This was the most facinating interview by The Coffee Klatch Blog Talk Radio with the Co-Authors of the book "Bright Not Broken: Twice Exceptional Kids." If you have children with multiple diagnosis, I highly recomend listening to this interview and reading this book which addresses the topic of looking beyond individual diagnosis—and considering the 'whole child.'
I couldn't help feeling, the entire time I listened to this interview with co-authors (and fellow moms), Diane M. Kennedy and Rebecca S. Banks, that they were describing my children! They have really identified the source of my greatest consternation as a parent of multiple high functioning kids on the spectrum who possess myriad other diagnostic 'labels.'
I've always had such a hard time wrapping my head around each new diagnosis and have often found myself laying awake at night wondering how these things are interconected. What causes what? For one of my kids it appears that his learning disabilities mask his true abilities while my other son is able to efficiently mask his disabilities by using his gifted abilities. So where do you start and what do you treat? The Spectrum disorder, the ADHD, Anxiety, Sensory Processing...? It becomes quite the conundrum.
What really hit home with me was the phrase "Twice Exceptional." It is the most important reminder that beyond the 'exceptional' diagnosis are exceptionally' gifted children—each shining in their own ways. I think, as parents, we often spend so much time worrying and focusing on the challenges that we sometimes forget to notice the rest of our children.
I love watching my children shine!
Thank you for writing this book. It was so needed...
Bright Not Broken - Twice Exceptional Kids 05/30 by The Coffee Klatch | Blog Talk Radio
Thursday, May 31, 2012
Friday, May 4, 2012
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Milk for Thought | Our Goals
Milk for Thought | An Amazing New Resource for Breastfeeding Education & Resources
MilkforThought.com, wants to change the landscape of breastfeeding – from attitudes to advocacy to education. They are trying to bring together millions of new moms and breastfeeding experts, to share, support, educate and create a loving community that believes in the power of breastfeeding. They are passionate that increased rates of breastfeeding can enact real change.
The benefits of breastfeeding are impressive. Lower rates of obesity, heart disease, asthma, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, childhood leukemia, postpartum depression, osteoporosis, breast and ovarian cancers, and type-2 diabetes, mean that the very act of exclusive breastfeeding for 6 months, with continued breastfeeding for at least the first 1 to 2 years of life, could have a significant impact on America's health care costs.
As a local Chicago mom & baby store and resource, support and education center in Chicago—Bellybum Bouitque so excited to support "Milk for Thought" in the excited launch of their website in Chicago! As a support and education center for expectant parents & breastfeeding moms we look forward to working with this incredible initiative and other leaders in the breastfeeding community to help "Milk for Thought" create the best site possible for the breastfeeding community!
WHY CHICAGO?
We agree with "Milk for Thought" (unbiasedly, of course) that Chicago is a perfect place to start! The breastfeeding community is one of the strongest in the country with a number of hospitals, clinics, organizations and advocacy groups that work hard to increase the profile of breastfeeding in the city. Bellybum Boutique is excited to learn and grow with the rest of our passionate community with MilkforThought.com at the helm.
Also, Chicago is home to independent filmmaker and breastfeeding supporter Laura Zinger and her documentary crew. By being in Chicago, Laura can film and track all the progress the "Milk for Thought" team makes. We know the story is going to be a great one and are thrilled that it will unfold on film. Not only will we create a mini-documentary about our time in Chicago, some of this footage will be incorporated into a full-length documentary to be released in 2012.
HELP CHICAGO ACTIVATE!
Join Milk for Thought at Stroger Hospital on Friday, April 8th at 3pm to learn more about our plans for their exciting plans for Chicago!
To RSVP go to their site: http://milkforthought.com/chicago/rsvp.html
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Juggling Act
Last night, I was thinking about a show I saw with my kids last summer. It was The Midnight Circus (for all of you Chicagoans); a truly wonderful performance. If you ever have the opportunity to go I highly recommend it! My kids watched in amazement as acrobats performed feats of strength and agility; they laughed as clowns clowned; their eyes were transfixed, mouths agape as two dancers wound their way, romantically intertwined, in a dance up and down a suspended rope of red fabric. Then there was this extremely talented juggler...
