Search Results For -video special sister

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A Video For A SPECIAL Sister
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When People Stare At My Child Who Has Special Needs
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TIFF Kids—special films for special kids
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Grief-Helping Kids Cope
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You’re Not Still Using The R-Word Are You?
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Do I look worried?
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My Little Pony, Sexy But Lonely….
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Difficult Conversations With My Child

A Video For A SPECIAL Sister

  He wanted a way to explain to his peers about how his sister is very different from, yet exactly the same as everyone else. Our son made this video to share with his schoolmates. He said it would be easier if people would just ask him what they want to know, instead of staring or whispering or making ignorant remarks. These are his words.  These are their photos.  This is his thoughtful message. *Over the course of a week he went from class to class to share this video with his schoolmates. He started by introducing his sister who was there with him. Then he played the video and answered questions at the end. Related: Creating a “Special Needs Script“

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When People Stare At My Child Who Has Special Needs

  When strangers stare at my daughter I feel embarrassed, angry, defensive, indignant. I feel all the feelings in no particular order.  Sometimes I make direct eye contact with the starer. Sometimes I call them on it. Sometimes I don’t.  It’s emotional for us when people turn to look at our kids. And when their stares linger, it’s hard to handle.    But I try to remind myself that different draws attention. It’s human nature to be curious. People aren’t generally cruel. They’re just trying to figure it out.  So last week when my son’s gaze fell upon a girl with Down Syndrome and his glance lasted a few seconds too long, and was perceived as a stare, I understand why her mother glared at him.  He looked upset after swim practice. Not only were his eyes stinging from the chlorine, he was feeling the sting of guilt because he’d upset the mother of a girl in his class.  He explained that when he got out of the pool he noticed a girl about Avery’s age standing on the pool deck waiting for her sister. He spotted a school crest on her shirt and he was trying to get a better[…]

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TIFF Kids—special films for special kids

  My eldest child has been making short films since he was old enough to use an iPad. One of his earliest was an iMovie project called, “A Video For A Special Sister.” He showed it class by class at his school in an effort to teach his peers what it’s like to have a sibling with special needs. The technique was amateur, but his message was mature beyond his years. Is it possible to be a doting stage mother if my child is behind the camera? Anyway, like some sort of cosmic cinematic kismet, a fitting showcase is coming to the TIFF Kids International Film Festival this year! My son and I are going to view the Jump Cuts Young Filmmakers Showcase—short films created for young people by young people.   This year’s theme challenges young filmmakers (grades 4-6) to create an onscreen representation of a disability. It will be interesting for my mini Spielberg to watch how his peers approach filmmaking, editing, and story telling. I wish he had known about this earlier and could’ve entered. He’d have won for sure! That was my dramatic stage mother voice again, wasn’t it? Speaking of disabilities (seamless segue, I know)[…]

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Grief-Helping Kids Cope

My husband’s mum was a vital part of our lives. There hasn’t been a day since she died that we don’t miss her terribly. As adults who’ve had years to develop coping skills, it’s still tough. So how can a child possibly deal with grief when they can’t begin to reconcile the devastation of loss and moreover, the finality of death? Our eleven year old son experienced anxiety resulting from the loss of his grandmother, so we sought help. Grief counseling has helped him begin to accept the death and has given him skills to cope with the fear of losing his parents and sister.   Avery, our seven year old, seems to be the most profoundly affected. She and her ‘Grandie’ had a special bond (one that my husband and I are convinced has continued in some other worldly way. It sounds odd, but the evidence we’ve seen is impossible to ignore). At first Avery believed her Grandie had gone to the dentist and would be coming back soon. We don’t know where this idea came from. Regardless, the first dental appointment I took the kids to afterwards was difficult to say the least. When it became evident that[…]

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You’re Not Still Using The R-Word Are You?

  Last year in the school yard, children repeatedly asked my son if his sister was retarded. When he finally told me about it I was ready to bang some heads together. Luckily my child is more mature than his hot-headed mother. He chose to take action by making this VIDEO to present to his peers resulting in meaningful conversations and a greater understanding about what it’s like to have a sibling with special needs. The fact is, children follow so it’s our job as adults to be kind, educated, moral leaders. When adults don’t set a good example we end up with a new generation of ignorant, intolerant adults. Out for dinner recently an adult at our table joked about something retarded they did at work. I was shocked, but I didn’t say anything.  How is this still happening in 2014? If I stay silent I’m part of the problem. This frustrates me. As the parent of a child with special needs am I expected to police the internet and the world around me like an R-word detecting watch dog? I’d really rather not. You might think that retard(ed) is merely a word and that we—the people who love[…]

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Do I look worried?

  Disregard the furrow of my brow and fidgeting hands. Apart from that, do I look worried to you?   If you say no, you’re lying. And I love you for it.   I’ve talked before about worry and how “Karl” is riding me like a banana crazed gorilla. We all worry, but some of us take it a little farther. Further? I never know which to use, but I’m not going to worry about it.   I don’t sweat the little things like that. I focus my worry on the things I have little control over. Like death, loss, monumental screw ups caused accidentally by me. Normal things like that. So what am I doing now to do to stop worrying so much? I’m TAKING ACTION!  You fellow control freaks know what I’m talking about. We like to be in the driver’s seat. It’s not that we’re bossy, it’s just that you do it wrong. What? I may not be able to control the outcome of every situation, but if I simply DO the things that are actually within my power and leave the rest to fate, I feel much more in control and liberated from worry. For example:[…]

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My Little Pony, Sexy But Lonely….

I assure you this is a PG-rated post despite the suggestive title. I’ll explain, but first you MUST listen to the My Little Pony Theme Song below. It’ll only take a minute. Actually, the first 5 seconds will suffice. It’s essential for the rest of this story. No really. Now that the song is firmly lodged in your brain FOREVER (The tune sticks like glue. No anti-horse reference inferred by the way.) we can go on. My daughter adores the My Little Pony gang — both in their pony and human forms. She watches the show at home on Netflix and sometimes her brother watches too. He says he doesn’t like it, but I say neigh. He so does. One day shortly after watching the show, I heard him singing the theme song to himself but with new and *improved* chorus which goes like this… “My little pony, sexy but lonely.….” (it’s important to note that the word sexy must be sung with a Sean Connery accent). Why? He’s ten and thinks the word seksi is hilarious. I’m 40-esque and agree; especially when said with an accent while rolling your eyes dramatically. Now we have this shtick where certain extended[…]

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Difficult Conversations With My Child

Forget the babbling brook, I’m a rambling river. I’m not sure why I feel compelled to tell people everything. Maybe it’s the need to vent, to seek feedback, validation, advice, a laugh. Who knows? But if loose lips sink ships, I should really have my own personal Coast Guard.   I may over-share on a regular basis within my social network (and the occasional innocent bystander at the grocery check-out) but I am able to curtail my TMI tendencies when it comes to my kids.   Children hang on our every word. WHAT we say and HOW we say it—it’s our job to try to insulate our kids from worry, horror, despair, and unthinkable sadness.   We can’t completely shelter our children from the harsh realities of life. But if possible we can try to shield them from the really scary sh*t so they can feel safe and secure for as long as possible.    This is why I chose initially not to tell my son that Zack passed away.   The boys never met in person, but my son knew about Zack and his family. He knew Zack was Avery’s friend. He heard me speak about Zack’s parents. He knew[…]

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