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string(47) "That special kind of high you get from your kid"
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<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href=\"http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com\">Love That Max</a></p>
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string(297) "I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I [...]"
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string(297) "I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I [...]"
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<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
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string(297) "I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I [...]"
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<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
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string(297) "I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I [...]"
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<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
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["summary"]=>
string(297) "I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I [...]"
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string(3828) "<p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Reve237-6AM?hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Reve237-6AM?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
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[1]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(36) "Magic Marker Monday ? Shooting Star?"
["link"]=>
string(78) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4744/magic-marker-monday-shooting-star/"
["comments"]=>
string(87) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4744/magic-marker-monday-shooting-star/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:30 +0000"
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string(8) "Michelle"
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["category"]=>
string(19) "Magic Marker Monday"
["guid"]=>
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["description"]=>
string(318) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that [...]"
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string(7172) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/sstr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that came home with my 7-year-old. </p>
<p>Along with the fun of going to day camp (and she <em>did</em> have a lot of fun), there were some challenges.</p>
<p>The week started out rough for her — new kids, questions about her G-tube, teasing about her surgical scars, unkind comments about her differences from kids who considered themselves “normal”. </p>
<p>All part of growing up, but tough nonetheless.</p>
<p>So I was glad for this shooting star that she brought home on a particularly tough day. I put my arm around her as she unloaded about her day asking me, “Why do I have to be so different? It’s not fair.”</p>
<p>I smiled and, kissed the top of her head. “First, tell me about shooting stars.”</p>
<p>She lit up with the opportunity to pass on her newly acquired celestial knowledge. “Well, they’re actually not stars a’tall — they’re meteors an’ when they come close enough to the Earth, they make this big streak of light across the sky like fireworks! Zooooooooommmmm!!”</p>
<p>“Oh, so you mean they look just like all the other stars up there in the sky.”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes at my denseness. “Mommmmmm! I jess’ told ya that they’re different than stars. They’re lots brighter — more like fireworks than stars.”</p>
<p>“Which is your favorite? Shooting stars or regular stars?”</p>
<p>Her eyes widened and her face lit up with a grin. “Shooting stars, of course.”</p>
<p>“No kidding! Me too!”</p>
<p>She laughed and then grew serious again. “So why do I have to be different than all the other kids, Mom?”</p>
<p>“Because you’re a shooting star. Just like a shooting star is different from all the twinkling stars in the sky, I’m <em>glad</em> you’re different than everyone else in the whole world. You don’t want to be just like everybody else. Not really. Just like a shooting star, you need to be bright and beautiful and different. You need to be you and let everyone else be the same if they want to.”</p>
<p>She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I guess you’re right. It’s just that sometimes it’s really, really hard being a shooting star when everybody else thinks its so much cooler to be a twinkle star.”</p>
<p>Here’s hoping she’ll always have the courage to light up the sky.</p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=43336" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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["summary"]=>
string(318) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(7172) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/sstr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that came home with my 7-year-old. </p>
<p>Along with the fun of going to day camp (and she <em>did</em> have a lot of fun), there were some challenges.</p>
<p>The week started out rough for her — new kids, questions about her G-tube, teasing about her surgical scars, unkind comments about her differences from kids who considered themselves “normal”. </p>
<p>All part of growing up, but tough nonetheless.</p>
<p>So I was glad for this shooting star that she brought home on a particularly tough day. I put my arm around her as she unloaded about her day asking me, “Why do I have to be so different? It’s not fair.”</p>
<p>I smiled and, kissed the top of her head. “First, tell me about shooting stars.”</p>
<p>She lit up with the opportunity to pass on her newly acquired celestial knowledge. “Well, they’re actually not stars a’tall — they’re meteors an’ when they come close enough to the Earth, they make this big streak of light across the sky like fireworks! Zooooooooommmmm!!”</p>
<p>“Oh, so you mean they look just like all the other stars up there in the sky.”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes at my denseness. “Mommmmmm! I jess’ told ya that they’re different than stars. They’re lots brighter — more like fireworks than stars.”</p>
<p>“Which is your favorite? Shooting stars or regular stars?”</p>
<p>Her eyes widened and her face lit up with a grin. “Shooting stars, of course.”</p>
<p>“No kidding! Me too!”</p>
<p>She laughed and then grew serious again. “So why do I have to be different than all the other kids, Mom?”</p>
<p>“Because you’re a shooting star. Just like a shooting star is different from all the twinkling stars in the sky, I’m <em>glad</em> you’re different than everyone else in the whole world. You don’t want to be just like everybody else. Not really. Just like a shooting star, you need to be bright and beautiful and different. You need to be you and let everyone else be the same if they want to.”</p>
<p>She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I guess you’re right. It’s just that sometimes it’s really, really hard being a shooting star when everybody else thinks its so much cooler to be a twinkle star.”</p>
<p>Here’s hoping she’ll always have the courage to light up the sky.</p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=43336" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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[2]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(20) "Heather?s Must-Haves"
["link"]=>
string(64) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4736/heathers-must-haves/"
["comments"]=>
string(73) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4736/heathers-must-haves/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:00:19 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(8) "HeatherP"
}
["category"]=>
string(62) "Around the Blogosphere: Special Needs EditionBlogStuff We Love"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4736"
["description"]=>
string(318) "I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff. Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right? So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the [...]"
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string(6083) "<p>I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff.</p>
<p>Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right?</p>
<p>So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the special needs field. These are people who are engaging and wonderful—and who totally “get” where we are all coming from too. I’m hoping this will be a give and take relationship…I give, you take..and then give me ideas too! <img src='http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Most of you probably know about my favorite product ever…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.signingtime.com">Signing Time</a> !</p>
<p>Sure, you probably know all the words to “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adbOR9TujAc">Leah’s Farm</a>” or “Turtle Rock,” but do you really know all there is to know about the company?</p>
<p>AHA! That’s where I fit in…</p>
<p>First, there are always <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/shop/product-type/web-specials/">neat little sales</a> going on at the website!</p>
<p>Did you know they’re on Twitter? Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/signingtime">@SigningTime</a> and even <a href="http://twitter.com/ST_Rachel">Rachel</a>!</p>
<p>How about Facebook? Do you enjoy connecting there? Go <a href="http://www.facebook.com/signingtime">make friends</a>!</p>
<p>If that’s not enough for you…there’s MORE!</p>
<p>There is the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/forums/">Signing Time Forum</a>, where you can meet other parents, gain support, or just learn a new sign! Check out the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/blog/">Signing Time Blog</a> and be surprised by little bits of news, events coming up, and my personal favorite, the Sign of the Week!</p>
<p>Do you know about the<a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/"> Signing Time Academy</a>? Certified Signing Time instructors are currently working all across the country holding classes to help raise awareness and teach sign language to everybody! Is there a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/find-a-class/">class near you</a>?</p>
<p>Now, what if…you’ve been signing for years. You know every sign to all of the first 7 volumes of Signing Time and you even sing the songs in the shower (um, I’m not the only one who does that, right?)…</p>
<p>YOU could be a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/become-an-instructor/">Signing Time Instructor</a>! I personally know some of the instructors and they are passionate about the Signing Time products and supporting the growth and development of all children!</p>
<p>My final thoughts go to Rachel. She has taught me so much about how to be a special needs parent. She cheered me on during days when I thought I was going to fall apart. She made me smile when I wanted to cry. She exudes hope. If you don’t <a href="http://www.rachelcoleman.com/">read her blog</a>, you are missing out on probably one of the most emotional, heartwarming experiences of your life.</p>
<p>Of course, if you don’t know about Signing Time, then you have a lot of catching up to do anyway!</p>
<p>Have a great week…see you next time for Heather’s Must-Haves!</p>
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string(318) "I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff. Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right? So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(6083) "<p>I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff.</p>
<p>Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right?</p>
<p>So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the special needs field. These are people who are engaging and wonderful—and who totally “get” where we are all coming from too. I’m hoping this will be a give and take relationship…I give, you take..and then give me ideas too! <img src='http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Most of you probably know about my favorite product ever…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.signingtime.com">Signing Time</a> !</p>
<p>Sure, you probably know all the words to “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adbOR9TujAc">Leah’s Farm</a>” or “Turtle Rock,” but do you really know all there is to know about the company?</p>
<p>AHA! That’s where I fit in…</p>
<p>First, there are always <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/shop/product-type/web-specials/">neat little sales</a> going on at the website!</p>
<p>Did you know they’re on Twitter? Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/signingtime">@SigningTime</a> and even <a href="http://twitter.com/ST_Rachel">Rachel</a>!</p>
<p>How about Facebook? Do you enjoy connecting there? Go <a href="http://www.facebook.com/signingtime">make friends</a>!</p>
<p>If that’s not enough for you…there’s MORE!</p>
<p>There is the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/forums/">Signing Time Forum</a>, where you can meet other parents, gain support, or just learn a new sign! Check out the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/blog/">Signing Time Blog</a> and be surprised by little bits of news, events coming up, and my personal favorite, the Sign of the Week!</p>
<p>Do you know about the<a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/"> Signing Time Academy</a>? Certified Signing Time instructors are currently working all across the country holding classes to help raise awareness and teach sign language to everybody! Is there a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/find-a-class/">class near you</a>?</p>
<p>Now, what if…you’ve been signing for years. You know every sign to all of the first 7 volumes of Signing Time and you even sing the songs in the shower (um, I’m not the only one who does that, right?)…</p>
<p>YOU could be a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/become-an-instructor/">Signing Time Instructor</a>! I personally know some of the instructors and they are passionate about the Signing Time products and supporting the growth and development of all children!</p>
<p>My final thoughts go to Rachel. She has taught me so much about how to be a special needs parent. She cheered me on during days when I thought I was going to fall apart. She made me smile when I wanted to cry. She exudes hope. If you don’t <a href="http://www.rachelcoleman.com/">read her blog</a>, you are missing out on probably one of the most emotional, heartwarming experiences of your life.</p>
<p>Of course, if you don’t know about Signing Time, then you have a lot of catching up to do anyway!</p>
<p>Have a great week…see you next time for Heather’s Must-Haves!</p>
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array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(18) "Teaching Something"
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["comments"]=>
string(72) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4740/teaching-something/#comments"
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string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:00:39 +0000"
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string(19) "Beyond OrdinaryWTH?"