The act started out as one would expect, with a couple of balls. Then some neat tricks (you know; one handed, behind the back, under one leg and then the other)... However, it became much more exciting when his assistant joined in and started throwing more balls and random objects into his act: He continued to juggle, tossing objects back to the assistant who would no sooner replace each one with 2 more. Soon he was juggling what seemed to be an impossible number of things of all different sizes and shapes. It lasted for just a moment, in reality only 1-5 seconds, though it seemed much longer. The whole audience stood with bated breath—all waiting to see if he could do it or if he would make a mistake and drop them all. He didn't of course, not only because he was truly talented, but because he had captured our attention so completely that no one noticed as he steadily and quickly regained complete control by tossing each object back to his assistant one by one in quick succession. He finished the act with the same 2 balls with which he began, bowed, and we all applauded for his amazing accomplishment.
Ok, so get to the point already...
While not necessarily profound, I had a moment of clarity last night that I felt worthy of sharing. It occurred to me that this act is much like my life. The differences being, my life is not an act, it was never intended for an audience, and the amazement wore off quite some time ago as the running time has far exceeded the 5 minute limit.
I can recall times in my life when I only had a couple of things to juggle. Life was manageable. I was in control because I recognized that I could choose to add whatever things I desired that would make my life more exciting and fulfilling, or to discard the excess when things became overwhelming. Even marrying and having children were choices I embraced with open arms, while continuing to juggle all of my other responsibilities and interests. At the time, it all seemed well within my ability to manage.
Over the course of the past seven years, however, and seemingly without choice, the magnitude and quantity of things I've had to juggle increased until I finally reached that point of 'impossibility.' That was 2 years ago. I am still juggling—more now than ever—but it is not amazing. I am exhausted. I've finally realized I just can't continue this way indefinitely.
The problem is that it has become much more difficult to decide and to discern, between the myriad significant things with which I am coping—which is expendable and which is not when they all seem important?
What should I let go of when my choices are: Which child's needs are more significant than the others? Which of the therapy sessions, doctor appointments or assessments that "[my] children need" are truly necessary? Do I really need to battle every day, to advocate and navigate a less than perfect school system, to ensure that my children get the educational support they need to succeed? Should I continue my ongoing and time-consuming battle with the insurance companies to recoup the tens of thousands of dollars of medical bills and debt we have accrued—that I must keep resubmitting with "more information before they can make a determination"—or should I just let it go? Do I fight to keep my marriage together when times are hard, the stresses of a tough economy, and coping with the challenges of having multiple children with special 'needs' have all taken their toll and pushed us both to our limits? Should I give up my store or my philanthropic work—even though, aside from my family—they are two of the only things in my life that I truly find fulfilling and make me feel 'significant'? Should I stop paying bills, fixing the broken refrigerator, watering the plants, feeding the gerbils, doing the laundry, taking a shower... Really, which of these things can I just let go of?
Of course, this is all dramatic, and the reality is that this didn't all 'just happen' to me, and while some decisions may be harder than others, I DO have choices. It's just that, as hard as it has been to reach this point, I've found it even harder to allow myself the time to take a deep breath, step back, and let go of some of some of the things I've been juggling for so long. Why is that so hard? Perhaps I have just become too accustomed to the routine, or I've become addicted to some odd sense of accomplishment for being able to handle it it all...
Whatever the reason, I realized last night that it is time to make some changes. I need to simplify my act a bit and start taking care of the most essential things again—including myself. The acceptance of that reality is liberating.
I am not recounting this as a comparison to anyone else's life. Everything is relative and the challenges in my life are no more meaningful or significant than anything any other person deals with every day—just different. It's for this reason that I wanted to post my thoughts on the subject. I think most people can relate to my feelings (or have been able to relate to a time in your life when you felt this way). I'm just suggesting that, when life becomes overwhelming in this way, perhaps the 'Balancing Act' is a better trick to master. I'm going to start working on it. Today.
