According to a U.S. census study, about 1 in 5 U.S. residents cope with special needs. Parents and caregivers who are faced with this issue of special needs experience feelings of denial, confusion, guilt, anger and hopelessness. Caring for special needs individuals is not an easy task, but it is possible. It is a journey that brings out the best in any individual who has chosen to embrace that challenge. The author gives the details of her journey as a mother of two boys with multiple special needs and illustrates the strategies that she has used to deal with the daily struggles that life presents her as she mothers her two children. She explains how acceptance of this challenge has led to it being the greatest blessing of her life. Against the odds is an inspiring narrative that will provide guidance for parents and caregivers who are searching for new tools and insights into how to raise children with special needs and for those who want to gain a deeper understanding of this important subject.
Against the Odds
Inspiration for Parenting Children with Special Needs
By Delia D. SamuelTrafford Publishing
Copyright © 2016 Delia Samuel
All rights reserved.
ISBN: 978-1-4907-6680-5Contents
Chapter 1 MY JOURNEY: BEGINNINGS, 1,
Chapter 2 MY JOURNEY TO ACCEPTANCE, 5,
Chapter 3 DON'T YOU DARE GIVE UP!, 9,
Chapter 4 SMILE — IT'S GOING TO BE OKAY, 13,
Chapter 5 THE EARLIER THE BETTER, 17,
Chapter 6 SURROUND YOURSELF WITH POSITIVE PEOPLE, 20,
Chapter 7 BE AN EARLY RISER, 25,
Chapter 8 PLAY, PLAY AND PLAY SOME MORE, 29,
Chapter 9 FIND TIME TO RELAX, 33,
Chapter 10 BE ORGANIZED, 36,
Chapter 11 BECOME A CHILD AGAIN, 39,
Chapter 12 COPING WITH NEGATIVE ATTENTION, 43,
Chapter 13 TAKE TIME-OUTS — YOU WILL NEED THEM!, 47,
Chapter 14 BECOME AWARE, 50,
Chapter 15 TALK TO YOUR CHILD ALL THE TIME AND EVERYWHERE, 54,
Chapter 16 SOOTHE YOURSELF AND YOUR CHILD IN THE BEST WAY, 58,
Chapter 17 SAFETY FIRST, 62,
Chapter 18 UNCONVENTIONAL METHODS TO DO THE USUAL THINGS, 66,
Chapter 19 AFFIRM! AFFIRM! AFFIRM!, 70,
Chapter 20 LIFESAVERS, 74,
Chapter 21 UNCONDITIONAL LOVE, 78,
Chapter 22 YOU ARE A GOOD PARENT, 82,
Chapter 23 THE POWER OF GRATITUDE, 86,
Chapter 24 TRAVELLING OVERSEAS, 89,
Chapter 25 THE ART OF PATIENCE, 92,
Chapter 26 OUR TALENTED CHILDREN, 95,
Chapter 27 ILLNESS, 98,
Chapter 28 SENSORY PROBLEMS, 101,
Chapter 29 SOME STRESSORS: CHANGE OF ROUTE AND THE BARBER, 104,
Chapter 30 HAVE A CAN-DO ATTITUDE, 108,
Chapter 31 START WITH WHAT YOU HAVE, 112,
Chapter 32 MEET THEM WHERE THEY ARE, 116,
Chapter 33 THERAPY, 119,
Chapter 34 PRACTICE DOES MAKE PERFECT, 123,
Chapter 35 NORMALIZE YOUR LIFE, 126,
Chapter 36 DO LESS AND THEY WILL DO MORE, 129,
Chapter 37 NEVER BE AFRAID TO APOLOGIZE, 132,
Chapter 38 A TOUCH OF MANNERS, 136,
Chapter 39 MY CHILDREN ARE MY TEACHERS, 140,
Chapter 40 ALWAYS LET THEM KNOW, 143,
Chapter 41 TAKE THE TIME TO SMELL THE ROSES, 146,
Chapter 42 VOLUNTEERING, 149,
Chapter 43 TAKING CARE OF ME, 152,
Chapter 44 PRAY, 155,
Chapter 45 AND SO IT CONTINUES, 159,
CHAPTER 1
MY JOURNEY: BEGINNINGS
* * *
"I know God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish that He didn't trust me so much." ~ Mother Teresa
On February 28, 2006, I gave birth to a beautiful, healthy boy, Joseph, by an emergency C-section after enduring twenty two hours of labor. The laborious birth was preceded by an uneventful pregnancy: I was a healthy woman who ate well, exercised daily, gained a sufficient amount of weight, was very active, and was generally given a healthy prognosis by my obstetrician-gynecologist. Subsequent to birth, Joseph remained in the Special Care Unit at the hospital for four days due to breathing problems associated with reflux. The first year of Joseph's life can be described as normal despite the many sleepless nights we had to endure because of his reflux and his inability to consume large quantities of food at any one time. Thus, he had to be fed frequently throughout the day and night. I was a sleep-deprived mother, but all in all, I was able to handle mothering Joseph during the first year of his life — until July 2007, when he attended day care for the first time.
It was at that day care center when one of his teachers pointed out that Joseph was so much like a boy she had seen in a movie. The boy had autism. The teacher then suggested that I read material about aut