["guid"]=>
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string(333) "I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect. But, I think it’s easier said than done. [...]"
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string(6133) "<p>I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect.</p>
<p>But, I think it’s easier said than done.</p>
<p>The other day, after an extremely tiring, puke-filled road trip, we decided to stop quickly for Mexican food. I needed a margarita, to be honest.</p>
<p>But Potato was late on his feed. And as any tube feeding parent knows, you must stick to the feeding schedule come hell or high water. Or the need for a decent burrito.</p>
<p>I made my way to the very tiny restaurant bathroom to hover over the one sink and clean out the pump bag and extension tube. It was all going peachy until the first visitor to the bathroom, a mother and her very precocious son.</p>
<p>I could hear them in the stall talking about life. About why somebody somebody no longer comes over to play (“She’s older than you, hon, she may just be acting that way”) and why it was important that he be able to go to the bathroom by himself someday.</p>
<p>When they got out of the stall, I moved out of the way of the sink so they could wash their hands. And as I gave my most reassuring, motherly smile to the ginger-haired kid, he asked quietly, “What’s that, Mom?” and pointing to the bag.</p>
<p>The mother yelled at him, “DON’T ASK THAT, IT’S RUDE!”</p>
<p>And promptly dragged him out of the restroom.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would have been more than happy to say that I too had a little boy who just so happened to eat through a plastic port in his stomach, not through his mouth….yadda yadda yadda. At least then, when he saw my smiling, bouncing baby boy, he would realize that those that eat through their stomach are pretty normal.</p>
<p>But as I was thinking this, another mother came in with a very annoying (sorry!) little girl. This little girl’s toilet conversation was a bit milder, although it involved a lot of whining (“I don’t WANT to do that!”).</p>
<p>After she came out of the stall, I again moved out of the way to let them at the sink. I think the mother was shamed into washing the girl’s hands as they were fully prepared to leave the bathroom without. Gross.</p>
<p>Anyway, as the girl approached the sink and saw me standing there with the bag, she dug in her heels and began screaming, “MOOOOM! What IS that? What IS THAT?”</p>
<p>Honestly, I think she thought I was going to stick it up her nose, or some other orifice.</p>
<p>The mother started kicking the girl towards the sink. Literally kicking her. Finally the mother said, “We all have our medical devices. Just leave it alone.”</p>
<p>After two parents that just didn’t take the opportunity to do anything but shame their children, I said, “If I told you what this did, you would lose your appetite for your dinner, and we don’t want that, do we?”</p>
<p>The little girl looked at me ashen faced and backed out of the bathroom.</p>
<p>By the time the bag was washed out and Potato was hooked up to the feed, I realized that I was no better than the parents who hadn’t educated their kids properly. I was no better than those parents that let their kids stare at Potato when he’s getting a feed.</p>
<p>Oh well. Better luck next time!</p>
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string(333) "I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect. But, I think it’s easier said than done. [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(6133) "<p>I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect.</p>
<p>But, I think it’s easier said than done.</p>
<p>The other day, after an extremely tiring, puke-filled road trip, we decided to stop quickly for Mexican food. I needed a margarita, to be honest.</p>
<p>But Potato was late on his feed. And as any tube feeding parent knows, you must stick to the feeding schedule come hell or high water. Or the need for a decent burrito.</p>
<p>I made my way to the very tiny restaurant bathroom to hover over the one sink and clean out the pump bag and extension tube. It was all going peachy until the first visitor to the bathroom, a mother and her very precocious son.</p>
<p>I could hear them in the stall talking about life. About why somebody somebody no longer comes over to play (“She’s older than you, hon, she may just be acting that way”) and why it was important that he be able to go to the bathroom by himself someday.</p>
<p>When they got out of the stall, I moved out of the way of the sink so they could wash their hands. And as I gave my most reassuring, motherly smile to the ginger-haired kid, he asked quietly, “What’s that, Mom?” and pointing to the bag.</p>
<p>The mother yelled at him, “DON’T ASK THAT, IT’S RUDE!”</p>
<p>And promptly dragged him out of the restroom.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would have been more than happy to say that I too had a little boy who just so happened to eat through a plastic port in his stomach, not through his mouth….yadda yadda yadda. At least then, when he saw my smiling, bouncing baby boy, he would realize that those that eat through their stomach are pretty normal.</p>
<p>But as I was thinking this, another mother came in with a very annoying (sorry!) little girl. This little girl’s toilet conversation was a bit milder, although it involved a lot of whining (“I don’t WANT to do that!”).</p>
<p>After she came out of the stall, I again moved out of the way to let them at the sink. I think the mother was shamed into washing the girl’s hands as they were fully prepared to leave the bathroom without. Gross.</p>
<p>Anyway, as the girl approached the sink and saw me standing there with the bag, she dug in her heels and began screaming, “MOOOOM! What IS that? What IS THAT?”</p>
<p>Honestly, I think she thought I was going to stick it up her nose, or some other orifice.</p>
<p>The mother started kicking the girl towards the sink. Literally kicking her. Finally the mother said, “We all have our medical devices. Just leave it alone.”</p>
<p>After two parents that just didn’t take the opportunity to do anything but shame their children, I said, “If I told you what this did, you would lose your appetite for your dinner, and we don’t want that, do we?”</p>
<p>The little girl looked at me ashen faced and backed out of the bathroom.</p>
<p>By the time the bag was washed out and Potato was hooked up to the feed, I realized that I was no better than the parents who hadn’t educated their kids properly. I was no better than those parents that let their kids stare at Potato when he’s getting a feed.</p>
<p>Oh well. Better luck next time!</p>
<div class="shr-bookmarks shr-bookmarks-expand shr-bookmarks-center shr-bookmarks-bg-caring">
<ul class="socials">
<li class="shr-twitter">
<a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Teaching+Something+-+http://b2l.me/any72c+&source=shareaholic" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Tweet This!">Tweet This!</a>
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["title"]=>
string(20) "Advising New Parents"
["link"]=>
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string(74) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4713/advising-new-parents/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:09 +0000"
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string(7) "Deborah"
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string(48) "BlogBy AuthorDeborahIndividual Educational Plans"
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string(325) "It’s that time of year again – time to buy school supplies, Fall clothes, and healthy snacks for the school lunch box. It’s time to pay the exorbitant school fees for our children’s FREE education. And it’s time for parents of children with disabilities to see if they will face more battles with their school [...]"
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string(4861) "<p>It’s that time of year again – time to buy school supplies, Fall clothes, and healthy snacks for the school lunch box. It’s time to pay the exorbitant school fees for our children’s FREE education. And it’s time for parents of children with disabilities to see if they will face more battles with their school districts while trying to ensure their children receive an appropriate education.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4713/advising-new-parents/attachment/24014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4716"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/24014-250x167.jpg" alt="" title="24014" width="250" height="167" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4716" /></a></p>
<p>I remember when my first child with disabilities entered the public school system. I was naïve and assumed everyone would love my child as much as I did, and would want to do everything they could to make her school experience a positive one. Along the way to high school where that youngest child now attends, I learned that her educational journey would not always be rainbows and unicorns.</p>
<p>If you could talk to that parent I was back then – the parent who trusted and believed in her educational system and its commitment to ALL children – what would you say? What would your advice be to new parent of children with disabilities, children who will start preschool or kindergarten this year?</p>
<p>Here’s my contribution to that parent, and please share yours in the comments:</p>
<p>Believe that your school district will care for your child. Believe they will always do what they can to ensure your child receives an appropriate education. But, document any issues – no matter how small. Prepare as if you will be one day be going to due process against your school district, but hope you never have to travel that path. That piece of advice, given to me so many years ago, made all the difference to my child. 99% of parents who take their school districts to due process lose. I prevailed at due process and my daughter did receive the education to which she was entitled because I followed that advice given to me over 13 years ago.</p>
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string(325) "It’s that time of year again – time to buy school supplies, Fall clothes, and healthy snacks for the school lunch box. It’s time to pay the exorbitant school fees for our children’s FREE education. And it’s time for parents of children with disabilities to see if they will face more battles with their school [...]"