The act started out as one would expect, with a couple of balls. Then some neat tricks (you know; one handed, behind the back, under one leg and then the other)... However, it became much more exciting when his assistant joined in and started throwing more balls and random objects into his act: He continued to juggle, tossing objects back to the assistant who would no sooner replace each one with 2 more. Soon he was juggling what seemed to be an impossible number of things of all different sizes and shapes. It lasted for just a moment, in reality only 1-5 seconds, though it seemed much longer. The whole audience stood with bated breath—all waiting to see if he could do it or if he would make a mistake and drop them all. He didn't of course, not only because he was truly talented, but because he had captured our attention so completely that no one noticed as he steadily and quickly regained complete control by tossing each object back to his assistant one by one in quick succession. He finished the act with the same 2 balls with which he began, bowed, and we all applauded for his amazing accomplishment.
Ok, so get to the point already...
While not necessarily profound, I had a moment of clarity last night that I felt worthy of sharing. It occurred to me that this act is much like my life. The differences being, my life is not an act, it was never intended for an audience, and the amazement wore off quite some time ago as the running time has far exceeded the 5 minute limit.
I can recall times in my life when I only had a couple of things to juggle. Life was manageable. I was in control because I recognized that I could choose to add whatever things I desired that would make my life more exciting and fulfilling, or to discard the excess when things became overwhelming. Even marrying and having children were choices I embraced with open arms, while continuing to juggle all of my other responsibilities and interests. At the time, it all seemed well within my ability to manage.
Over the course of the past seven years, however, and seemingly without choice, the magnitude and quantity of things I've had to juggle increased until I finally reached that point of 'impossibility.' That was 2 years ago. I am still juggling—more now than ever—but it is not amazing. I am exhausted. I've finally realized I just can't continue this way indefinitely.
The problem is that it has become much more difficult to decide and to discern, between the myriad significant things with which I am coping—which is expendable and which is not when they all seem important?
What should I let go of when my choices are: Which child's needs are more significant than the others? Which of the therapy sessions, doctor appointments or assessments that "[my] children need" are truly necessary? Do I really need to battle every day, to advocate and navigate a less than perfect school system, to ensure that my children get the educational support they need to succeed? Should I continue my ongoing and time-consuming battle with the insurance companies to recoup the tens of thousands of dollars of medical bills and debt we have accrued—that I must keep resubmitting with "more information before they can make a determination"—or should I just let it go? Do I fight to keep my marriage together when times are hard, the stresses of a tough economy, and coping with the challenges of having multiple children with special 'needs' have all taken their toll and pushed us both to our limits? Should I give up my store or my philanthropic work—even though, aside from my family—they are two of the only things in my life that I truly find fulfilling and make me feel 'significant'? Should I stop paying bills, fixing the broken refrigerator, watering the plants, feeding the gerbils, doing the laundry, taking a shower... Really, which of these things can I just let go of?
Of course, this is all dramatic, and the reality is that this didn't all 'just happen' to me, and while some decisions may be harder than others, I DO have choices. It's just that, as hard as it has been to reach this point, I've found it even harder to allow myself the time to take a deep breath, step back, and let go of some of some of the things I've been juggling for so long. Why is that so hard? Perhaps I have just become too accustomed to the routine, or I've become addicted to some odd sense of accomplishment for being able to handle it it all...
Whatever the reason, I realized last night that it is time to make some changes. I need to simplify my act a bit and start taking care of the most essential things again—including myself. The acceptance of that reality is liberating.
I am not recounting this as a comparison to anyone else's life. Everything is relative and the challenges in my life are no more meaningful or significant than anything any other person deals with every day—just different. It's for this reason that I wanted to post my thoughts on the subject. I think most people can relate to my feelings (or have been able to relate to a time in your life when you felt this way). I'm just suggesting that, when life becomes overwhelming in this way, perhaps the 'Balancing Act' is a better trick to master. I'm going to start working on it. Today.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Beginning of a new journey...
I have never done this before, so this is—yet another—new endeavor for me. As if I don't already have enough going on in my life...
Who am I?
