Parenting
25 Scriptures to Pray for Your Child's School Year
As the school year approaches, and we find ourselves busy buying supplies and new clothes and doing other tasks to get ready for the new school year, I start to feel a little anxious. Will our kids have a good teacher? Make good friends? Are they prepared for the school year? Have I done enough? Will they do ok? When I find myself feeling anxious about my kiddos returning to school, I am trying to turn my worries into prayers. I try and pray for my children daily, but to be honest, I pray for them much more fervently as the new school year approaches and for the first few weeks of school. At the beginning of each school year I find myself living out this verse: "Pour out your heart like water before the face of the Lord. Lift your hands toward Him for the life of your children." Lamentations 2:19 Disclosure: Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.
PrayerPotty Training Tips for Your Child with Special Needs
I am the proud mama of two kiddos who happen to be on the autism spectrum, have speech delays/disorders, and sensory processing disorder. I've read articles and follow Facebook support groups for parents who have children with special needs. And in all the support groups I participate in, I see over and over questions about potty training. So, I have to admit, I avoided potty training as long as possible for both my boys. Meaning, I didn't even attempt potty training until they were each about 3 1/2 years old. I honestly didn't expect success, but I was determined to give it my best shot. I found this three day potty training method that I decided to follow, and determined to stop procrastinating and bite the bullet and see if the kiddos were ready to potty train. Using this three day potty training method, my older son was indeed fully potty trained in three days, and my younger son took about three weeks to master it, using the exact same method.
Special needsEmbracing God's Love As A Special Needs Parent
One day I was experiencing an unusually hard day. I was frustrated with my children who had missed their nap because we had been at an appointment that lasted way longer than it should have and now they were fussy and tired. I spent over an hour on the phone with a doctor's office and insurance and still hadn't gotten the issue resolved. I was tired and cranky myself and I asked God, "Where are you in all of this? Why aren't you helping me?" I desperately wanted to be alone with God, but the kiddos needed dinner and attention. And then, bedtime rolled around. After my older son, about four years old at the time, was all snuggled in bed and we had read his book before bed, we prayed together. Sometimes I did the praying, sometimes I did it fill in the blank style as he could only say one or two-word phrases. I decided to go with the fill-in-the-blank prayer. I prompted him, “Thank You, God, for ______.
Special needsHow You and Your Special Needs Child Are Blooming
I went for a walk the other day, just soaking in God's creation unfurling after a long winter, when I happened upon a flower growing through a crack in the road. At first, I was sad for it. There was a beautiful garden about five feet away from this flower, where its friends were growing. And here was this flower, all by itself, growing in such a hard and unlikely place to grow. But then, my perspective changed and I was suddenly proud of this lone flower. It did exactly what it was created to do: spread its roots and grow and bloom and share its color and beauty with the world, despite its unusual circumstances. It could have withered up and died, but it was blooming. And as I marvelled at God's creation a new thought struck me: My children are not in the garden I expected them to grow in. I expected them to thrive at play dates and in school, and instead they struggle in those environments.
Special needsWhy Being a Special Needs Parent Isn't Something to Fear
I overheard two expectant mamas talking in a Chick-fil-A play area. They sat together on one bench, while their 3 or 4 year-old boys played together, and they each were expecting a boy. I watched my own two boys play with these soon to be big brothers. These mamas chatted about pregnancy woes and pediatricians. And then the conversation took an unexpected turn. One of the mamas confessed that she's constantly having fears that something will go wrong with the baby. It even keeps her up at night. What if her child has a disability? And the other mother agreed, saying that she worries about it too and she pities those who have a child with a disability or special needs. Stunned by the statements made, I looked up at our four boys all playing together. One of mine was flapping his hands and humming to himself, but following the other boys in their little game.
Special needs25 Scripture Prayers For Your Child(ren)
Prayer is powerful and the fact that you want to pray for your children is an awesome thing. No matter the age, ability, and personality of your children, they need our prayers. It is a privilege as a Christian parent to advocate for our children before the throne of God with His own precious and powerful words. -God gave us His Word and He wants us to pray. When you combine the two spiritual disciplines of reading the Word and prayer (by praying Scripture), it will help you apply God’s Word to your life while growing deeper in your prayer life. -Praying Scripture honors God by using His own words to praise Him and pray to Him. -We tend to pray for things WE want, but praying Scripture will help align your desires with what HE wants. And when our desires are aligned, that’s when we’re most likely to see God move powerfully in our prayers. -If you don’t know how to pray about something, you can find a Scripture that will help you say it, refreshing and deepening your prayer language.
Prayer4 Tips for the Christian Parent Overwhelmed with Your Child’s Diagnosis
When your child receives a diagnosis, (or several, like both of my sons) it is easy to feel overwhelmed. Overwhelmed by emotions, overwhelmed by all the things to learn and do to care for your child, overwhelmed by your child's appointments or behaviors or their future. I've been there, and this is what I would have told myself, or any overwhelmed parent looking for advice. When your child receives a diagnosis, sometimes it brings relief. To have a name for your child’s struggles, to be able to research the diagnosis and be able to get your child the specialists and services and supports your child needs is huge. But sometimes it brings grief. The plans and expectations you had for your child and for parenthood have been shattered. It’s ok to grieve that. Take time to process how you’re really feeling. Ask God your questions. He can handle them. But also, take time to humbly listen to His answers. He will teach you a lot on this special needs parenting journey.
