10 Things You Need to Hear

1. You are amazing. Your day in and day out caring for and fighting for your child  is something your should be proud of.  Remember this every day!
2. This is not a sprint, it is a marathon.
3. Take time for yourself when possible or you will end up having to have time for yourself before you erupt.
4. Sometimes eruptions happen anyway. Give yourself grace, room, and time. Parenting a child with special needs is no easy task.
5. You cannot, nor should you, do it all by yourself. Get a support group. Even if it’s online and you never meet anyone in person. Find someone whose shoulder you can cry on when need be.
6. It’s OK to break down.
7. It’s OK to say I’m fine, but make sure you have a few friends who can interpret which “fine” you are.
8. Sometimes you need a week or two off. Off therapy, off homeschooling, off life in general and that’s OK, too.
9. Some days are going to go down the toilet. No one has a Pinterest perfect life behind the scenes. Just pick it all up and try again tomorrow.
10. You are amazing. Yes, that needs repeating. You are loved, you are seen, and you are appreciated.

10 Things Your Child Needs to Hear

1.  You are enough. Don’t let yourself (even accidentally) or anyone else give your child the impression that they are not enough. They are fearfully and wonderfully made and were sent to you for such a time as this.
2. I love you. More than anything else, they need to know that no matter what diagnosis, difficulty, or trial comes their way that you are on their side and fighting with and for them. Make it your mission to give them this assurance every chance you get.
3. You are special. Not because of your needs but because you are you and you were created with love and care.
4. No. We sometimes tend to give extra or give in to our children with special needs for various reasons. It feeds the beast of challenging behaviors and bad decision making when we constantly give in. It’s good for them to hear no from time to time. I promise.
5. You did great! There are so many challenges and so many tough things every. single. day. Give them praise. Not empty praise but when they do something well let them know it!
6. We don’t say I can’t. We say I can learn. This one is big. When your child becomes aware of their differences or challenges, there is a pressure that was not there before. Don’t let that awareness steal their joy or their determination.
7. Will you teach me how to ____? Use little victories to build your child’s confidence. It’s amazing how one tiny moment of your time can bolster their smile for days!
8. Yes. Every now and again, splurge on some gluten free cookies or frozen yogurt, take a trip to the park for lunch, or buy a new LEGO mini-creator set. In the midst of all the “normal” that is your life with special needs, it is OK to treat on occasion.
9. I will be right here with you. This one can be tough. When our children of any age are scared of a test, of a new therapist, of a new group of people that don’t know them, that fear hurts us as much as it does them. Let them know you support them now so that when they are grown and you aren’t always right there, they still know without a doubt that you are behind them 110%.
10. You are amazing! These children go through tests, therapies, special diets that cause them to miss out on lots of “normal” childhood things, medications, etc. And they still keep going with the kind of endurance that only they could. With smiles that light up the room. With hearts beggar than Texas ever thought about being. They are incredible. And just like us, they need to hear it, too.

10 Posts to Encourage You

1.  I Can’t Homeschool Because My Child has Special Needs
2. 5 Truths Apraxia Will Teach You
3. 5 Things Special Needs Moms Won’t Tell You
4. The Invisible Mom
5. Top 10 Books for the Homeschool Mom’s Heart
6. Special Needs Moms, Don’t Give Up!
7. Encouragement for Parents of Differently Wired Children
8. The Joys of a Differently Wired Child
9. Is it ADHD or is it Sin?
10. How to Encourage a Special Needs Mom When You Aren’t One

10 Homeschooling Resources for Special Needs Families

1. Can You Homeschool Your Child with Special Needs?
2.  How a Charlotte Mason Education Helps Special Needs Children
3. Homeschooling My Autistic Son is Worth the Challenges
4. HSLDA Struggling Learners and Special Needs Resources
5. 5 Ways Homeschooling Helps Kids with Bipolar Disorder
6. Multi-Sensory Teaching for Struggling Readers
7. Is it Behavior or is it Sensory?
8. Homeschooling Twice Exceptional Kids
9. Homeschooling a Child with Special Needs podcast with Gabriella Vope
10. Homeschooling a Child with Special Needs in a Large Family