Well, I am a Mom. I have three gorgeous, young and energetic children—7, 6 & 2—who amaze me every day. Two of my children are "on the spectrum." They have their 'stuff, 'as I like to call it, and you could say that their 'stuff' makes our lives a bit more challenging than the average household (whatever that is).
I am a Wife, Daughter, Sister and Aunt. My husband is a Chef, and while we benefit from the fact that he is a VERY good chef, the lifestyle is not as glamorous as it may sound given the lovely hours... However, it's not all bad: We DO get to buy food at wholesale (if you need 25 pounds of King Crab Legs and 200 onions come on over), rarely have to make a reservation at the best restaurants, get a lot of free food and the best seatings at our favorite restaurants. Despite the cons, I love him so it makes it all worthwhile.
I am an activist: Active in our local community as an advocate for Parents of children with developmental differences; active in promoting the idea and practice of buying and supporting LOCAL businesses so that our community continues to thrive; active in educating and promoting GREEN initiatives and lifestyle choices; active locally and nationally to promote tolerance and stomp out hate, bigotry and anti-semitism wherever it rears its ugly head... I am passionate and live passionately. I try, every day, to do something in my own tiny way that will make the world a little better place for my kids and for others.
I am a local, Small Business Owner. I opened Bellybum Boutique 2 years ago—after 20+ years in Marketing and Graphic Desig. I opened my store primarily as a resource, support and education center to help other women coping with the pre and postnatal effects of pregnancy on their bodies (as the trials of each of my journeys have been both profound and permanent) as well as to help parents navigate the journey of parenthood. My goal has always been to provide a place with a spirit of inclusion. A place where parents, friends and family can come to learn about healthy parenting and lifestyle choices and be empowered to make the choices that are right for them and their families. In other words, a place of support and not of judgment. Parenting is daunting enough without having to be 'judged' for the decisions you do or don't make.
Ok, so enough already...you get the picture.
I'm starting this blog to help explain, educate, discuss, support, chat about any and all of these things or anything else that comes to mind. I hope it won't bore you and I really hope that you may find some of what I have to say useful somehow.
So, Hello.
Who am I?
Well, I am a Mom. I have three gorgeous, young and energetic children—7, 6 & 2—who amaze me every day. Two of my children are "on the spectrum." They have their 'stuff, 'as I like to call it, and you could say that their 'stuff' makes our lives a bit more challenging than the average household (whatever that is).
I am a Wife, Daughter, Sister and Aunt. My husband is a Chef, and while we benefit from the fact that he is a VERY good chef, the lifestyle is not as glamorous as it may sound given the lovely hours... However, it's not all bad: We DO get to buy food at wholesale (if you need 25 pounds of King Crab Legs and 200 onions come on over), rarely have to make a reservation at the best restaurants, get a lot of free food and the best seatings at our favorite restaurants. Despite the cons, I love him so it makes it all worthwhile.
I am an activist: Active in our local community as an advocate for Parents of children with developmental differences; active in promoting the idea and practice of buying and supporting LOCAL businesses so that our community continues to thrive; active in educating and promoting GREEN initiatives and lifestyle choices; active locally and nationally to promote tolerance and stomp out hate, bigotry and anti-semitism wherever it rears its ugly head... I am passionate and live passionately. I try, every day, to do something in my own tiny way that will make the world a little better place for my kids and for others.
I am a local, Small Business Owner. I opened Bellybum Boutique 2 years ago—after 20+ years in Marketing and Graphic Desig. I opened my store primarily as a resource, support and education center to help other women coping with the pre and postnatal effects of pregnancy on their bodies (as the trials of each of my journeys have been both profound and permanent) as well as to help parents navigate the journey of parenthood. My goal has always been to provide a place with a spirit of inclusion. A place where parents, friends and family can come to learn about healthy parenting and lifestyle choices and be empowered to make the choices that are right for them and their families. In other words, a place of support and not of judgment. Parenting is daunting enough without having to be 'judged' for the decisions you do or don't make.
Ok, so enough already...you get the picture.
I'm starting this blog to help explain, educate, discuss, support, chat about any and all of these things or anything else that comes to mind. I hope it won't bore you and I really hope that you may find some of what I have to say useful somehow.
So, Hello.
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