Special needsFor the Special Needs Mama Who Feels She's Not Doing Enough
One day, it felt like everything that could go wrong on a simple outing with my two boys with special needs, did go wrong. We experienced not one, not two, but three epic meltdowns. My older son was teased and called a baby by some peers because of his limited speech. My younger son went into sensory overload and pushed a toddler who kept getting into his space, and his mother angrily told me how agressive my son was and how I should be able to control him. On and on it went, and I left the flop of an outing, buckled my boys in the car and cried all the way home. When we got home, I put on a movie for the boys to watch so I could have some time alone. I sat at my computer, mindlessly scrolling through Facebook, feeling like an epic failure of a mom. Wondering what I could have done differently. Wondering what I should have said to that mother accusing my son of being aggressive and to those kids teasing my son.
Special needsEmbracing Your Identity When You Feel Like Just a Special Needs Parent
I remember a time, several years ago when my kids were about two and four, when I joined a MOPs (Mothers of Preschoolers) group. I was excited to have provided childcare and a break from all the therapies and to be able to have adult conversation with other moms and a little bit of spiritual encouragement as well. At the beginning of the first meeting we were supposed to introduce ourselves to the other moms at our round table by saying our name and three quick facts about ourselves. When it was my turn I said "My name is Jenn and I have two boys and I'm a special needs mom and ...um..." I froze. My life revolved around both of my kids' needs and endless appointments and I couldn't think of a single other thing to say about me. The table leader gently added, "and you're a beloved daughter of the King," before calling on the next mom to introduce herself. I smiled gratefully at her, but the whole situation and her words left my mind whirling.
Special needsEncouragement for Special Needs Parents From Finding Nemo and Finding Dory
I've watched Finding Nemo and Finding Dory multiple times, but it didn't hit me until recently that both Nemo's and Dory's parents are special needs parents and they have different approaches to raising their children that have encouraged me in the way I parent my own special needs children. Nemo's dad Marlin, is very fearful and overprotective, longing to keep Nemo close and afraid to let him try new things. At one point Marlin even tells Nemo, "You think you can do these things, Nemo, but you just can't !" You can see the hurt in Nemo's face. If Nemo had believed his dad, there would be no Finding Nemo or Finding Dory. It would be a boring, lonely story of staying safe in their sea anemone home. But Nemo is determined to prove his dad wrong. And slowly, bit by bit, Marlin bravely gives his son opportunities to try new things. To grow and learn on his own. To not hold him back because of his "lucky fin.
Special needsAn Encouraging Bible Verse For Overwhelmed Special Needs Parents
There’s a verse in Isaiah that I have found very encouraging and reassuring for parents, especially as a parent of two children with special needs. “He tends his flock like a shepherd: He gathers the lambs in his arms and carries them close to his heart; he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11 You may be familiar with Psalm 23, “The Lord is our Shepherd,” as well as in John 10, when Jesus declares Himself the Good Shepherd that lays down his life for his sheep (John 10:11). Both are an encouraging metaphor for just how much God loves and provides for each of us. Sheep are not very smart animals. They can’t defend themselves. They can’t find their own food or water. They won’t rest when they need to. And the flies and other bugs will bother their eyes and ears and nostrils so much that the sheep will bash their heads against rocks and trees to find relief—hence the reason the shepherd anoints the sheep’s head with oil.
Special needsHow to Nurture the Fruit of the Spirit in Your Children
I’ll admit, it is easy to focus our time and attention on our children’s personalities and development and behaviors and skills and busy schedules and overlook the fact that we should be teaching and nurturing in our children the quality traits that matter most to God. “The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.” Galatians 5:22 After I had the revelation that I was focused more on my children's physical development than their heart and their spiritual and character development, I decided I wanted to became much more intentional about teaching my children about the fruit of the Spirit.
FaithEmbracing Life and Spiritual Victory as a Christian Special Needs Mother
This special needs parenting journey is no joke. And being a Christian special needs parent adds in the struggle of trusting that God has a plan for your good and your child's good amidst all the worries, appointments, struggles, and the isolation that comes with special needs parenting. Believe me, I know. I have two sons and between the two of them, we are at twelve diagnoses and counting. I went through my own crisis of faith, spiraling into a pit of alternating anxiety and depression. I had two boys under the age of four with various diagnoses. My older son had diagnoses of hearing loss, apraxia (a neurological disorder that affected his speech and other areas), and pretty much every type of processing disorder there was. My younger son had a diagnosis of autism and anxiety. My life was filled with therapies and specialists, with anxiety and depression, with loneliness and anger toward God. And one day, while asking God yet again “Why?” He whispered just one word to my anxious, grieving heart.
Special needsFour Ways To Embrace And Support Your Child with Special Needs
We love our children fiercely. Like Maya says in the second episode of Speechless, when told to not worry about her son JJ, who has cerebral palsy, she said "I can't. He's my whole world." I totally get what she's saying. Both of my sons have special needs and they feel like a large portion of my world, my time, my energy, my love, and my worries. Our schedules revolve around their therapies and appointments and meeting their needs. There are times we compare our children to other children and wish things came easier. We worry about milestones and every single inch in-between. So with all these extra challenges, how do we strive to embrace our children who are "fearfully and wonderfully made" (Psalm 139:14), just as they are? It's so easy to see how far our child has to go to catch up with their peers. To see how little progress they've made. But we have to be intentional to focus on the positive. To focus on each and every victory, no matter how small it may seem.
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