Caregiving, Challenges, Medically Fragile, Special Needs Parenting
Jolene Philo
When God Redeemed My Worst Christmas Ever and ...

When God redeemed my worst Christmas ever by using it for good, it came as a big surprise. Most likely because 1982 was the year of my worst Christmas ever, and the using it for good part didn’t come along until December of 2024. 42 years is a long time, which explains my surprise.

When God Redeemed My Worst Christmas Ever and Used It for Good
Caregiving, Challenges, Living Life Daily, Hope, Love, Marriage, Special Needs Parenting
Joe and Cindi Ferrini
We're Not Alone

Seasons help us to realize we’re not alone. We might still feel alone but we can see things differently and then change our thinking, and even our responses. We know everyone goes through “stuff” but sometimes we need to recognize it just happens to be our turn. The harder part is that we still have someone we are caring for full time, 24/7 added to the new hard stuff!

We're Not Alone
Autism, Caregiving, Disability Awareness, Hope, Special Needs Parenting
Shannon Blosser
Christmas Doesn’t Have to Be Silent

For families like mine, with an autistic child and my own ADHD and anxiety, Christmas is rarely “calm” or “bright.” In fact, it is often loud, noisy, and overwhelming. Our children get overwhelmed by the lights and the new items. We, as parents, get overwhelmed by all the mess and noise. There are so many sensory inputs flowing through that you feel like you are in a never-ending vacuum of noise. And, that doesn’t even take into account that I’m operating on just a few hours of sleep after leading multiple Christmas services as a pastor.

Christmas Doesn’t Have to Be Silent
Caregiving, Challenges, Down Syndrome, Living Life Daily, Love, Special Needs Parenting
Evana Sandusky
A Tale of 2 Women, Vastly Different But Forever ...

Ruth saw a bright future for herself. She didn’t have an exact plan in front of her. But at 18, she vaguely knew what she wanted in the future: a master’s degree, a husband, a job she enjoyed, and children. Emma was on another path altogether. When Emma turned 18, she was already enrolled in a school for students with more significant disabilities.

A Tale of 2 Women, Vastly Different But Forever Tied Together
Autism, Challenges, Special Needs Parenting, Scripture, Non-Speaking Communicatio
Mark Arnold
Zechariah’s story: Lessons about non-speaking ...

Zechariah, despite being visited by an angel, doubted what he had been told, and so Gabriel told him that because of this doubt, Zechariah would not be able to speak until his son was born. So, he became unable to speak, and therefore unable to communicate through speech. What did he do? And what does his story teach us about people who cannot communicate by speech, or choose not to, today?

Zechariah’s story: Lessons about non-speaking communication

advocate

, , , , , ,

Empowering Kids with Disabilities, Part Two: The Need for Love and Belonging

, , , , , ,
Empowering Kids with Disabilities, Part Two: The Need for Love and Belonging

In part two of Empowering Kids with Disabilities, Jolene Philo focuses on love and belonging. What can you do or change so your children with disabilities have more opportunities to feel loved and increase their sense of belonging?

,

Empowering Kids with Disabilities, Part One: Meet Basic Survival Needs

,
Empowering Kids with Disabilities, Part One: Meet Basic Survival Needs

If my experience of raising a child with special needs is anything like yours, empowering my kid with disabilities rarely reached the top of my parenting priority list. In part one of this five-part series, Jolene explores how to empower kids with disabilities by using William Glasser's Choice Theory.

, ,

The Challenge of Caregiving for Those with Hidden Disabilities

, ,
The Challenge of Caregiving for Those with Hidden Disabilities

“I don’t see anything wrong with that child.” Give it 10 minutes; give it an hour. Take time to be with “that child” or “that adult,” and then you will be able to discern what makes them different, where they excel, and where they need additional help.

, ,

12 Ways to Prepare Yourself for Back to School as a Caregiver

, ,
12 Ways to Prepare Yourself for Back to School as a Caregiver

We often think school is all about our kids, and a lot of it is, but a lot also rests on us as parents. As parents of a child with special needs, our attitude and how we approach teachers and situations are invaluable. Here are 12 Ways to Prepare Yourself for Back to School as a Caregiver.

, , ,

Six Disability Allies in the Bible

, , ,
Six Disability Allies in the Bible

Disability ‘allies’ are people who are not necessarily disabled themselves, but who advocate for, journey with, campaign for, or in other ways support disabled people of any age. Here are six real and story-based people from the Bible who could be viewed as disability allies.