Victoria Nelson, who blogs about life with her daughter at www.MomentsWithMoriah.com, has just started an online community using BlogFrog. It looks like a great place to connect with parents who know what you’re going through. You can ask for advice, leave advice for others, and read blogs of families who are caring for kids with special needs. You can join BlogFrog and become part of the community...

I remember when my dad began attended his first Easter Seals summer camp for adults with disabilities. He was in his mid-thirties. I was about nine, just old enough to remember Dad’s grin when we dropped him off. With the assistance of his personal counselor, Dad went swimming, danced, and flitted about like a socialite for an entire week.  While he was living it up, mom took the rest of us...

When most people think of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), they think of returning war veterans. If they think of PTSD in children at all, it is associated with children in war zones or kids who are victims of sexual or physical abuse. But new research shows that the crippling mental health effects of PTSD can also be caused by medical procedures, divorce, adoption, and natural disasters. National...

The other day, a friend sent a link to a blog post he thought I would enjoy. A click on the link, and within minutes the post wormed its way into my heart, and I was hooked.  The post’s author shared his family’s story and his faith so beautifully. Wrestling with an Angel You can check out the site,  Wrestling with an Angel, too. The link will take you to the post sent by my friend....

On the surface, caregiving for an infant or child appears to be quite different from caring for an adult. But as someone who grew up with a father who required nursing care and as the mother of a newborn with major medical needs, I can tell you the two experiences had a great deal in common. One of the greatest common needs of caregivers in both situations is for someone to care for them. Precious...

One of the hardest things about being the parent of a child with special needs is the sense of being alone. Even though you know there are other families out there dealing with struggles similar to yours, it’s hard to find them when your child requires extensive care. Twitter to the Rescue Well, thanks to a Twitter group called The Coffee Klatch, you can hang out with parents of kids with special...

After the earthquake in Haiti last January, many organizations wanted to aid the victims. Thanks to a new partnership with the Soles4Souls Foundation, the residents of Village Northwest in Sheldon, Iowa were ready to help in a big way. The Village Voice Newsletter According to the latest issue of their newsletter, the Village Northwest joined forces with Soles4Soles Foundation in October by becoming...

Coming Soon: Joan Celebi’s Latest Lunchtime Teleseminar Mark your calendar and plan to tune in for a FREE teleseminar on Tuesday, April 27. Joan Celebi, founder of SpecianNeedsParentCoach.com, and special guest Susan Parziale will discuss decluttering and staying organized during Special Needs Parents: Time for Spring Cleaning! The seminar will be held at 12:00 noon, Eastern Time. (That’s...

It happened again. A stranger read A Different Dream for My Child, sent an email and became part of my life. Meet Amber Baker The stranger-turned-friend is Amber Baker, an extraordinary mom of five. Three of her children “were grown inside of her” as she puts it. The other two came to the Bakers through adoption. Both those children have medical needs so one of their friends, Victoria...

The February 26th blog post at www.DifferentDream.com introduced you to Steve Siler’s ministry, Music for the Soul, and his website where you can learn about his efforts to reach people who are suffering for many different reasons. What’s New with Steve Siler Today, it gives me great pleasure to tell you about a new way Steve is using his musical gifts to comfort the brokenhearted. Each...