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My Family is a new picture book series in which young readers will explore family diversity in an approachable, gentle manner through the eyes of second grader Lenny. When it's time to report on the Student of the Week, Lenny visits his classmates' homes to take pictures and get to know them better. Through innocent interactions, he discovers new friendships--and more important, he learns love makes a family. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Looking Glass Library is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO.
When his oldest son was diagnosed with severe autism, pastor Jason Hague found himself trapped, stuck between perpetual sadness and a lower, safer kind of hope. This is the common struggle for those of us walking through the Land of Unanswered Prayer. Life doesn’t look the way we expected, so we seek to protect ourselves from further disappointment. But God has a third path for us, beyond sadness or resignation: the way of aching joy. Christ himself is with us here, beckoning us toward the treasures hidden in the darkness. Aching Joy is an honest psalm of hope for those walking between pain and promise: the aching of a broken world and the beauty of a loving God. In this place, rather than trying to dodge the pain, we choose to feel it all—and to see where Jesus is in the midst of struggle. And because we make that choice, we feel all the good that comes with it, too. This is Jason’s story. This is your story. Come, find your joy within the aching.
For preservice students taking special education courses as well as inservice educators seeking professional development. An engaging discussion of the legal, ethical, practical, and cultural considerations of working with families of special needs children. With a strong focus on the families of special needs children, this first edition text provides students with both the information to understand the challenges and needs of these families as well as the skills and strategies required of educators working with such families. Containing a thorough discussion of the common legal and ethical concerns surrounding children with special needs and their families, this book also emphasizes the many individual differences among families. With that in mind, the authors focus on diversity in families with special needs children, cultural considerations, age, and communication with special needs families. In addition, a distinctive final chapter called "A Family's Voice," gives students the special opportunity to hear about the unique thoughts and experiences of a large selection of family members of children with special needs.
Unexpected Blessings helps special-needs families move past the pain and confusion of their circumstances and slowly, firmly face the future with hope. Speaking honestly about struggles that accompany a variety of disabilities, Sandra Peoples shows readers how to · let go of false beliefs that hold them back · work through the cycles of grief · focus on self-care and healthy routines · understand disability based on what the Bible says · rebuild a strong faith foundation · create support systems for themselves and others Filled with real-life stories and hard-earned wisdom, this book shines a light on the possibilities and blessings that come when parents see their new purpose in life--which was God's purpose for them all along.
Discover how to build your village and raise your Special Needs child in a supportive, loving community. With an authentic and conversational tone, It Takes A Village is an inspiring book that seeks to illuminate the challenges that parents of children with ADHD or Autism face, providing a wealth of practical strategies and advice for helping you navigate your role as a caregiver to neurodivergent kids. Designed to help readers appreciate the value of a support system, this heartfelt book empowers parents of all backgrounds with the tools they need to surround themselves with positive, encouraging, and supportive people - from friends and family to professionals and non-profit groups. Plus, with a collection of exercises and prompts, you can keep track of your parenting journey and track your progress over time. Here's just a little of what you'll discover inside: Essential Self-Care Tips To Help You Build a Strong Foundation For Your Family Why Building a Support System Is a Powerful Way To Help You Manage The Struggles of Parenthood How To Make Connections Inside and Outside The Special Needs Community Why Professionals and Non-Profit Groups Can Be an Invaluable Resource For Your Child Practical Worksheets So You Can Track Your Progress And So Much More! Perfect for any parent, caregiver, or educator who wants to better understand how to care for children with Autism or ADHD, It Takes A Village champions the age-old benefits of community, challenging and encouraging you to embrace your support group and fill your family with love. Are you ready to start building your village?
Mothering under normal circumstances takes all you have to give. But what happens when your child is disabled, and sacrificing all you've got and more is the only hope for a decent future? Full of rage and resilience, duty and love, Ashley Bristowe delivers a mother's voice like no other we've heard. When their second child, Alexander, is diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder, doctors tell Ashley Bristowe and her husband that the boy won't walk, or even talk--that he is profoundly disabled. Stunned and reeling, Ashley researches a disorder so new it's just been named--Kleefstra Syndrome--and she finds little hope and a maze of obstacles. Then she comes across the US-based "Institutes," which have been working to improve the lives of brain-injured children for decades. Recruiting volunteers, organizing therapy, juggling a million tests and appointments, even fundraising as the family falls deep into debt, Ashley devotes years of 24/7 effort to running an impossibly rigorous diet and therapy programme for their son with the hope of saving his life, and her own. The ending is happy: he will never be a "normal" boy, but Alexander talks, he walks, he swims, he plays the piano (badly) and he goes to school. This victory isn't clean and it's far from pretty; the personal toll on Ashley is devastating. "It takes a village," people say, but too much of their village is uncomfortable with her son's difference, the therapy regimen's demands and the family's bottomless need. The health and provincial services bureaucracy set them a maddening set of hoops to jump through, showing how disabled children and their families languish because of criminally low expectations about what can be done to help. My Own Blood is an uplifting story, but it never shies away from the devastating impact of a baby that science couldn't predict and medicine couldn't help. It's the story of a woman who lost everything she'd once been--a professional, an optimist, a joker, a capable adult--in sacrifice to her son. An honest account of a woman's life turned upside down.
"Every day is joyful. Every day is a gift. Every day I can thank God from the bottom of my heart." Kelly Mantoan wasn't always able to say these words. As a mother of five children, two with profound disabilities, all her energy and attention was focused on her children's diagnoses. Drained and struggling, Kelly wondered if she had what it took to be the kind of parent they needed. She craved support as a Catholic parent with special needs children, but most secular support groups couldn't help her see and understand God's plan. If you can relate to Kelly's story, Better Than OK: Finding Joy as a Special Needs Parent is the hope-filled book you need today. In her down-to-earth way, Kelly shares practical tips and takeaways to shift your focus -- away from the negatives of the diagnosis and toward acceptance, renewed faith, and joy. Better Than OK is a much-needed resource for any Catholic parent facing the challenges of a special needs family. ABOUT THE AUTHOR Kelly Mantoan is a Catholic convert, wife, mother to five, homeschooler, and special needs parent. She writes about her faith, family, homeschooling, and special needs parenting at her popular blog This Ain't the Lyceum. In 2019 Kelly started a conference and online apostolate, Accepting the Gift, for Catholic special needs parents. Accepting the Gift provides support and resources that can help Catholic special needs parents thrive in their unique vocation.
What do you need to lead a special needs ministry? Leading a Special Needs Ministry is a practical how-to guide for the family ministry team working to welcome one or 100 children with special needs.
My Two Dads is the story of a normal day in Jazz's life. When classmate Lenny visits her home, he discovers Jazz has two dads. Who makes her dinner? Papi! Who braids her hair? Dad! Who taught her how to dance? Papi and Dad! Lenny realizes love makes a family. Aligned to Common Core standards and correlated to state standards. Looking Glass Library is an imprint of Magic Wagon, a division of ABDO.