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<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4713/advising-new-parents/attachment/24014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4716"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/24014-250x167.jpg" alt="" title="24014" width="250" height="167" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4716" /></a></p>
<p>I remember when my first child with disabilities entered the public school system. I was naïve and assumed everyone would love my child as much as I did, and would want to do everything they could to make her school experience a positive one. Along the way to high school where that youngest child now attends, I learned that her educational journey would not always be rainbows and unicorns.</p>
<p>If you could talk to that parent I was back then – the parent who trusted and believed in her educational system and its commitment to ALL children – what would you say? What would your advice be to new parent of children with disabilities, children who will start preschool or kindergarten this year?</p>
<p>Here’s my contribution to that parent, and please share yours in the comments:</p>
<p>Believe that your school district will care for your child. Believe they will always do what they can to ensure your child receives an appropriate education. But, document any issues – no matter how small. Prepare as if you will be one day be going to due process against your school district, but hope you never have to travel that path. That piece of advice, given to me so many years ago, made all the difference to my child. 99% of parents who take their school districts to due process lose. I prevailed at due process and my daughter did receive the education to which she was entitled because I followed that advice given to me over 13 years ago.</p>
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array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(27) "Special Exposure Wednesday."
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["comments"]=>
string(83) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4727/special-exposure-wednesday-49/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:00:55 +0000"
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string(10) "TiffandIvy"
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["category"]=>
string(30) "Special Exposure WednesdayTiff"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4727"
["description"]=>
string(345) "She loves the outside. It is her favourite place to be. Got something to share? Why don’t you join in this Special Exposure Wednesday. Please remember your comment love at each link you visit. Also posting at Three Ring Circus. Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on [...]"
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string(3738) "<p><img title="specialexposurewednesday" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/specialexposurewednesday.jpg" alt="" width="286" height="255" /></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-4728" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4727/special-exposure-wednesday-49/outsidelifeweb/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4728" title="outsidelifeweb" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/outsidelifeweb.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="900" /></a></p>
<p>She loves the outside.</p>
<p>It is her favourite place to be.</p>
<p>Got something to share?</p>
<p>Why don’t you join in this <a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/9/welcome-to-spe%E2%80%A6sure-wednesdaywelcome-to-special-exposure-wednesday/">Special Exposure Wednesday</a>.</p>
<p>Please remember your comment love at each link you visit.</p>
<p>Also posting at <a href="http://mythreeringcircus.com">Three Ring Circus</a>.<br />
<script src="http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=14768"></script></p>
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string(345) "She loves the outside. It is her favourite place to be. Got something to share? Why don’t you join in this Special Exposure Wednesday. Please remember your comment love at each link you visit. Also posting at Three Ring Circus. Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on [...]"
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string(3738) "<p><img title="specialexposurewednesday" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/specialexposurewednesday.jpg" alt="" width="286" height="255" /></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-4728" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4727/special-exposure-wednesday-49/outsidelifeweb/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4728" title="outsidelifeweb" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/outsidelifeweb.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="900" /></a></p>
<p>She loves the outside.</p>
<p>It is her favourite place to be.</p>
<p>Got something to share?</p>
<p>Why don’t you join in this <a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/9/welcome-to-spe%E2%80%A6sure-wednesdaywelcome-to-special-exposure-wednesday/">Special Exposure Wednesday</a>.</p>
<p>Please remember your comment love at each link you visit.</p>
<p>Also posting at <a href="http://mythreeringcircus.com">Three Ring Circus</a>.<br />
<script src="http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=14768"></script></p>
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[6]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(28) "A kid who can?t stand crowds"
["link"]=>
string(72) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/"
["comments"]=>
string(81) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:55 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(8) "Ellen S."
}
["category"]=>
string(4) "Blog"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4705"
["description"]=>
string(296) "Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking [...]"
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string(4064) "<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/nocrowdsforme/" rel="attachment wp-att-4706"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nocrowdsforme-250x164.png" alt="" title="nocrowdsforme" width="250" height="164" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-4706" /></a></p>
<p>Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. </p>
<p>This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking to him soothingly and holding him tight, and I did the same, nothing helped. Max just kept wailing.</p>
<p>Clearly, it’s sensory overload. The real mystery is that Max can be more than fine at an insanely noisy place like Chuck E. Cheese’s. I mean, the din in that place gets to me and yet Max is a happy, happy camper when he’s there.</p>
<p>I don’t get it. I’m wondering if any of you have dealt with this, and what’s helped your child?</p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
<p>Photo/<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thevisionsofkai/2076450897/">The Visions of Kai</a></p>
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string(296) "Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking [...]"
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string(4064) "<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/nocrowdsforme/" rel="attachment wp-att-4706"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nocrowdsforme-250x164.png" alt="" title="nocrowdsforme" width="250" height="164" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-4706" /></a></p>
<p>Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. </p>
<p>This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking to him soothingly and holding him tight, and I did the same, nothing helped. Max just kept wailing.</p>
<p>Clearly, it’s sensory overload. The real mystery is that Max can be more than fine at an insanely noisy place like Chuck E. Cheese’s. I mean, the din in that place gets to me and yet Max is a happy, happy camper when he’s there.</p>
<p>I don’t get it. I’m wondering if any of you have dealt with this, and what’s helped your child?</p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
<p>Photo/<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thevisionsofkai/2076450897/">The Visions of Kai</a></p>
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[7]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(41) "Magic Marker Monday ? Winning and Losing?"
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string(92) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4690/magic-marker-monday-winning-and-losing/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:00:27 +0000"
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string(8) "Michelle"
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["category"]=>
string(19) "Magic Marker Monday"
["guid"]=>
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["description"]=>
string(336) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth [...]"
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string(6256) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/cfpctr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth art division of our county fair. </p>
<p>A lesson in graciousness ensued.</p>
<p>One picture won first place, and she was over the moon…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/ctfpctr02.jpg" /></p>
<p>From the second hung an “Honorable Mention” ribbon. </p>
<p>“Look, this one has a ribbon too!” I chirpily called out as we spotted it.</p>
<p>Her shoulders slumped as she retreated into sulk-mode. “Every picture has that ribbon if it didn’t win, Mommy. It means I lost. They didn’t like my picture.”</p>
<p>“Well, if you didn’t win, that means there must have been some very talented artists in this group. Lets go look and see which ones won.”</p>
<p>She shuffled along behind me, hands stuffed in her pockets, kicking at cracks in the Exhibit Hall’s concrete floor.</p>
<p>“Look, third place was this cute little bunny! How do you suppose they painted it? They must have worked really hard on it.”</p>
<p>She glanced up and quirked a half smile at me. “It <em>is</em> pretty cute.”</p>
<p>By the time we got to first place she wasn’t sulking anymore. </p>
<p>As we left the exhibit hall she was skipping. “I guess I like both my ribbons, ’cause they both mean different things. The blue one means I won and the green one means I tried my best. That’s still pretty good isn’t it, Mommy?”</p>
<p><em>Indeed.</em></p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=42026" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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["summary"]=>
string(336) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(6256) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/cfpctr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth art division of our county fair. </p>
<p>A lesson in graciousness ensued.</p>
<p>One picture won first place, and she was over the moon…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/ctfpctr02.jpg" /></p>
<p>From the second hung an “Honorable Mention” ribbon. </p>
<p>“Look, this one has a ribbon too!” I chirpily called out as we spotted it.</p>
<p>Her shoulders slumped as she retreated into sulk-mode. “Every picture has that ribbon if it didn’t win, Mommy. It means I lost. They didn’t like my picture.”</p>
<p>“Well, if you didn’t win, that means there must have been some very talented artists in this group. Lets go look and see which ones won.”</p>
<p>She shuffled along behind me, hands stuffed in her pockets, kicking at cracks in the Exhibit Hall’s concrete floor.</p>
<p>“Look, third place was this cute little bunny! How do you suppose they painted it? They must have worked really hard on it.”</p>
<p>She glanced up and quirked a half smile at me. “It <em>is</em> pretty cute.”</p>
<p>By the time we got to first place she wasn’t sulking anymore. </p>
<p>As we left the exhibit hall she was skipping. “I guess I like both my ribbons, ’cause they both mean different things. The blue one means I won and the green one means I tried my best. That’s still pretty good isn’t it, Mommy?”</p>
<p><em>Indeed.</em></p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=42026" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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[8]=>
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["title"]=>
string(25) "The World Doesn?t Get It?"
["link"]=>
string(68) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4688/the-world-doesnt-get-it/"
["comments"]=>
string(77) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4688/the-world-doesnt-get-it/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:00:30 +0000"
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["category"]=>
string(32) "BlogDay In And Day OutFamilyWTH?"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4688"
["description"]=>
string(329) "Recently, my husband applied for a new job. This job would have taken us out of our current situation (No family, no help, no children’s hospital unless we drive 3 hours…one way) to another state. This state currently holds all of our family, and most of our friends. Convenient, eh? So, he interviewed. It went [...]"
