I been sticking…
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9 Reasons Why Life Needs a Yoast SEO Plugin
This week I was resting in Savasana relaxation pose after my fitness class at the YMCA and my mind was wandering. It’s been a busy, emotional season getting Ainsley registered for high school, and then there was the near concussion mishap for Payton. Too much time at the emergency room of a local hospital. Breathing and doing my corpse pose, my mind wandered. Had I done the right thing signing her up for high school nearby? Will she miss her friends too much? Will her older sister resent having her younger sister at the same school? Then too many clients owe me money right now. Why has my one client…
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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 piece of that is other people’s kids. Can’t control how other people parent, even though I wish I could. But I can reach out to my support network. And I can write. Sometimes that’s my therapy. Girl friendships are hard. I get it. I was a girl. In fact I am a person who survived…
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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 here and you don’t know me, but I am not a cryer. In fact crying is something I typically do once or twice a year maybe. Like a thing I allow myself very rarely in controlled situations at home. Nobody needs to see me crying in the parking lot at the grocery store. Or anywhere…
