March 2013 - Praying for Parker - The Network of Care

Why Parker Loves ThredUp

A few weeks ago I clicked on a referral link to ThredUp from one of my friends. I needed to purchase new shorts for a certain Brave Hero who has FINALLY outgrown the ones he’s been wearing for the last 2+ years. I’m usually a HUGE thrift store...

Published Fri, Mar 01 2013 9:22 AM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: frugal living, yard sales, thrifting, prepping for hard times, kids clothes for less, ThredUp

Visual Tracking and Tactile Activities

Who knew that simple buttons and Velcro would work magic for visual tracking and tactile experiences. I love simple and cheap therapy activities, especially if I can put them together myself in less than 15 minutes. Score. I’m working on Parker’s...

Published Sun, Mar 03 2013 7:27 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Special Needs Homeschooling, Meeting a kid's sensory needs., fine motor skill activities, sensory pyramid, pre-reading activities, Visual Tracking Activities, pre-writing activities

G-tube Feeding

When a kid aspirates to the point that Parker does, they put a hole in their belly, a button in the whole, and teach you how to put their food directly in their stomachs. Other wise known as g-tube feeding. It’s not as bad as it sounds. I know I’m...

Published Tue, Mar 05 2013 10:50 AM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: blenderized diet, aspiration, I love a tubie, g-tube, bolus feeds, tube feeds

Ending the R-Word

What would you do if someone told you that something you were doing was causing pain to another? Would you continue to make the choice to hurt others, blowing it off with a shrug of your shoulders and a remark that only you found witty? Or would you stop...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 7:43 AM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Advocacy, down syndrome, Special Needs, intellectual disabilities, end the r-word, www.r-word.org

When your child can’t communicate.

I just got word that we’ll be losing another speech therapist. I’ve been really struggling with Parker’s lack of progress in communicating, and finding this out just added to my internal angst. What do you do when your child can’t...

Published Wed, Mar 06 2013 5:16 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Holding On Tight To My Faith, Signing Time, AAC, speech therapy, Proloquo2GO, tap to talk, Life With Special Needs, non-verbal kids, talk tools

Coloring Lima Beans for Learning and Crafts

Usually, when people think of sensory boxes they think of colored rice. Colored rice, lentils, birdseed are all items that work great in sensory boxes. Today I’m going to show how to color lima beans for learning and crafts and sensory boxes too...

Published Thu, Mar 07 2013 8:19 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Special Needs Homeschooling, Sensory Tubs, Math Activities, Art Activities, Meeting a kid's sensory needs., Montessori Learning Activities, crafts for kids, How to color lima beans, Transferring Activities, sensory bin activities, learning and craft activities

And then she said….

Wednesday was a pretty big day around here. It was the day that we share with others the damage done by using the r-word. Yes. Even if you aren’t talking about Parker, that word stings. Offends. Hurts. And makes you wonder why people are so set...

Published Sun, Mar 10 2013 8:42 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Advocacy, spread the word to end the word, Life With Special Needs, end the r-word, respect, r-word.org

Montessori inspired activities to do at home

I love creating Montessori inspired activities to do at home. I try to keep my eyes open through out the year and think outside the box for things I can use to help Parker make his way up the Sensory Pyramid. Some of my recent Walmart purchases include...

Published Mon, Mar 11 2013 7:28 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Special Needs Homeschooling, home school, Life With Special Needs, Montessori inspired activities, Meeting a kid's sensory needs., special needs blogger

Special Needs Parenting

For the last couple of years the faucet of our kitchen sink has leaked. Not just a little under the sink leak. Nope. This leaked so badly that the ceiling in our family room has had a hole in it with a bucket on the carpet underneath to catch the drips...

Published Tue, Mar 12 2013 7:10 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Holding On Tight To My Faith, Special Needs Homeschooling, down syndrome, homeschooling, home school, Life With Special Needs, special needs parenting, special needs blogger

Saving money by shopping clearance.

One of my favorite past times while waiting for Spring to (finally!) arrive is to shop the clearance at a few of my local stores. I don’t go out of my way like some people or check daily, I can’t afford the gas that would cost. Still, saving...

Published Wed, Mar 13 2013 7:45 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: frugal living, Coupons, shopping clearance items, shopping on a budget, fruagal living

His Red Cheeks and Dry Cracked Lips

His red cheeks and dry cracked lips, are the bane of Parker’s winter…..and sometimes summer too. We’ve tried cool mist humidifiers. Lip balms, face creams, extra oil in his blenderized diet and more water boluses, but we’ve yet...

Published Fri, Mar 15 2013 8:56 AM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Life With Special Needs, red cheeks, special needs skin care, dry winter skin, dry cracked lips

Sensory Schedule

What I really wanted to title this post was ‘there goes the rest of my life’, but that title doesn’t work well in the world of SEO, so instead my title is sensory schedule. Consider that my genuflecting to the powers of search engine...

Published Sun, Mar 17 2013 7:43 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Holding On Tight To My Faith, Life With Special Needs, Meeting a kid's sensory needs., weighted lap pads, sensory diet, occupational therapy activities at home, stimming, joint compressions, big girl panties, weighted blankes, Sargent Steam, proprioception activities, vestibular activities, tactile activities, sensory schedule, abilitations, hand hugs

Banning Abortions Based On Down Syndrome

North Dakota is about to become the first state to take a stand and begin banning abortions based on Down syndrome. That’s right, North Dakota has decided that Down syndrome is not a reason to end a pregnancy and a life. As AP reports: “Fargo Republican...

Published Mon, Mar 18 2013 8:39 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Advocacy, Life With Special Needs, Politics of Special Needs, Trisomy 21, special needs parenting, pro life, T-21, right to life, Representative Bette Grande, banning abortions based on Down syndrome

Just another kid on the block: World Down Syndrome Day

A year ago I woke up to the sound of my back door neighbor cutting down all the trees between his fence line and the stream that runs between our homes. Even though the trees were mainly scrubs, and even though they were on his property I had a few not...

Published Tue, Mar 19 2013 8:23 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Advocacy, World Down Syndrome Day, Life With Special Needs, T21, Trisomy 21, National Down Syndrome Society, ndss, March 21

Bring on the Hope: World Down Syndrome Day

Today is World Down Syndrome Day. 3:21 is a day of awareness and gratitude for the progress made in recognizing that a life with an extra chromosome is indeed worth living. It’s a day of bringing on the hope for the not so distant day my child and...

Published Wed, Mar 20 2013 9:45 PM by Praying For Parker

Filed under: Stuff We LOVE!, World Down Syndrome Day, Life With Special Needs, hope, Lots of Socks, 3:21

March 2013 - Praying for Parker

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