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<p>So, he interviewed. It went well. All signs were pointing to packing boxes and putting up a “for sale” sign!</p>
<p>Until he came home from work and told me they had given the job to someone else.</p>
<p>The thing is, we <em>need</em> this.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we live in a world that no longer values the loyalty of employees or what the needs of the family are. We are the family that probably spends the most money on insurance yearly. We didn’t intend for that to be. It just is.</p>
<p>Years ago, a company would make sure that the family was happy and taken care of as well as just the business.</p>
<p>Years ago, an employee with 25 years of experience was looked at as a respected member of the company—not someone who is worth throwing out for new, fresh meat.</p>
<p>What has happened?</p>
<p>The problem is, when you have a child with complex medical needs, you need to have stability. We can’t move all around willy nilly. So what do we do?</p>
<p>(this is one of those times when I wish I was independently wealthy…)</p>
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string(329) "Recently, my husband applied for a new job. This job would have taken us out of our current situation (No family, no help, no children’s hospital unless we drive 3 hours…one way) to another state. This state currently holds all of our family, and most of our friends. Convenient, eh? So, he interviewed. It went [...]"
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string(4088) "<p>Recently, my husband applied for a new job. This job would have taken us out of our current situation (No family, no help, no children’s hospital unless we drive 3 hours…one way) to another state. This state currently holds all of our family, and most of our friends. Convenient, eh?</p>
<p>So, he interviewed. It went well. All signs were pointing to packing boxes and putting up a “for sale” sign!</p>
<p>Until he came home from work and told me they had given the job to someone else.</p>
<p>The thing is, we <em>need</em> this.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we live in a world that no longer values the loyalty of employees or what the needs of the family are. We are the family that probably spends the most money on insurance yearly. We didn’t intend for that to be. It just is.</p>
<p>Years ago, a company would make sure that the family was happy and taken care of as well as just the business.</p>
<p>Years ago, an employee with 25 years of experience was looked at as a respected member of the company—not someone who is worth throwing out for new, fresh meat.</p>
<p>What has happened?</p>
<p>The problem is, when you have a child with complex medical needs, you need to have stability. We can’t move all around willy nilly. So what do we do?</p>
<p>(this is one of those times when I wish I was independently wealthy…)</p>
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["title"]=>
string(26) "Comic relief, autism style"
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string(317) "It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has autism, was on a bad roll. “Matthew lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew [...]"
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string(4753) "<p>It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has <a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php">autism</a>, was on a bad roll.</p>
<p><img title="matthew hands cropped" src="../wp-content/uploads/2010/08/matthew-hands-cropped.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="151" /></p>
<p><em>“<a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/">Matthew</a> lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew needs that….”</em></p>
<p>You get the picture. The calls were really getting to me.</p>
<p>Then Tuesday night at 10:30 the phone rang again. I could see from the caller ID that it was Matthew, but I just didn’t have the energy to answer it. He would have to leave a message, and whatever it was would have to wait until tomorrow.</p>
<p>But right as soon as I fell into bed, I bounced up again. I had to listen to the message. What if it was something serious?</p>
<p>So I picked up the phone reluctantly, punched in the message code and listened:</p>
<p>“Hello, this is me, Matthew and I am calling to talk to <em>my mother.</em> This is very serious, <em>Mrs. Shumaker</em>, you will not believe what happened.</p>
<p>“Eric (the angel of a guy from <a href="http://www.camphillca.org/">Camphill</a> who is Matthew’s primary care giver) destroyed my cell phone <em>on purpose</em>. He put the phone that was in the pocket of my shorts in the washing machine and I am <em>hella</em> mad! Bye.”</p>
<p>(He didn’t really sound “hella” mad”, but kind of amused.)</p>
<p>I burst out laughing and felt knot in my chest loosen.</p>
<p>I think that the next time soemone asks me to describe Matthew, I’ll let them listen to that message. And I’ll look on with a smile.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/"><em>Laura</em></a></p>
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<a href="mailto:?subject=%22Comic%20relief%2C%20autism%20style%22&body=Link: http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4682/comic-relief-autism-style/ (sent via shareaholic)%0D%0A%0D%0A----%0D%0A It%20was%20one%20of%20those%20weeks%20when%20the%20phone%20rang%20constantly%2C%20and%20each%20was%20a%20%22crises%22%20call.%20My%2024%20year%20old%20son%20Matthew%2C%20who%20has%20autism%2C%20was%20on%20a%20bad%20roll.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Matthew%20lost%20his%20wallet%2C%20Matthew%20is%20calling%20a%20girl%20obsessively%2C%20Matthew%20called%20911%20because%20a%20girl%20hung%20up%20on%20him%2C%20Matthew%20needs%20this%2C%20Matthew" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Email this to a friend?">Email this to a friend?</a>
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string(317) "It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has autism, was on a bad roll. “Matthew lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew [...]"
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string(4753) "<p>It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has <a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php">autism</a>, was on a bad roll.</p>
<p><img title="matthew hands cropped" src="../wp-content/uploads/2010/08/matthew-hands-cropped.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="151" /></p>
<p><em>“<a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/">Matthew</a> lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew needs that….”</em></p>
<p>You get the picture. The calls were really getting to me.</p>
<p>Then Tuesday night at 10:30 the phone rang again. I could see from the caller ID that it was Matthew, but I just didn’t have the energy to answer it. He would have to leave a message, and whatever it was would have to wait until tomorrow.</p>
<p>But right as soon as I fell into bed, I bounced up again. I had to listen to the message. What if it was something serious?</p>
<p>So I picked up the phone reluctantly, punched in the message code and listened:</p>
<p>“Hello, this is me, Matthew and I am calling to talk to <em>my mother.</em> This is very serious, <em>Mrs. Shumaker</em>, you will not believe what happened.</p>
<p>“Eric (the angel of a guy from <a href="http://www.camphillca.org/">Camphill</a> who is Matthew’s primary care giver) destroyed my cell phone <em>on purpose</em>. He put the phone that was in the pocket of my shorts in the washing machine and I am <em>hella</em> mad! Bye.”</p>
<p>(He didn’t really sound “hella” mad”, but kind of amused.)</p>
<p>I burst out laughing and felt knot in my chest loosen.</p>
<p>I think that the next time soemone asks me to describe Matthew, I’ll let them listen to that message. And I’ll look on with a smile.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/"><em>Laura</em></a></p>
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<a href="mailto:?subject=%22Comic%20relief%2C%20autism%20style%22&body=Link: http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4682/comic-relief-autism-style/ (sent via shareaholic)%0D%0A%0D%0A----%0D%0A It%20was%20one%20of%20those%20weeks%20when%20the%20phone%20rang%20constantly%2C%20and%20each%20was%20a%20%22crises%22%20call.%20My%2024%20year%20old%20son%20Matthew%2C%20who%20has%20autism%2C%20was%20on%20a%20bad%20roll.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Matthew%20lost%20his%20wallet%2C%20Matthew%20is%20calling%20a%20girl%20obsessively%2C%20Matthew%20called%20911%20because%20a%20girl%20hung%20up%20on%20him%2C%20Matthew%20needs%20this%2C%20Matthew" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Email this to a friend?">Email this to a friend?</a>
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string(47) "That special kind of high you get from your kid"
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string(297) "I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I [...]"
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<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
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["summary"]=>
string(297) "I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I [...]"
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<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
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[1]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(36) "Magic Marker Monday ? Shooting Star?"
["link"]=>
string(78) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4744/magic-marker-monday-shooting-star/"
["comments"]=>
string(87) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4744/magic-marker-monday-shooting-star/#comments"
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string(31) "Mon, 06 Sep 2010 02:00:30 +0000"
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string(8) "Michelle"
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string(19) "Magic Marker Monday"
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["description"]=>
string(318) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that [...]"
