Parenting

13 Viral Special Needs Parenting Posts You Need to Read!

Recently, this blog published post number 1,000! There are currently over 1,000 blog posts providing tips, resources, product information and much more to the special needs community. In commemoration of this milestone we will be sharing our most viral blog posts (divided by category) over the next several weeks. Enjoy! Over the last four years this blog has posted hundreds of parenting articles providing important resources, opinions, tips and humor to parents of children with special needs. Today we present 13 of our most popular parenting posts.

1. 15 Reasons Why Its Hard To Get Along With Special Needs Parents

Special needs parenting is a lifestyle. For many of us, it is not the lifestyle we chose. And even if we did choose to become a special needs family through adoption, there are still plenty of reasons to be cranky – and then joke about it later. Here are 15 possible reasons to explain the mysterious behaviors of some special needs parents.

2. The Ultimate Multi-Tasker: 89 Things Special Needs Moms are Always Doing

One of the most amazing things about being a special needs parent is realizing that you’re capable of doing many things at once. While many of us thought that we were multi-taskers before, we learn quickly that we weren't coming close to our ability to get things done. Here are 89 things that special needs moms are always doing.

3. 10 FREE Gifts Parents Of Kids With Special Needs Should Give Themselves

Caregiving is a round-the-clock job with few breaks. Caregivers have a tendency to put most of their energy into another person’s well-being, while their own needs take second place…or third or fourth. But there are many gifts that caregivers can give to themselves to help sustain that energy. Here are 10 gifts that every caregiver could use.

4. 5 Ways to Stay Sane Managing Your Child’s Insane Special Needs Schedule

How can you possibly keep your sanity when your schedule gets out of control? Here are five real world ways that you can implement right now to help get handle on your child’s schedule without pulling out your hair.

5. 17 Ways Special Needs Parents Can Strengthen Their Relationship

When you’re the parent of a child – or adult – with special needs, keeping a relationship strong can be difficult at times. Having a child with a disability or chronic illness can put a significant strain on your partnership. Here are 17 crucial tips to strengthening your relationship.

6. 10 hurtful comments from relatives about your child with special needs

One of the painful parts of parenting a child with special needs is dealing with comments and questions from concerned family members. Here are  some real-life quotes along with some suggestions to soften the dialogue for more constructive purposes.

7. 20 Special Needs Parenting Tips For Sticky Situations

As the mother of a child with special needs, I often find myself in sticky situations. The solution is always to maintain a healthy sense of humor. Here are 20 parenting lessons that my friends and I have learned the hard way – there’s a long story behind every one of these.

8. 10 Reasons Special Needs Parents Should Join a Support Group

As a parent to a child with special needs one of the best things you can do for yourself and your child is to join a support group.  Support groups can be rich in information that can be helpful for you while raising a child with special needs. Here are 10 reasons to consider for joining a support group:

9. 10 Ways To Give Attention To A Sibling Of A Child With Special Needs

In the flurry of activity that surrounds my older son’s disability, it’s too easy to put his younger brother’s wishes on the back burner.  So I’ve thought about how to re-prioritize the needs of kids like him who have a sibling with special needs. Here are 10 steps to get started.

10. How To Discuss Puberty with Your Child who has Special Needs

It’s not easy to talk to any child about how our bodies change during puberty.  But how can it be explained to a child with special needs who may or may not understand? Here is a step-by-step approach to discussing the physical and emotional changes ahead.

11. STRESS: The 20 Things I Need to Remember Every Single Second for my Child With Special Needs

Stress and burnout are well-documented side effects of being a caregiver. One definition of stress is “Stuff To Remember Every Single Second.”  That’s an accurate summary of the caregiver lifestyle, so I jotted down some thoughts racing through my mind that were just too important to forget.

12. When Your Child With Special Needs is Banned From A Relative’s Home

What would it take for you to ban a young child, 4 years old or under, from your home? What if that child had obvious difficulties with eating, sleeping, toileting, speaking and understanding speech? Would that make you more or less tolerant?

13. The Top 10 Special Needs Events in the Caregiver Olympics

Caregiving around the clock is a high-stress job, requiring intense emotional and physical strength. On some days I feel like I just completed a triathlon and capped it off with a freestyle ski jump. That begs the question: what would be the main events in the Caregiver Olympics?