10 Ways You Can Support the Special Needs Family You Know

1. Take them a meal! Don’t forget to check and see about food allergies.
2. Pray for them. Parents and kiddos. We need all the uplifting we can get.
3. When you clean out books or curriculum, check and see if the family could use any. Therapy and gas to get there as well as special diets all take a huge toll on budgets. You would not believe what a blessing gently loved books are!
4.  Snail mail a not of encouragement.
5. Make play dates and mom dates, and if something comes up and they have to be rescheduled, be forgiving and do’t take it personally.
6. Offer to watch the kids for a few hours so mom (or dad or both) can have a small break.
7. Spontaneously drop by with Starbucks/wine/chocolate or what have you just to brighten your friends day.
8. Educate, don’t make excuses. When you hear people saying things, making assumptions, or glaring at your friends or others when out and about, (always in love) offer a bit of education on special needs and what that family might be going through. While people are becoming more aware all the time, there are many many more that still have no idea about dealing with children with special needs, especially the needs that you can’t “see”.
9. Raise awareness. Participate in walks, share articles on Facebook and Twitter, help facilitate speakers for your MOPS groups, etc. Being an active participant in the discussion is so very appreciated, because frankly, a lot of us are too tired to add much to our plates.
10. Be there. When your friend finally has a minute to call, or does make it to the play date, put down your phone and be present. Many of us ache for adult conversation, and even if you don’t understand what we are feeling, you know how to be present and that is such a gift!

10 Pinterest Boards to Follow

1. Raising Gifted Learners
2.  The BEST of Special Needs Homeschooling
3. Apraxia of Speech
4. Sensory Play
5. Homeschool – Special Needs
6. Handwriting Skills and Activities
7. Vestibular and Proprioceptive Activities
8. Gifted and Advanced Learners 
9. Homeschool for Mom
10. iHN Special Needs Homeschooling

10 Blogs to Follow

1.  Lara’s Place
2. All About Learning Press
3. Golden Reflections Blog
4. Home Educating Family Association Blog
5. Special Needs Homeschooling
6. The Heart of Michelle
7. Raising Lifelong Learners
8. Great Peace Academy
9. Living Montessori Now
10. Jennifer A. Janes

10 Links for Gifted, Twice Exceptional, and Intense Kids Resources

1. Embracing Emotional Intensity in Gifted Children
2. A Ready Guide for Parents of Gifted Children
3. Creative Correction
4. The New Strong Willed Child
5. Effectively Parenting Your Differently Wired Child
6. The Holidays and Your Intense Child
7. Asynchronous Abilites (The Need for Varying Curriculum)
8. Challenging the Gifted Mind
9. Knowing Your Gifted Child
10. Gifted Homeschooling and the Need for More

 

10 Ways to Take Care of Yourself

1.  Find an outlet. Art, music, reading, watching Dr. Who, just find something that gives you a mindless ability to unplug for a little while every day.
2. Indulge every now and again. Hire a sitter and get out! By yourself to grocery shop while sipping on a latte or even go on a (gasp!) date with your spouse. Crazy, right?
3. Take a hot bath. Add some epsom salt and lavender for an awesome calming pre-bedtime ritual.
4. Get rest. We’ve all heard the old 8-hours a day jive, but really, you need your sleep. You are not always going to get it, but on the nights when you can, turn off Twitter and go to bed!
5. Schedule out your week. In advance. Try to stick to the plan so you don’t get overwhelmed.
6. Meal plan. This is especially helpful for special diets. Get at couple weeks planned out with grocery lists ready to go and then just rotate them until you get a handle on meal planning.
7. Outsource where able. Hire someone to come in and clean every two weeks if you can, have a designated pizza night once a week so you aren’t cooking and the kitchen stays clean, sign the kids up for art classes once a month so you don’t have to deal with mess (if art isn’t your thing, this works for science, co-op classes, etc).
8. Be flexible. Plans, appointments, and attitudes will change daily. Try to roll with it.
9. Invest in a good coffee pot or tea kettle. Sometimes that 5 minute parent-time-out can help redirect a bad day into a better one.
10. Spend time every day in prayer and in The Word. Keep your anchor strong and everything else will move along much more smoothly.

10 Resources for Parents with Special Needs

1.  Special Needs Homeschooling. Heather has Mitochondrial disease and is homeschooling her mito children.
2. Special Needs Homeschooling Facebook Group
3. A Very Special Needs Resource community
4. Moms with ADHD successfully homeschooling their children
5. If I’m Diapering a Watermelon, The Where’d I Leave the Baby? Help for Highly Distractible Moms
6. How to Get Your Child Off the Refrigerator and On to Learning
7. Staying Sane as You Homeschool
8. Friendship Circle Special Needs Resource Blog
9. Are You Weary?
10. Special Needs Parenting

 

Part of iHomeschool Networks 100 Things linkup