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string(7172) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/sstr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that came home with my 7-year-old. </p>
<p>Along with the fun of going to day camp (and she <em>did</em> have a lot of fun), there were some challenges.</p>
<p>The week started out rough for her — new kids, questions about her G-tube, teasing about her surgical scars, unkind comments about her differences from kids who considered themselves “normal”. </p>
<p>All part of growing up, but tough nonetheless.</p>
<p>So I was glad for this shooting star that she brought home on a particularly tough day. I put my arm around her as she unloaded about her day asking me, “Why do I have to be so different? It’s not fair.”</p>
<p>I smiled and, kissed the top of her head. “First, tell me about shooting stars.”</p>
<p>She lit up with the opportunity to pass on her newly acquired celestial knowledge. “Well, they’re actually not stars a’tall — they’re meteors an’ when they come close enough to the Earth, they make this big streak of light across the sky like fireworks! Zooooooooommmmm!!”</p>
<p>“Oh, so you mean they look just like all the other stars up there in the sky.”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes at my denseness. “Mommmmmm! I jess’ told ya that they’re different than stars. They’re lots brighter — more like fireworks than stars.”</p>
<p>“Which is your favorite? Shooting stars or regular stars?”</p>
<p>Her eyes widened and her face lit up with a grin. “Shooting stars, of course.”</p>
<p>“No kidding! Me too!”</p>
<p>She laughed and then grew serious again. “So why do I have to be different than all the other kids, Mom?”</p>
<p>“Because you’re a shooting star. Just like a shooting star is different from all the twinkling stars in the sky, I’m <em>glad</em> you’re different than everyone else in the whole world. You don’t want to be just like everybody else. Not really. Just like a shooting star, you need to be bright and beautiful and different. You need to be you and let everyone else be the same if they want to.”</p>
<p>She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I guess you’re right. It’s just that sometimes it’s really, really hard being a shooting star when everybody else thinks its so much cooler to be a twinkle star.”</p>
<p>Here’s hoping she’ll always have the courage to light up the sky.</p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=43336" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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["summary"]=>
string(318) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(7172) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/sstr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>We had day camp this past week and this was one of the crafts that came home with my 7-year-old. </p>
<p>Along with the fun of going to day camp (and she <em>did</em> have a lot of fun), there were some challenges.</p>
<p>The week started out rough for her — new kids, questions about her G-tube, teasing about her surgical scars, unkind comments about her differences from kids who considered themselves “normal”. </p>
<p>All part of growing up, but tough nonetheless.</p>
<p>So I was glad for this shooting star that she brought home on a particularly tough day. I put my arm around her as she unloaded about her day asking me, “Why do I have to be so different? It’s not fair.”</p>
<p>I smiled and, kissed the top of her head. “First, tell me about shooting stars.”</p>
<p>She lit up with the opportunity to pass on her newly acquired celestial knowledge. “Well, they’re actually not stars a’tall — they’re meteors an’ when they come close enough to the Earth, they make this big streak of light across the sky like fireworks! Zooooooooommmmm!!”</p>
<p>“Oh, so you mean they look just like all the other stars up there in the sky.”</p>
<p>She rolled her eyes at my denseness. “Mommmmmm! I jess’ told ya that they’re different than stars. They’re lots brighter — more like fireworks than stars.”</p>
<p>“Which is your favorite? Shooting stars or regular stars?”</p>
<p>Her eyes widened and her face lit up with a grin. “Shooting stars, of course.”</p>
<p>“No kidding! Me too!”</p>
<p>She laughed and then grew serious again. “So why do I have to be different than all the other kids, Mom?”</p>
<p>“Because you’re a shooting star. Just like a shooting star is different from all the twinkling stars in the sky, I’m <em>glad</em> you’re different than everyone else in the whole world. You don’t want to be just like everybody else. Not really. Just like a shooting star, you need to be bright and beautiful and different. You need to be you and let everyone else be the same if they want to.”</p>
<p>She sighed and leaned her head on my shoulder. “I guess you’re right. It’s just that sometimes it’s really, really hard being a shooting star when everybody else thinks its so much cooler to be a twinkle star.”</p>
<p>Here’s hoping she’ll always have the courage to light up the sky.</p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=43336" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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string(20) "Heather?s Must-Haves"
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string(73) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4736/heathers-must-haves/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Fri, 03 Sep 2010 17:00:19 +0000"
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string(8) "HeatherP"
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["category"]=>
string(62) "Around the Blogosphere: Special Needs EditionBlogStuff We Love"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4736"
["description"]=>
string(318) "I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff. Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right? So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the [...]"
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string(6083) "<p>I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff.</p>
<p>Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right?</p>
<p>So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the special needs field. These are people who are engaging and wonderful—and who totally “get” where we are all coming from too. I’m hoping this will be a give and take relationship…I give, you take..and then give me ideas too! <img src='http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Most of you probably know about my favorite product ever…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.signingtime.com">Signing Time</a> !</p>
<p>Sure, you probably know all the words to “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adbOR9TujAc">Leah’s Farm</a>” or “Turtle Rock,” but do you really know all there is to know about the company?</p>
<p>AHA! That’s where I fit in…</p>
<p>First, there are always <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/shop/product-type/web-specials/">neat little sales</a> going on at the website!</p>
<p>Did you know they’re on Twitter? Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/signingtime">@SigningTime</a> and even <a href="http://twitter.com/ST_Rachel">Rachel</a>!</p>
<p>How about Facebook? Do you enjoy connecting there? Go <a href="http://www.facebook.com/signingtime">make friends</a>!</p>
<p>If that’s not enough for you…there’s MORE!</p>
<p>There is the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/forums/">Signing Time Forum</a>, where you can meet other parents, gain support, or just learn a new sign! Check out the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/blog/">Signing Time Blog</a> and be surprised by little bits of news, events coming up, and my personal favorite, the Sign of the Week!</p>
<p>Do you know about the<a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/"> Signing Time Academy</a>? Certified Signing Time instructors are currently working all across the country holding classes to help raise awareness and teach sign language to everybody! Is there a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/find-a-class/">class near you</a>?</p>
<p>Now, what if…you’ve been signing for years. You know every sign to all of the first 7 volumes of Signing Time and you even sing the songs in the shower (um, I’m not the only one who does that, right?)…</p>
<p>YOU could be a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/become-an-instructor/">Signing Time Instructor</a>! I personally know some of the instructors and they are passionate about the Signing Time products and supporting the growth and development of all children!</p>
<p>My final thoughts go to Rachel. She has taught me so much about how to be a special needs parent. She cheered me on during days when I thought I was going to fall apart. She made me smile when I wanted to cry. She exudes hope. If you don’t <a href="http://www.rachelcoleman.com/">read her blog</a>, you are missing out on probably one of the most emotional, heartwarming experiences of your life.</p>
<p>Of course, if you don’t know about Signing Time, then you have a lot of catching up to do anyway!</p>
<p>Have a great week…see you next time for Heather’s Must-Haves!</p>
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string(318) "I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff. Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right? So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(6083) "<p>I, unashamedly, am the self-proclaimed best online shopper the world has ever seen. I have found some of the coolest stuff.</p>
<p>Far be it from me to not share the wealth, right?</p>
<p>So, I’m going to share with you some of my favorite finds…and introduce you to some of my favorite online personalities in the special needs field. These are people who are engaging and wonderful—and who totally “get” where we are all coming from too. I’m hoping this will be a give and take relationship…I give, you take..and then give me ideas too! <img src='http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-includes/images/smilies/icon_wink.gif' alt=';)' class='wp-smiley' /> </p>
<p>Most of you probably know about my favorite product ever…</p>
<p><a href="http://www.signingtime.com">Signing Time</a> !</p>
<p>Sure, you probably know all the words to “<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=adbOR9TujAc">Leah’s Farm</a>” or “Turtle Rock,” but do you really know all there is to know about the company?</p>
<p>AHA! That’s where I fit in…</p>
<p>First, there are always <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/shop/product-type/web-specials/">neat little sales</a> going on at the website!</p>
<p>Did you know they’re on Twitter? Follow <a href="http://twitter.com/signingtime">@SigningTime</a> and even <a href="http://twitter.com/ST_Rachel">Rachel</a>!</p>
<p>How about Facebook? Do you enjoy connecting there? Go <a href="http://www.facebook.com/signingtime">make friends</a>!</p>
<p>If that’s not enough for you…there’s MORE!</p>
<p>There is the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/forums/">Signing Time Forum</a>, where you can meet other parents, gain support, or just learn a new sign! Check out the <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/blog/">Signing Time Blog</a> and be surprised by little bits of news, events coming up, and my personal favorite, the Sign of the Week!</p>
<p>Do you know about the<a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/"> Signing Time Academy</a>? Certified Signing Time instructors are currently working all across the country holding classes to help raise awareness and teach sign language to everybody! Is there a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/find-a-class/">class near you</a>?</p>
<p>Now, what if…you’ve been signing for years. You know every sign to all of the first 7 volumes of Signing Time and you even sing the songs in the shower (um, I’m not the only one who does that, right?)…</p>
<p>YOU could be a <a href="http://www.signingtime.com/academy/become-an-instructor/">Signing Time Instructor</a>! I personally know some of the instructors and they are passionate about the Signing Time products and supporting the growth and development of all children!</p>
<p>My final thoughts go to Rachel. She has taught me so much about how to be a special needs parent. She cheered me on during days when I thought I was going to fall apart. She made me smile when I wanted to cry. She exudes hope. If you don’t <a href="http://www.rachelcoleman.com/">read her blog</a>, you are missing out on probably one of the most emotional, heartwarming experiences of your life.</p>
<p>Of course, if you don’t know about Signing Time, then you have a lot of catching up to do anyway!</p>
<p>Have a great week…see you next time for Heather’s Must-Haves!</p>
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array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(18) "Teaching Something"
["link"]=>
string(63) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4740/teaching-something/"
["comments"]=>
string(72) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4740/teaching-something/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:00:39 +0000"
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string(6) "SarahM"
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["category"]=>
string(19) "Beyond OrdinaryWTH?"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4740"
["description"]=>
string(333) "I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect. But, I think it’s easier said than done. [...]"
