I thought we were done with diagnoses. Isn't Autism, ADHD, and Executive Function Disorder enough? I guess God has other plans. Let me back up a little. Things began falling apart for Sweet Pea in the 2nd grade. Her reading level decreased, her test scores dropped, and her spelling was atrocious. But she continued to be at the ...
Disabilities
When we dreamed about a family, my husband and I never imagined the challenges that we would face. It wasn't in our plans to have children with diagnoses and disabilities. But, none of this was a surprise to God. He knew that our children would need us; and we would need them.
This blog was started to encourage and help families, especially those with challenging children. While reading these posts, I pray that you will find ideas to implement in your home. Secondly, I pray that you will find hope and encouragement knowing that you are not alone. Finally, we pray that God will use Our Story to encourage you.
Is Your Child Meeting Pragmatic Milestones?
I remember it like it was yesterday. Bubs was laying on the floor, playing with a friend's baby. He looked at me, circled his face with his finger, and said, "I don't know what this means." He knew that the baby was telling him something but didn't understand what her face was sharing. After talking about her eyes, mouth, and body language, he ...
Does Early Intervention Even Help?
Today I was reading through some past blog posts. What a journey it has been, especially with our oldest son after his dramatic start in life! I found this post from February 12, 2009, written when Bubs was 4.5 years old. Several people shared their opinions on our decision to place Bubs in Occupational Therapy. One of the negative comments ...
What I Wish I Had Known about Sensory Processing Disorder
When we dreamed about a family, my husband and I never imagined that we would spend the first month of our eldest son’s life at a children’s hospital following his open heart surgery. We didn’t picture spending hours each week at Speech and Occupational Therapy sessions as well as multiple visits to a neurophysiologist and ...
Teaching Emotions to Kids
I remember like it was yesterday. Bubs, age 9 at the time, was lying on the floor near me watching a friend's baby kick and choo. One could see the wheels turning in Bubs' mind as he was taking in every movement that Baby Annie made. With a puzzled look on his face, Bubs asked me, "What does this mean?". As he questioned, he circled his ...
When You Begin a Therapy Journey
Bubs' therapist asked me to write a post for parents embarking on a physical, occupational, or speech therapy journey with their children. With so many therapy questions lately on the ABCJLM Facebook group, I thought I would share here as well to help you or a friend of yours. I remember the emotions like it was yesterday. Fear. Feeling ...
We Need Answers
Five years ago we were in the middle of a valley. Bubs (8) was failing the 2nd Grade, Little Man (4) was in a defiant rut, and ABCJLM was demanding focused attention. I felt alone, exhausted, and helpless. See if you can relate to this post I shared in 2013. I just finished writing a long note to Bubs' speech therapist. We are between a ...
When Your Children Don’t Match Your Parenting Dreams
For several months in my life, I had a severe "pity party." I was angry toward God because He refused to match my self-prophesied life plans. Ridiculous. I know... But in talking to other parents I find that I am not alone in my bitterness struggle. Parenting is not what we expect. The days are long. The work is brutal. Of course, there are ...
Why Early Intervention is So Important
You don't have to travel far into a conversation with me to know that I am a firm believer in early intervention. I've seen firsthand the difference it makes. I've also seen the struggles that occur when professional services are not sought for a child. Early intervention provides a child with the professional help he or she needs to address ...
Simple Ways to Provide Sensory Input When Away From Home
Several times on this blog, I have talked about the amazing transformation that occurs when my boys jump on a trampoline. From complete meltdown to controlled behavior and focus. Something happens in their brains while jumping to help them regain control and obey. Sometimes I wish I owned a portable trampoline. One that would fit in my purse ...