tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post4974455210890167912..comments2024-02-25T10:24:30.868-05:00Comments on Special needs disability parenting BLOOM: Looking upBLOOM - Parenting Kids With Disabilitieshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06901482901008135659noreply@blogger.comBlogger12125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-31587305092953792452015-01-06T16:12:38.268-05:002015-01-06T16:12:38.268-05:00Sue, a wonderful article! Only a comment from ano...Sue, a wonderful article! Only a comment from another person who is embracing her introversion - be strong for the hot lunch work and then reward yourself with something you enjoy afterwards to recharge - quiet time with a book or cup of tea. I can do the extrovert stuff if I can give myself time to unwind quietly afterwards.Patriciahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14396977585233893596noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-56261314484447822082015-01-05T17:26:55.915-05:002015-01-05T17:26:55.915-05:00Thank you for your lovely article. I'm afraid ...Thank you for your lovely article. I'm afraid I could have been one of the moms too busy in the happy circle to notice you. I apologize.<br /><br />I am the mother of 2 typical grown daughters. I would have been delighted if a special needs mom had asked my children's teachers for volunteer students to buddy up/partner with a special needs child! Gifted children especially would be great for this job because they're often ahead of the class academically anyway. Children who have difficulty making friends with their peers might find it easier to relate to someone whom they perceive to be non-judgmental. <br /><br />How about enlisting the assistance of the Student Council and interviewing candidates for buddies? Present it as an honor to be chosen for the job and then offer some very basic training on how to be a friend to someone with differences. My daughters had reading buddies in early elementary school (first graders paired with third graders, for instance). Why not offer a similar typical/non-typical partnership? <br /><br />All children deserve friends!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-84628392436051974362015-01-04T12:59:13.241-05:002015-01-04T12:59:13.241-05:00I'm so enjoying this dialogue. Thank you to e...I'm so enjoying this dialogue. Thank you to everybody for your responses!<br /><br />Gail, thank you for your peace and blessings. One thing I know is that we are all in this together...and as I said, together we are stronger. Bloom is such a supportive forum for that.<br /><br />Rose-Marie - I LOVE hearing from parents who have older children - that gives me such hope for the future. Aaron is only in Grade 6, and so we are only halfway through, and I know I have so much to learn, especially from parents like you.<br /><br />Karen B - Kudos to you for becoming so involved on Parent Council - and for being so evolved with your thinking about inclusion and other parents. Let's keep sharing our good ideas...sue robinshttp://www.suerobins.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-13085573711934541502015-01-04T12:06:00.428-05:002015-01-04T12:06:00.428-05:00Hello Mariana - out of our small group of five ...Hello Mariana - out of our small group of five 'founding moms' there is one mom who does not have a child with special needs. She's interested in creating a welcoming and kind school community for all kids (bless her)...and she's also very connected with the wider group of moms. <br /><br />So now, we have just one fabulous mom, but I am hoping with time, it will grow!!!<br /><br />Thank you for the comment!<br />Sue.Sue Robinshttp://www.suerobins.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-66989609096979693682015-01-04T11:27:00.291-05:002015-01-04T11:27:00.291-05:00Great article....only one question, are you includ...Great article....only one question, are you included in the "normal" (for a lack of a better word) group of moms? No, right? That is my objective, we can learn from each other so much....but still, at least for me, it has been an impossible task. Thks for the article. MarianaAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-40400472267451587822015-01-03T15:24:59.514-05:002015-01-03T15:24:59.514-05:00Hello Sue,
Thank you so much for your article. I ...Hello Sue,<br />Thank you so much for your article. I have the same feelings and tried to hit the ground running with my son’s school as he just stared kindergarten this year. Fortunately for us we have started school well with a season special ed teacher and a terrific school principal. <br />I have found myself as the co-chair of the parent council and made sure that I made time to make constructive contribution to our various fundraising endeavours. All of the parents know my son and greet him warmly when we arrive. Other children do the same as well.<br /><br />I am working on a project with his teacher to get the parents in my sons class to make some games and activities for our kids. Ie some sensory boards, a matching game whatever. It’s a transparent way of trying to get to know the other parents in my son’s class under the guise of doing something for our kids classroom. My hope is to encourage them to join the parent council<br />I live in Scarborough and thus far I am learning that many of my fellow parents are immigrant families who seem to be either shy, not confident or simply unaware of the fact the they can be a party of their child’s school. Bussing in from other neighbourhoods is an issue too epically for families with more than one child. <br />Nonetheless I am determined to meet and befriend other parents. I am personally not too concerned about being included into the smaller circle of mums that gather and chat but I do try in my way to be available and when the occasion arises I share some of my son’s challenges and strengths too.