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string(6133) "<p>I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect.</p>
<p>But, I think it’s easier said than done.</p>
<p>The other day, after an extremely tiring, puke-filled road trip, we decided to stop quickly for Mexican food. I needed a margarita, to be honest.</p>
<p>But Potato was late on his feed. And as any tube feeding parent knows, you must stick to the feeding schedule come hell or high water. Or the need for a decent burrito.</p>
<p>I made my way to the very tiny restaurant bathroom to hover over the one sink and clean out the pump bag and extension tube. It was all going peachy until the first visitor to the bathroom, a mother and her very precocious son.</p>
<p>I could hear them in the stall talking about life. About why somebody somebody no longer comes over to play (“She’s older than you, hon, she may just be acting that way”) and why it was important that he be able to go to the bathroom by himself someday.</p>
<p>When they got out of the stall, I moved out of the way of the sink so they could wash their hands. And as I gave my most reassuring, motherly smile to the ginger-haired kid, he asked quietly, “What’s that, Mom?” and pointing to the bag.</p>
<p>The mother yelled at him, “DON’T ASK THAT, IT’S RUDE!”</p>
<p>And promptly dragged him out of the restroom.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would have been more than happy to say that I too had a little boy who just so happened to eat through a plastic port in his stomach, not through his mouth….yadda yadda yadda. At least then, when he saw my smiling, bouncing baby boy, he would realize that those that eat through their stomach are pretty normal.</p>
<p>But as I was thinking this, another mother came in with a very annoying (sorry!) little girl. This little girl’s toilet conversation was a bit milder, although it involved a lot of whining (“I don’t WANT to do that!”).</p>
<p>After she came out of the stall, I again moved out of the way to let them at the sink. I think the mother was shamed into washing the girl’s hands as they were fully prepared to leave the bathroom without. Gross.</p>
<p>Anyway, as the girl approached the sink and saw me standing there with the bag, she dug in her heels and began screaming, “MOOOOM! What IS that? What IS THAT?”</p>
<p>Honestly, I think she thought I was going to stick it up her nose, or some other orifice.</p>
<p>The mother started kicking the girl towards the sink. Literally kicking her. Finally the mother said, “We all have our medical devices. Just leave it alone.”</p>
<p>After two parents that just didn’t take the opportunity to do anything but shame their children, I said, “If I told you what this did, you would lose your appetite for your dinner, and we don’t want that, do we?”</p>
<p>The little girl looked at me ashen faced and backed out of the bathroom.</p>
<p>By the time the bag was washed out and Potato was hooked up to the feed, I realized that I was no better than the parents who hadn’t educated their kids properly. I was no better than those parents that let their kids stare at Potato when he’s getting a feed.</p>
<p>Oh well. Better luck next time!</p>
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string(333) "I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect. But, I think it’s easier said than done. [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(6133) "<p>I’ve read many posts about educating others about what it means to be special needs, about how to be honest about the medical equipment or attitude issue so that the person learning understands the basics and can then treat that person (or others like him/her) with respect.</p>
<p>But, I think it’s easier said than done.</p>
<p>The other day, after an extremely tiring, puke-filled road trip, we decided to stop quickly for Mexican food. I needed a margarita, to be honest.</p>
<p>But Potato was late on his feed. And as any tube feeding parent knows, you must stick to the feeding schedule come hell or high water. Or the need for a decent burrito.</p>
<p>I made my way to the very tiny restaurant bathroom to hover over the one sink and clean out the pump bag and extension tube. It was all going peachy until the first visitor to the bathroom, a mother and her very precocious son.</p>
<p>I could hear them in the stall talking about life. About why somebody somebody no longer comes over to play (“She’s older than you, hon, she may just be acting that way”) and why it was important that he be able to go to the bathroom by himself someday.</p>
<p>When they got out of the stall, I moved out of the way of the sink so they could wash their hands. And as I gave my most reassuring, motherly smile to the ginger-haired kid, he asked quietly, “What’s that, Mom?” and pointing to the bag.</p>
<p>The mother yelled at him, “DON’T ASK THAT, IT’S RUDE!”</p>
<p>And promptly dragged him out of the restroom.</p>
<p>Honestly, I would have been more than happy to say that I too had a little boy who just so happened to eat through a plastic port in his stomach, not through his mouth….yadda yadda yadda. At least then, when he saw my smiling, bouncing baby boy, he would realize that those that eat through their stomach are pretty normal.</p>
<p>But as I was thinking this, another mother came in with a very annoying (sorry!) little girl. This little girl’s toilet conversation was a bit milder, although it involved a lot of whining (“I don’t WANT to do that!”).</p>
<p>After she came out of the stall, I again moved out of the way to let them at the sink. I think the mother was shamed into washing the girl’s hands as they were fully prepared to leave the bathroom without. Gross.</p>
<p>Anyway, as the girl approached the sink and saw me standing there with the bag, she dug in her heels and began screaming, “MOOOOM! What IS that? What IS THAT?”</p>
<p>Honestly, I think she thought I was going to stick it up her nose, or some other orifice.</p>
<p>The mother started kicking the girl towards the sink. Literally kicking her. Finally the mother said, “We all have our medical devices. Just leave it alone.”</p>
<p>After two parents that just didn’t take the opportunity to do anything but shame their children, I said, “If I told you what this did, you would lose your appetite for your dinner, and we don’t want that, do we?”</p>
<p>The little girl looked at me ashen faced and backed out of the bathroom.</p>
<p>By the time the bag was washed out and Potato was hooked up to the feed, I realized that I was no better than the parents who hadn’t educated their kids properly. I was no better than those parents that let their kids stare at Potato when he’s getting a feed.</p>
<p>Oh well. Better luck next time!</p>
<div class="shr-bookmarks shr-bookmarks-expand shr-bookmarks-center shr-bookmarks-bg-caring">
<ul class="socials">
<li class="shr-twitter">
<a href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Teaching+Something+-+http://b2l.me/any72c+&source=shareaholic" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Tweet This!">Tweet This!</a>
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["title"]=>
string(20) "Advising New Parents"
["link"]=>
string(65) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4713/advising-new-parents/"
["comments"]=>
string(74) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4713/advising-new-parents/#comments"
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string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:00:09 +0000"
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string(7) "Deborah"
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string(48) "BlogBy AuthorDeborahIndividual Educational Plans"
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string(325) "It’s that time of year again – time to buy school supplies, Fall clothes, and healthy snacks for the school lunch box. It’s time to pay the exorbitant school fees for our children’s FREE education. And it’s time for parents of children with disabilities to see if they will face more battles with their school [...]"
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string(4861) "<p>It’s that time of year again – time to buy school supplies, Fall clothes, and healthy snacks for the school lunch box. It’s time to pay the exorbitant school fees for our children’s FREE education. And it’s time for parents of children with disabilities to see if they will face more battles with their school districts while trying to ensure their children receive an appropriate education.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4713/advising-new-parents/attachment/24014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4716"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/24014-250x167.jpg" alt="" title="24014" width="250" height="167" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4716" /></a></p>
<p>I remember when my first child with disabilities entered the public school system. I was naïve and assumed everyone would love my child as much as I did, and would want to do everything they could to make her school experience a positive one. Along the way to high school where that youngest child now attends, I learned that her educational journey would not always be rainbows and unicorns.</p>
<p>If you could talk to that parent I was back then – the parent who trusted and believed in her educational system and its commitment to ALL children – what would you say? What would your advice be to new parent of children with disabilities, children who will start preschool or kindergarten this year?</p>
<p>Here’s my contribution to that parent, and please share yours in the comments:</p>
<p>Believe that your school district will care for your child. Believe they will always do what they can to ensure your child receives an appropriate education. But, document any issues – no matter how small. Prepare as if you will be one day be going to due process against your school district, but hope you never have to travel that path. That piece of advice, given to me so many years ago, made all the difference to my child. 99% of parents who take their school districts to due process lose. I prevailed at due process and my daughter did receive the education to which she was entitled because I followed that advice given to me over 13 years ago.</p>
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string(325) "It’s that time of year again – time to buy school supplies, Fall clothes, and healthy snacks for the school lunch box. It’s time to pay the exorbitant school fees for our children’s FREE education. And it’s time for parents of children with disabilities to see if they will face more battles with their school [...]"
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<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4713/advising-new-parents/attachment/24014/" rel="attachment wp-att-4716"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/24014-250x167.jpg" alt="" title="24014" width="250" height="167" class="aligncenter size-medium wp-image-4716" /></a></p>
<p>I remember when my first child with disabilities entered the public school system. I was naïve and assumed everyone would love my child as much as I did, and would want to do everything they could to make her school experience a positive one. Along the way to high school where that youngest child now attends, I learned that her educational journey would not always be rainbows and unicorns.</p>
<p>If you could talk to that parent I was back then – the parent who trusted and believed in her educational system and its commitment to ALL children – what would you say? What would your advice be to new parent of children with disabilities, children who will start preschool or kindergarten this year?</p>
<p>Here’s my contribution to that parent, and please share yours in the comments:</p>
<p>Believe that your school district will care for your child. Believe they will always do what they can to ensure your child receives an appropriate education. But, document any issues – no matter how small. Prepare as if you will be one day be going to due process against your school district, but hope you never have to travel that path. That piece of advice, given to me so many years ago, made all the difference to my child. 99% of parents who take their school districts to due process lose. I prevailed at due process and my daughter did receive the education to which she was entitled because I followed that advice given to me over 13 years ago.</p>
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[5]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(27) "Special Exposure Wednesday."
["link"]=>
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["comments"]=>
string(83) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4727/special-exposure-wednesday-49/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Wed, 01 Sep 2010 02:00:55 +0000"
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array(1) {
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string(10) "TiffandIvy"
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["category"]=>
string(30) "Special Exposure WednesdayTiff"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4727"
["description"]=>
string(345) "She loves the outside. It is her favourite place to be. Got something to share? Why don’t you join in this Special Exposure Wednesday. Please remember your comment love at each link you visit. Also posting at Three Ring Circus. Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on [...]"
