Caregiving, Challenges, Down Syndrome, Special Needs Parenting
Evana Sandusky
For When You Don’t Feel Thankful

My daughter arrived in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) in the middle of the night on the eve of Thanksgiving. A tough respiratory virus attacked her lungs, and she needed a substantial amount of oxygen support. And now, this unexpected illness meant Thanksgiving was going to be completely different than we had all planned.

For When You Don’t Feel Thankful
Challenges, Hope, Scripture, Special Needs Parenting
Kara Dedert
When Thankfulness Seems Impossible

Are you scrounging for thankfulness this holiday season? Holidays can be a challenge for those walking through hard days. Perhaps you feel like you've been handed the short-end of the stick; your child is struggling, you’re exhausted and it seems like everybody else has life with a bit more gravy. It’s easy to focus on our circumstances, take stock of what we have and where we are and end up feeling completely void of thankfulness. Is there a cure for this? 

When Thankfulness Seems Impossible
Autism, Caregiving, Challenges, Hope, Special Needs Parenting, Spiritual Growth
Sunita Theiss
Discovering What God Already Knew About Me, ...

I first suspected I had ADHD as a teenager, but finding the right professional to take me seriously was much harder than I expected. Previous attempts only ended in frustration and tears.

Discovering What God Already Knew About Me, Through My Children’s Diagnosis
Caregiving, Challenges, Living Life Daily
Jolene Philo
Enjoying the Holidays with a Food Allergy

Enjoying the holidays with a food allergy sounds like an oxymoron doesn’t it? After all, eating together is an integral component of the holiday season. I looked forward to making our traditional holiday foods until I was diagnosed with a dairy allergy in 2012. What was to enjoy about the holidays when the foods associated with it were off limits to me?

Enjoying the Holidays with a Food Allergy
Caregiving, Challenges, Grief, Hope, Special Needs Parenting
John Fela (Felageller)
A New Home

It was a short, ten-minute drive from the hotel to the residential facility. I maintained composure while I navigated the busy public roads, and then residential streets. I had a whole range of emotions racing through my body, mind and spirit as we pulled into the campus. This was not just a pleasure drive or a routine errand, this was a significant milestone in the life of my son and our family.

A New Home

Special Needs Parenting

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Three Ways to Be a Good Sport as a Special Needs Dad

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Three Ways to Be a Good Sport as a Special Needs Dad

Most men enjoy elements of competition in sports, education or career pursuits. And in the case of men who become a dad of a child with special needs, well, they quickly learn that their son or daughter isn’t going to perform, work, think, or be like other children. While we can still make sports analogies, the way it plays out is very different than expected. Instead of being in the sports arena with your child, Dad will be called to be a good sport in life! Here are three ways that God has helped us be good sports.

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Learning the Art of Conversation Instead of Monologue

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Learning the Art of Conversation Instead of Monologue

Whether we’re talking about our marriage relationship or relationships with friends, acquaintances or someone we’ve just met, I believe we have mastered the art of monologue and have no real idea how to have a genuinely sincere conversation. Here are ideas to help us to learn the “art of conversation” rather than the monotonous monologue we’re used to enduring or offering.

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How Winnie the Pooh Can Help Answer Children's Questions About Special Needs

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How Winnie the Pooh Can Help Answer Children's Questions About Special Needs

A question I get asked loads of times is this; “How can I explain special needs to children?” One suggestion I give to people trying to explain this to children is to gather them all together. Ask them what is different about each of them, compared to the rest of the group. It can also be helpful to think about popular children’s characters and discuss the differences between them. The characters in the A.A. Milne Winnie the Pooh stories offer a great example for younger children.

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The Nature Cure

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The Nature Cure

For the past three months, stress levels around the world skyrocketed as quarantined families hunkered down at home. How do we cope with the added stress? Over the past few months, I’ve been noticing many more families enjoying the forest. Turns out, a walk in the woods might be the best thing to do to beat back stress.

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Do Not Forget About At-Risk Families

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Do Not Forget About At-Risk Families

Online church has been wonderful, but there is nothing like being in a church service. Though I cannot wait to go back to church, it will not be anytime soon. As you gather together in church to sing and pray, please remember that not everyone is there with you.