You know when your friend is complaining to you (of all people!) that life is just sooo expensive? Matching outfits for Yom Tov, summer vacation activities, and everything else that costs in frum life… And then she turns to you – for real – and says, “Don’t you get, like, tons of money from the […]
If you were to write a dictionary for parents of children for special needs, you might find yourself defining the upcoming special day like this: Lag Ba’Omer /LaG Bāʿōmer/ (n): The ultimate day of sensory overstimulation. Be it the stim-inducing flickering bonfire or the tantrum-triggering blasting music, it’s no picnic to get through the Lag […]
Let’s face it – New Jersey is not renowned for servicing the special needs population. When comparing side-by-side with New York and its amazing supports, New Jersey families often feel that they got the worse end of the deal. One thing that is up for grabs in New Jersey is ABA services. No, it’s not […]
The heated “What should we do on Chol Hamoed” conversation begins days before Yom Tov and continues up until the family piles into the minivan, arms laden with matza, oranges, and hard-boiled eggs for the journey… one hour before closing time at the zoo. But with a special needs child in the picture, the Chol Hamoed […]
Does your child struggle with any of the following? Getting dressed in the morning Getting dressed in the morning Independently going to the restroom Buying a snack from the vending machine Shampooing in the shower These are all examples of Activities of Daily Living, or ADLs. Each one is only considered a struggle in context […]
You may have heard the term “Self-Direction” being thrown around, as though it’s the answer to all of life’s problems. “Did you know that you can get art lessons for your kid through Self-Direction?” “Can I use Self-Direction to pay for this camp?” “If you switch to Self-Direction, you can get a nutritionist, cleaning lady, […]
Bedtime. The word alone is enough to make any parent break out in a cold sweat. But for parents of kids with special needs, the challenge is that much more complex. Are any of these concerns relatable? Nighttime safety (I have a friend who found her cutie bathing himself in the sink at 3:00 a.m. […]
What kid isn’t busy planning their Purim costume since last Purim? Everyone wants a great costume for Purim, but for some of our kids, there are extra challenges involved. The sensory child struggles with the cheap, itchy materials and unusual fit of typical Purim costumes. Here are a couple of sensory friendly ideas: Buy a […]
Just over fifty years ago, the world was rocked by the infamous unmasking of Willowbrook State School, a quiet building located on secluded grounds in Staten Island, NY. The institution was exposed as an overcrowded, filthy, and unsafe shelter for thousands of lonely, forgotten children and adults with developmental disabilities. Ask anyone who remembers the […]
The key foundation of Ezreinu is the act of giving wholeheartedly. The ultimate paradigm of wholehearted giving was Avraham Avinu, who strove to integrate chesed into all aspects of his life. Eventually, chesed became his very core. Hashem bentched Avraham, “Veyhei bracha” (Bereishis 12:2) – Avraham himself would become bracha. Chazal explained that anyone whom […]