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string(3738) "<p><img title="specialexposurewednesday" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/specialexposurewednesday.jpg" alt="" width="286" height="255" /></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-4728" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4727/special-exposure-wednesday-49/outsidelifeweb/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4728" title="outsidelifeweb" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/outsidelifeweb.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="900" /></a></p>
<p>She loves the outside.</p>
<p>It is her favourite place to be.</p>
<p>Got something to share?</p>
<p>Why don’t you join in this <a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/9/welcome-to-spe%E2%80%A6sure-wednesdaywelcome-to-special-exposure-wednesday/">Special Exposure Wednesday</a>.</p>
<p>Please remember your comment love at each link you visit.</p>
<p>Also posting at <a href="http://mythreeringcircus.com">Three Ring Circus</a>.<br />
<script src="http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=14768"></script></p>
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string(345) "She loves the outside. It is her favourite place to be. Got something to share? Why don’t you join in this Special Exposure Wednesday. Please remember your comment love at each link you visit. Also posting at Three Ring Circus. Tweet This! Share this on Facebook Stumble upon something good? Share it on StumbleUpon Share this on [...]"
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string(3738) "<p><img title="specialexposurewednesday" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/specialexposurewednesday.jpg" alt="" width="286" height="255" /></p>
<p><a rel="attachment wp-att-4728" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4727/special-exposure-wednesday-49/outsidelifeweb/"><img class="alignnone size-full wp-image-4728" title="outsidelifeweb" src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/outsidelifeweb.jpg" alt="" width="600" height="900" /></a></p>
<p>She loves the outside.</p>
<p>It is her favourite place to be.</p>
<p>Got something to share?</p>
<p>Why don’t you join in this <a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/9/welcome-to-spe%E2%80%A6sure-wednesdaywelcome-to-special-exposure-wednesday/">Special Exposure Wednesday</a>.</p>
<p>Please remember your comment love at each link you visit.</p>
<p>Also posting at <a href="http://mythreeringcircus.com">Three Ring Circus</a>.<br />
<script src="http://www.inlinkz.com/cs.php?id=14768"></script></p>
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[6]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(28) "A kid who can?t stand crowds"
["link"]=>
string(72) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/"
["comments"]=>
string(81) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Mon, 30 Aug 2010 16:00:55 +0000"
["dc"]=>
array(1) {
["creator"]=>
string(8) "Ellen S."
}
["category"]=>
string(4) "Blog"
["guid"]=>
string(46) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/?p=4705"
["description"]=>
string(296) "Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking [...]"
["content"]=>
array(1) {
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string(4064) "<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/nocrowdsforme/" rel="attachment wp-att-4706"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nocrowdsforme-250x164.png" alt="" title="nocrowdsforme" width="250" height="164" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-4706" /></a></p>
<p>Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. </p>
<p>This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking to him soothingly and holding him tight, and I did the same, nothing helped. Max just kept wailing.</p>
<p>Clearly, it’s sensory overload. The real mystery is that Max can be more than fine at an insanely noisy place like Chuck E. Cheese’s. I mean, the din in that place gets to me and yet Max is a happy, happy camper when he’s there.</p>
<p>I don’t get it. I’m wondering if any of you have dealt with this, and what’s helped your child?</p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
<p>Photo/<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thevisionsofkai/2076450897/">The Visions of Kai</a></p>
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string(296) "Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking [...]"
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string(4064) "<p><a href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4705/a-kid-who-cant-stand-crowds/nocrowdsforme/" rel="attachment wp-att-4706"><img src="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/nocrowdsforme-250x164.png" alt="" title="nocrowdsforme" width="250" height="164" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-4706" /></a></p>
<p>Max is a pretty social kid—but crowds? They freak him out. </p>
<p>This weekend, we were at an event and we had to take an outdoor group photo. It was a very, very large group. Max started wailing at the sight of everyone standing there. My husband was holding him, and even though he was talking to him soothingly and holding him tight, and I did the same, nothing helped. Max just kept wailing.</p>
<p>Clearly, it’s sensory overload. The real mystery is that Max can be more than fine at an insanely noisy place like Chuck E. Cheese’s. I mean, the din in that place gets to me and yet Max is a happy, happy camper when he’s there.</p>
<p>I don’t get it. I’m wondering if any of you have dealt with this, and what’s helped your child?</p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
<p>Photo/<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/thevisionsofkai/2076450897/">The Visions of Kai</a></p>
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[7]=>
array(13) {
["title"]=>
string(41) "Magic Marker Monday ? Winning and Losing?"
["link"]=>
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string(92) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4690/magic-marker-monday-winning-and-losing/#comments"
["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Mon, 30 Aug 2010 02:00:27 +0000"
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string(8) "Michelle"
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["category"]=>
string(19) "Magic Marker Monday"
["guid"]=>
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["description"]=>
string(336) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth [...]"
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string(6256) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/cfpctr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth art division of our county fair. </p>
<p>A lesson in graciousness ensued.</p>
<p>One picture won first place, and she was over the moon…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/ctfpctr02.jpg" /></p>
<p>From the second hung an “Honorable Mention” ribbon. </p>
<p>“Look, this one has a ribbon too!” I chirpily called out as we spotted it.</p>
<p>Her shoulders slumped as she retreated into sulk-mode. “Every picture has that ribbon if it didn’t win, Mommy. It means I lost. They didn’t like my picture.”</p>
<p>“Well, if you didn’t win, that means there must have been some very talented artists in this group. Lets go look and see which ones won.”</p>
<p>She shuffled along behind me, hands stuffed in her pockets, kicking at cracks in the Exhibit Hall’s concrete floor.</p>
<p>“Look, third place was this cute little bunny! How do you suppose they painted it? They must have worked really hard on it.”</p>
<p>She glanced up and quirked a half smile at me. “It <em>is</em> pretty cute.”</p>
<p>By the time we got to first place she wasn’t sulking anymore. </p>
<p>As we left the exhibit hall she was skipping. “I guess I like both my ribbons, ’cause they both mean different things. The blue one means I won and the green one means I tried my best. That’s still pretty good isn’t it, Mommy?”</p>
<p><em>Indeed.</em></p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=42026" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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["summary"]=>
string(336) "“It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.” ~Pablo Picasso Welcome to Magic Marker Monday! If you haven’t heard about Magic Marker Monday yet, click here and then hurry right back… My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth [...]"
["atom_content"]=>
string(6256) "<p align="center"><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/magic_marker.jpg" alt="MMM" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>“<strong>It took me four years to paint like Raphael, but a lifetime to paint like a child.”</strong></em></p>
<p align="center"><strong><em>~Pablo Picasso</em></strong></p>
<p>Welcome to <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong>! If you haven’t heard about <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> yet, <a title="Welcome To Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">click here</a> and then hurry right back…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/cfpctr01.jpg" /></p>
<p>My 7-year-old recently decided she wanted to enter a couple of pictures in the youth art division of our county fair. </p>
<p>A lesson in graciousness ensued.</p>
<p>One picture won first place, and she was over the moon…</p>
<p align="center"><img src="http://i598.photobucket.com/albums/tt62/xqtz7984/5MF/ctfpctr02.jpg" /></p>
<p>From the second hung an “Honorable Mention” ribbon. </p>
<p>“Look, this one has a ribbon too!” I chirpily called out as we spotted it.</p>
<p>Her shoulders slumped as she retreated into sulk-mode. “Every picture has that ribbon if it didn’t win, Mommy. It means I lost. They didn’t like my picture.”</p>
<p>“Well, if you didn’t win, that means there must have been some very talented artists in this group. Lets go look and see which ones won.”</p>
<p>She shuffled along behind me, hands stuffed in her pockets, kicking at cracks in the Exhibit Hall’s concrete floor.</p>
<p>“Look, third place was this cute little bunny! How do you suppose they painted it? They must have worked really hard on it.”</p>
<p>She glanced up and quirked a half smile at me. “It <em>is</em> pretty cute.”</p>
<p>By the time we got to first place she wasn’t sulking anymore. </p>
<p>As we left the exhibit hall she was skipping. “I guess I like both my ribbons, ’cause they both mean different things. The blue one means I won and the green one means I tried my best. That’s still pretty good isn’t it, Mommy?”</p>
<p><em>Indeed.</em></p>
<p><img src="http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii305/childslife/Avatars/siggy2copy.png" alt="S2" /></p>
<p align="center"><em>What has your little artist been up to? Link up and share!</em></p>
<p align="center"><script src="http://www.linkytools.com/basic_linky_include.aspx?id=42026" type="text/javascript"></script></p>
<p>Want the <strong>Magic Marker Monday</strong> button code? <a title="Link To Us" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/link-to-us/" target="_blank">Click Here!</a></p>
<p><a title="Michelle" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/meet-our-team/" target="_blank">Find out more about Michelle</a><br />
Meet Michelle here each Monday for <a title="Magic Marker Monday" href="http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/58/magic-marker-monday/" target="_blank">Magic Marker Monday</a><em><br />
Questions? Please feel free to email Michelle at childlif[at]gmail[dot]com or come and visit her at <a title="In The Life Of A Child" href="http://inthelifeofachild.com" target="_blank">In The Life of a Child</a></em></p>
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["title"]=>
string(25) "The World Doesn?t Get It?"
