Dec 14, 2011 Posted by Jolene

Teaching Kids with Special Needs to Self-Advocate

Those of you with young children – infants, toddlers, preschoolers – may think today’s post doesn’t apply to you. The teen years and college seem far, far away. But if you ask any parent of a teen or college-aged child with special needs what they wish they’d done differently while raising their kids, their response is likely to be this: “I wish we’d starting... read more

Nov 2, 2011 Posted by Jolene

Family-Friendly Resources for Parents of Kids with Special Needs

Terri Mauro has done it again. She’s put together more parent-friendly education-related resources at about.com. Of all her resources featured here at DifferentDream.com (to discover how many times she’s been featured, type “Terri Mauro” or “about.com” in the search box), these take the cake. At least so far. State By State Special Education Eligibility Guide Yep, you... read more

Apr 12, 2011 Posted by Jolene

Are Parents of Kids with Special Needs Treated as Equal Partners?

Parents of kids with special needs, you have an opportunity to influence national law. The news landed in my inbox thanks to a Wrightslaw newsletter. Time to Update the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Here’s the scoop according to the Wrightslaw newsletter: “The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) will be reauthorized within the next year or two. To prepare for the... read more

Mar 29, 2011 Posted by Jolene

How’s Your Pulse?

Last Thursday’s post featured an interview with Michele Scott. She’s the author of the recently released Praying through Your Adoption. Today, Michele is back with an excerpt from her new book. In the excerpt, she shares the PULSE method, which she created after a few months of caring for her son with special needs left her exhausted and frustrated. Now she periodically  takes her PULSE by... read more

Dec 28, 2010 Posted by Jolene

Can There Be Humor in Special Education?

Are the kids tired of their Christmas toys yet? Are they picking at each other? Owly with cabin fever? Are you counting the days until school starts again? Do you need a good laugh? Visit Wright’s Law If your answer is yes to any of those questions, this might be a good time for you to check out the most recent Wright’s Law newsletter. It features the lighter side of special education in four... read more