<br />So far so good but I have yet to hit the stage of my son realizing if and when he is being excluded socially. I am certainly aware that these days will come. My hope is that I will be able to learn how to find parents and kids who would like to have my son around.<br />Thank you for your articles. I was really touched by the first one and your follow-up falls right into my way of thinking. Congratulations and keep posting good ideas please.<br /><br />Karen in ScarboroughAnonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08543043906598713887noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-38164953177157141372015-01-03T14:44:34.089-05:002015-01-03T14:44:34.089-05:00Sue, I loved your original piece and I love this o...Sue, I loved your original piece and I love this one too. Good for you to take the lead. Our lives are already so full and we shouldn't have to do this, but no one else is going to take on that role. <br /><br />My daughter has left high school now, but when she was younger, I found that connecting with the children was my best "in" with their parents. Because of my daughter's mobility and other health issues, her school staff "invited" me to chaperone on all the field trips (read that "if she is going to be able to attend, we need you to come," but couched in such a way that we wouldn't protest). It was a great way to get to know her classmates and for them to see the very normal, natural parent-child relationship we have. My presence was needed for her to be able to participate in Student Council and some of the other student activities, so I got to meet many children at her school. Because they knew us both and knew that I would help when needed, they weren't afraid to invite her to birthday parties when she was younger. It helped their parents be less afraid of my daughter and she was a good bridge. <br /><br />Yes, I only ever had coffee dates with other special needs moms. But at least the moms of classmates smiled and gave me eye contact when we crossed paths. <br /><br />And a couple weeks ago, when I was at the grocery store by myself, one of my daughter's former classmates surprised me by saying, "Hi, Mrs. Angela's Mom" (truly, that was my name at the school). Here I thought I was only visible when she was with me...but I was recognized as a person in my own right. <br /><br />I hope this encourages you as you volunteer for Hot Lunch in January. Children can be amazing bridges at times.Rose-Mariehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01125239149179291715noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-78136458141187637932015-01-03T13:14:39.236-05:002015-01-03T13:14:39.236-05:00THank you, Sue, Louise,AND TO ALL OF YOU, for bein...THank you, Sue, Louise,AND TO ALL OF YOU, for being the pathfinders and wayshowers for your children and the world!<br /><br />We all have some wonderful dreams and we can help each other make these dreams come true.<br /><br />Peace and blessings to all,<br />gailGailnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-15157813152760076522015-01-03T09:06:37.613-05:002015-01-03T09:06:37.613-05:00Ah Lin, you were the one who taught me, in that fi...Ah Lin, you were the one who taught me, in that first peer support training session in Calgary very long ago, about honesty, storytelling and the power of listening and being true to ourselves.<br /><br />As a mom of an older child, you were my role model for all of that good stuff, and started me on this journey. <br /><br />Here's to continuing to support each other, and also to paying it forward, as you did with me. xo<br /><br />sue robinshttp://www.suerobins.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-82961483053772577112015-01-03T01:22:43.903-05:002015-01-03T01:22:43.903-05:00You rock, Sue, and continue to be an inspiration!!...You rock, Sue, and continue to be an inspiration!! Aaron and the other kids with labels own a piece of that school, like every other student!<br />Lin Hermansonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-33519399158247757942015-01-02T23:04:01.813-05:002015-01-02T23:04:01.813-05:00Dear Nate's mom: Thank you so much for your c...Dear Nate's mom: Thank you so much for your comment. I've struggled SO hard with this issue the past nine years since Aaron began preschool. <br /><br />I dearly WANT families to approach me and be open & friendly, but it just isn't happening. This past year, it has felt really good to stop passively waiting (and being REALLY MAD about it) and to take control and do something - hence this blog post. I really agree with what you say about the adults who can foster inclusion (but often, and sadly, don't). I wish the world was different, but it is not, but here's to all of us who are chipping away at making it a better, more welcoming place...<br /><br />Warmly, Sue, the not-so-Invisible-Momsue robinshttp://www.suerobins.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-447392662850613354.post-39039989682304570862015-01-02T22:40:05.023-05:002015-01-02T22:40:05.023-05:00Thank you so much for this post. Your words and t...Thank you so much for this post. Your words and thoughts resonate through my experience as a special needs mom. I work outside of the home so unfortunately do not drop off or pick up my son from school, so I too feel isolated at school events because I have not connected with the "other" moms. I find other mom's avoid my eye contact as they maybe do not know what to say. It saddens me greatly knowing that Nate has many friends at school, yet rarely gets invited to birthday parties. It is often the adults in the lives of children that set up segregation and isolation for our children.<br /><br />You have inspired me to become more entrenched in my son's grade 1 world and his school community to help it become an inviting, enticing place for all of us. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com