["link"]=>
string(68) "http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4688/the-world-doesnt-get-it/"
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["pubdate"]=>
string(31) "Fri, 27 Aug 2010 17:00:30 +0000"
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["category"]=>
string(32) "BlogDay In And Day OutFamilyWTH?"
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string(329) "Recently, my husband applied for a new job. This job would have taken us out of our current situation (No family, no help, no children’s hospital unless we drive 3 hours…one way) to another state. This state currently holds all of our family, and most of our friends. Convenient, eh? So, he interviewed. It went [...]"
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string(4088) "<p>Recently, my husband applied for a new job. This job would have taken us out of our current situation (No family, no help, no children’s hospital unless we drive 3 hours…one way) to another state. This state currently holds all of our family, and most of our friends. Convenient, eh?</p>
<p>So, he interviewed. It went well. All signs were pointing to packing boxes and putting up a “for sale” sign!</p>
<p>Until he came home from work and told me they had given the job to someone else.</p>
<p>The thing is, we <em>need</em> this.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we live in a world that no longer values the loyalty of employees or what the needs of the family are. We are the family that probably spends the most money on insurance yearly. We didn’t intend for that to be. It just is.</p>
<p>Years ago, a company would make sure that the family was happy and taken care of as well as just the business.</p>
<p>Years ago, an employee with 25 years of experience was looked at as a respected member of the company—not someone who is worth throwing out for new, fresh meat.</p>
<p>What has happened?</p>
<p>The problem is, when you have a child with complex medical needs, you need to have stability. We can’t move all around willy nilly. So what do we do?</p>
<p>(this is one of those times when I wish I was independently wealthy…)</p>
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string(329) "Recently, my husband applied for a new job. This job would have taken us out of our current situation (No family, no help, no children’s hospital unless we drive 3 hours…one way) to another state. This state currently holds all of our family, and most of our friends. Convenient, eh? So, he interviewed. It went [...]"
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string(4088) "<p>Recently, my husband applied for a new job. This job would have taken us out of our current situation (No family, no help, no children’s hospital unless we drive 3 hours…one way) to another state. This state currently holds all of our family, and most of our friends. Convenient, eh?</p>
<p>So, he interviewed. It went well. All signs were pointing to packing boxes and putting up a “for sale” sign!</p>
<p>Until he came home from work and told me they had given the job to someone else.</p>
<p>The thing is, we <em>need</em> this.</p>
<p>Unfortunately, we live in a world that no longer values the loyalty of employees or what the needs of the family are. We are the family that probably spends the most money on insurance yearly. We didn’t intend for that to be. It just is.</p>
<p>Years ago, a company would make sure that the family was happy and taken care of as well as just the business.</p>
<p>Years ago, an employee with 25 years of experience was looked at as a respected member of the company—not someone who is worth throwing out for new, fresh meat.</p>
<p>What has happened?</p>
<p>The problem is, when you have a child with complex medical needs, you need to have stability. We can’t move all around willy nilly. So what do we do?</p>
<p>(this is one of those times when I wish I was independently wealthy…)</p>
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["title"]=>
string(26) "Comic relief, autism style"
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string(317) "It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has autism, was on a bad roll. “Matthew lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew [...]"
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string(4753) "<p>It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has <a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php">autism</a>, was on a bad roll.</p>
<p><img title="matthew hands cropped" src="../wp-content/uploads/2010/08/matthew-hands-cropped.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="151" /></p>
<p><em>“<a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/">Matthew</a> lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew needs that….”</em></p>
<p>You get the picture. The calls were really getting to me.</p>
<p>Then Tuesday night at 10:30 the phone rang again. I could see from the caller ID that it was Matthew, but I just didn’t have the energy to answer it. He would have to leave a message, and whatever it was would have to wait until tomorrow.</p>
<p>But right as soon as I fell into bed, I bounced up again. I had to listen to the message. What if it was something serious?</p>
<p>So I picked up the phone reluctantly, punched in the message code and listened:</p>
<p>“Hello, this is me, Matthew and I am calling to talk to <em>my mother.</em> This is very serious, <em>Mrs. Shumaker</em>, you will not believe what happened.</p>
<p>“Eric (the angel of a guy from <a href="http://www.camphillca.org/">Camphill</a> who is Matthew’s primary care giver) destroyed my cell phone <em>on purpose</em>. He put the phone that was in the pocket of my shorts in the washing machine and I am <em>hella</em> mad! Bye.”</p>
<p>(He didn’t really sound “hella” mad”, but kind of amused.)</p>
<p>I burst out laughing and felt knot in my chest loosen.</p>
<p>I think that the next time soemone asks me to describe Matthew, I’ll let them listen to that message. And I’ll look on with a smile.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/"><em>Laura</em></a></p>
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<a href="mailto:?subject=%22Comic%20relief%2C%20autism%20style%22&body=Link: http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4682/comic-relief-autism-style/ (sent via shareaholic)%0D%0A%0D%0A----%0D%0A It%20was%20one%20of%20those%20weeks%20when%20the%20phone%20rang%20constantly%2C%20and%20each%20was%20a%20%22crises%22%20call.%20My%2024%20year%20old%20son%20Matthew%2C%20who%20has%20autism%2C%20was%20on%20a%20bad%20roll.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Matthew%20lost%20his%20wallet%2C%20Matthew%20is%20calling%20a%20girl%20obsessively%2C%20Matthew%20called%20911%20because%20a%20girl%20hung%20up%20on%20him%2C%20Matthew%20needs%20this%2C%20Matthew" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Email this to a friend?">Email this to a friend?</a>
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["summary"]=>
string(317) "It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has autism, was on a bad roll. “Matthew lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew [...]"
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string(4753) "<p>It was one of those weeks when the phone rang constantly, and each was a “crises” call. My 24 year old son Matthew, who has <a href="http://www.autismspeaks.org/whatisit/index.php">autism</a>, was on a bad roll.</p>
<p><img title="matthew hands cropped" src="../wp-content/uploads/2010/08/matthew-hands-cropped.jpg" alt="" width="200" height="151" /></p>
<p><em>“<a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/">Matthew</a> lost his wallet, Matthew is calling a girl obsessively, Matthew called 911 because a girl hung up on him, Matthew needs this, Matthew needs that….”</em></p>
<p>You get the picture. The calls were really getting to me.</p>
<p>Then Tuesday night at 10:30 the phone rang again. I could see from the caller ID that it was Matthew, but I just didn’t have the energy to answer it. He would have to leave a message, and whatever it was would have to wait until tomorrow.</p>
<p>But right as soon as I fell into bed, I bounced up again. I had to listen to the message. What if it was something serious?</p>
<p>So I picked up the phone reluctantly, punched in the message code and listened:</p>
<p>“Hello, this is me, Matthew and I am calling to talk to <em>my mother.</em> This is very serious, <em>Mrs. Shumaker</em>, you will not believe what happened.</p>
<p>“Eric (the angel of a guy from <a href="http://www.camphillca.org/">Camphill</a> who is Matthew’s primary care giver) destroyed my cell phone <em>on purpose</em>. He put the phone that was in the pocket of my shorts in the washing machine and I am <em>hella</em> mad! Bye.”</p>
<p>(He didn’t really sound “hella” mad”, but kind of amused.)</p>
<p>I burst out laughing and felt knot in my chest loosen.</p>
<p>I think that the next time soemone asks me to describe Matthew, I’ll let them listen to that message. And I’ll look on with a smile.</p>
<p><a href="http://www.laurashumaker.com/contests-in-progress/"><em>Laura</em></a></p>
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<a href="mailto:?subject=%22Comic%20relief%2C%20autism%20style%22&body=Link: http://www.5minutesforspecialneeds.com/4682/comic-relief-autism-style/ (sent via shareaholic)%0D%0A%0D%0A----%0D%0A It%20was%20one%20of%20those%20weeks%20when%20the%20phone%20rang%20constantly%2C%20and%20each%20was%20a%20%22crises%22%20call.%20My%2024%20year%20old%20son%20Matthew%2C%20who%20has%20autism%2C%20was%20on%20a%20bad%20roll.%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%0D%0A%22Matthew%20lost%20his%20wallet%2C%20Matthew%20is%20calling%20a%20girl%20obsessively%2C%20Matthew%20called%20911%20because%20a%20girl%20hung%20up%20on%20him%2C%20Matthew%20needs%20this%2C%20Matthew" rel="nofollow" class="external" title="Email this to a friend?">Email this to a friend?</a>
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string(47) "That special kind of high you get from your kid"
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string(3732) "<p><object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/Reve237-6AM?hl=en&fs=1"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/Reve237-6AM?hl=en&fs=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object></p>
<p>I put up this video on my blog last night. Seeing Max playing piano like that made my whole weekend. </p>
<p>For those of you who are taking time on Labor Day to read this (shouldn’t you be out barbecuing?!), tell me, what’s the last thing your kid did that thrilled you? Big or small! I mean, even the small things are a big deal, right? </p>
<p>Ellen blogs daily at <a href="http://lovethatmax.blogspot.com">Love That Max</a></p>
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