Parenting Issues & YouIn the links below, you will find the most recent, parenting articles.
Anyone with a sincere love and determination to work and learn, can be a good parent. Some of us will need extra help or special equipment. Others just need a little support and encouragement. I wish for us to provide as much as we can and find resources for the rest. The children in the picture are two of my grandchildren who were newborns number 6 and 7 to come into my home and live through toddlerhood with me. (Much to my pleasure.) The girl, Choppy recently moved out with her mother and I do miss her greatly. The boy, Picky who is 4 months younger then Choppy still lives with his mother in my house. He will be 3 in April and I caretake for him while his mother works. I raised 4 children of my own, all girls. Then there is Sean, my oldest grandson who also came home to me as a newborn and moved out with his mother when he was 3 years old. During the time when my body first started to fail me, I made many parenting mistakes and my youngest had problems that I didn't have a clue how to deal with. I didn't get help until the proverbial bear droppings hit the fan and that is one of the reasons why I am here to prevent things from getting that far for others and to help you get help if you need it. I got a tremendous amount of help from ICES over the years, the most recent being my attendance and graduation from the Tuolumne County Parent Leadership Academy. This website is my "Pay It Forward" commitment even though if it goes the way I hope it will, I will benefit as much as anyone else. My ICES worker, Cassie, came to my house many, many times over the years and I learned so much and changed myself because I needed to adapt (you can't run after a child when you can no longer run). Makes sense doesn't it? I have a list of articles that I will be writing in the future. You are welcome to submit articles and requests for specific topics. I will do my best to address as many issues as I can and hopefully compile a list of resources as I go. |  Not Capable?I can't even begin to count the times I've heard comments from others regarding my capability of being a good parent. I used to let it bother me but as time went by I grew to understand that a lot of folks who make thoughtless comments, do so out of fear and ignorance. I'm not saying they are stupid people, I'm saying that they've never had a chance to know the person and parent that I am and therefore speak without knowledge. I also believe that most know deep down that being ambulatory (or whole bodied if you wish) is a gift that can be removed at any time. Now that is a scarey thought even though it is a natural part of being human. The general mode of thinking in thoughtless speakers seems to be wheelchair = invalid. I would like to get rid of the word invalid. IT SUCKS! Pronounce it wrong and you get something that is not worth anything. The thing is... We are members of the human race, people. Everyone needs help and we just need different kinds of help. We might need to do things a different way but love, respect and nurturing for our children... Those feelings are the same no matter who you are and what abilities you have. Love makes it possible for a parent with disabilities to find ways above and beyond that of the general population. I've cooked, cleaned, taken care of education issues, not to mention mastery of the "toddler time out" and the "hormonal teen girl time o the month" thing. If I can do it... You Can Too! |
