Special Olympics Hug-A-Thon Fundraiser

10 Things I Need To Say To Tired Special Needs Moms

Parents can build in 'special time' with kids this summer

Make the most of your family time by setting aside an hour when the child chooses the activity and parents just listen.

The IEP Decoded: A Parent’s Guide by a Special Education Teacher

If your child is being evaluated for a learning disability, you'll need to understand what an Individualized Education Program (IEP) is and what it covers.

6 Tips to Help Special Needs Parents Balance Work and Childcare

Balancing work and childcare is never easy, but when you’re caring for a child with special needs, the challenges are even greater. The caring role can be extremely unpredictable; hospital appointments, therapy sessions, sudden illnesses … they can all mean having to take time off work. Finding specialist childcare for the school holidays is no... View Article

How Your Special Needs Family is Crucial to the Church

If you’re a special needs family, we welcome you to Woodridge! Your family, your experiences, and your unique situation brings so much to the church as a whole. As a special needs mom, I didn’t always feel that. I’ve only been the Special Needs Ministry Director for Woodridge for a short time, but I have

5 Essential Tips for a Soon-to-Be Special Needs Mom

5 Tips for Introducing a New Sibling to a Child with Special Needs

Welcoming a new sibling to the family is exciting. A new brother or sister gives your older child the opportunity to be a role model and, most importantly, build the type of familial bond and lasting friendship that only exists between siblings. But, with the excitement also comes a change in your family dynamic. It... View Article

{10 Tips} How to Conquer Holiday Stress in the Special Needs Household.

10 Tips for you to have stress free holidays in your Special Needs Household. Ideas for both moms and kids...and everyone is happy!

What Books Feature Children With Special Needs?

There are many books that discuss special needs in a kid-friendly way that can shine a positive light on these children.

Secondary Trauma: How Your Child's Special Needs May Be Affecting You.

We know that children who have come from difficult places experience trauma, but what about you and I as parents? How do we handle the secondary trauma we experience as a result of the day in and day out battle of parenting them?

How Often Should You Write to the Child You Sponsor?

You just wrote your first letter to the child you sponsor. When should you send your next letter and how often can you write to that special kiddo?

How hugging defuses a tantrum—almost every time

At first it was counterintuitive—why should my kid get a hug when they're screaming in my face? But connection was transformative in my child's behavior—and my own.

Are hugs babying our preschool children?

Recently, I was observing in a preschool classroom when I was approached by a young child. This was a new program for me, it was my first classroom visit, and I had never met or formed relationship…

7 Reasons why we should hug more

See why a 20-second hug can improve your health and help your child grow smarter, happier, and more resilient.

When Your Child Won’t Hug the Relatives

How to manage the tricky balance between a child’s shy behavior and adults’ wish to show them simple affection.

8 People Your Kid Doesn't HAVE To Hug

Learning boundaries and respect for their own bodies early.

Special children with special needs, learn about these stars' special families

All families are unique, and some children are born with special needs.

Why We Don't Make Our Daughter Give Hugs

Forcing my daughter to hug other people, even her relatives and her parents, wasn't teaching her to respect and listen to her own body.

Teaching consent: Why you shouldn’t force your kids to hug relatives

Forcing your child to hug an aunt or uncle might seem like an education in kindness, but you’re actually teaching them a dangerous lesson about consent.

Why you need to hug your kids when they’re being ‘the worst’

It can be hard to consider hugging our child when they are acting out. There’s this fear of reinforcing the behavior, and so we have been taught to punish, remove toys, ignore the behavior, and respond with a poker face.But consider a time when you had a rough day, snapped at your partner over somet...