When we are faced with news or experience of loss, whether physical or perceived, we respond with shock and disbelief. We then experience all of the emotions that flood us while we are trying to accept a reality that we did not want. As parents, when our child or children are diagnosed with a medical… Continue reading Unexpected Diagnoses: Grieving the Loss of What You Thought Your Life Would Be

My Teen with Special Needs/Disability is Interested in Dating Teens are teens, regardless of special needs/disability or not. Puberty hits, sparks start flying and we, as parents, have no idea how to handle this new phase in your adolescent’s life.  Within the special needs community, there is controversy as to whether dating is a good… Continue reading Teen Dating for Adolescents with Disabilities

What a Difference a Decade Makes Ten years ago, our new family of three went on our first beach vacation. Like most Tennesseans, we hit I-65 and headed south and did not stop until we hit the ocean somewhere along the Florida coast. But unlike most Tennesseans, we had a seven-month-old son, Charlie, who was… Continue reading The Difference a Decade Makes

Over the years, I’ve worked with many parents who have children with meltdowns or behaviors that are overwhelming and constant. Parents often come to me with the question of, “How can I change my child?” My answer is usually not that gratifying in that my approach is to focus on what the child needs and… Continue reading Emotions and Parenting: Why Do My Children Trigger Me?

Falls among older adults can cause serious injury or disability, and they are the leading cause of injury death among those 65 and older.

Celebrating Milestone Birthdays with My Special Kid By Jamie Sumner I threw the biggest birthday party you can imagine the year my son Charlie turned one. “Party” is too small a word. It was a bash, a gala, a festival, a jubilee! It was all of this in the most literal sense – an extra,… Continue reading Celebrating Milestone Birthdays with My Special Kid

Parent Alert: The Best Thing You Can Do Is Let Your Child Fail We have become a part of a parenting generation where we do everything in our power to make sure our children are included and they win. We have tried to protect our children from sadness, frustration, disappointment, heartbreak and any other non-positive… Continue reading Letting Your Child Fail

Summer Camp Offerings for Children with Special Needs Summer is awesome! No school! No schedule! No need to be anywhere at any particular time! But also, summer is tough. No school. No schedule. No need to be anywhere. If you have a child with special needs, routine and familiarity are crucial and summer can often… Continue reading Summer Camps for Children with Special Needs

Empower Your Healing With The Written Word Creative writing as a form of expression uses the act of writing and reading the written word as therapy. Writing your feelings or reflections has been scientifically documented to gradually ease feelings of trauma. I learned early on in my recovery that there were therapeutic benefits to logging… Continue reading Writing As Therapy

Download our free “Strategies for Aging Safely at Home” booklet now! Download Your Copy Benefits of Aging at Home Nearly 90% of seniors prefer to stay in their own homes as they age. Aging in place enhances life satisfaction, improves quality of life, and raises self-esteem. It can also improve physical health by avoiding some of… Continue reading Aging Safely At Home