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Children's Book About Special Needs - Blog

 

 

Special Needs Parenting...Not That DIfferent

Adiba Nelson

Sometimes when I'm out with Emory we meet new people. Emory does *not* have Stranger Danger down yet. No matter how many times I say "No honey, we don't know that creepy guy standing behind us in the Target line", she can't help but wave and smile and ask for a fist bump. 

We also tend to get that doting sweet grandma who gushes all over her, and inevitably touches my arm and says something like "Bless your heart mama, it must be so hard." I usually smile and laugh and make a quip about having a full bar for a reason - but that's just my humor acting as my muzzle. I mean, I do have a full bar at home, but in all fairness, I also have a teenager at home, so that full bar *might* be more for the teenager than the 8 year old.  Just keeping it real, folks. But here's the REAL real: Special needs parents are just like regular parents (for the most part). I know - I KNOW! Crazy right?

Sometimes our kids do this:

The old scream, shake and fist pump routine

The old scream, shake and fist pump routine

And sometimes this behavior is directly related to their disability. But sometimes they're just....exerting their right to act their age. However, as a parent, we, like you, go through a series of thoughts before we react. They usually go like this:

Who is this child?

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Are you serious right now?

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Lord Jesus help me....

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And then finally, after many deep, deep breaths (that some might confuse for hyperventilating), we arrive here....

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or here....

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And really, either is ok because PARENTING IS HARD - kid with special needs or not. So bless all our hearts moms and dads....Bless ALL our hearts. I raise a glass to all of us.

No really, I do.

Look. 

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Okay. I didn't *really* do that. But I do salute all of us in the parenting game. We got this.

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tags parenting, kids, special needs

The Story Behind That Fish Sandwich....

Adiba Nelson

One of my absolute most favorite parts of my job as the author of Meet ClaraBelle Blue is reading to groups of kids. They say the funniest things, and ask the most real, honest questions. I love reading to kids because, well, they love being read to. They get so engrossed in the story and the illustrations...they all guess whether or not ClaraBelle could beat them at Duck Duck Goose, and they always...ALWAYS gross out at the fish sandwich part. ALWAYS. In case you're not familiar with that illustration:

Without fail, those kids make faces, gagging sounds...I think once a kid even threatened to puke his guts out. That one made me laugh *way* out loud! I always ask them if they would eat a sandwich like that, and of course they yell out "NO!" at the top of their lungs. Then I ask if they think their *moms* would eat a sandwich like that, and again "NOOOOOOO!", and that's when I go in for the ultimate gross out. 

"Well....MY mom did," I tell them.

You should see their faces. They usually look something like this:

via Giphy.com

via Giphy.com

And honestly, I don't blame them. It is gross now, and it was gross then. But as we all know, when you're a mom and your kid proudly hands you the "lunch" they made you, you eat it. At least some of it. In front of them. And you smile. 

So yes, when I was around 6 years old, I made my mom a sandwich for lunch that was made up of the following ingredients: tuna fish, turkey, peanut butter, jelly, mayonnaise, mustard, ketchup, butter, lettuce, and gum drops - because everyone knows a sandwich is NOTHING if it doesn't contain gum drops. And because she's my mom, she did what moms do - she took a bite. And then she chewed it. Slowly. Because MOTHER'S LOVE. My mom loved me so much that she took a bite. She took a bite and ingested that travesty between 2 piece of bread, and hugged me and thanked me for making her lunch. Also, how could anyone say no to this face?

Adiba: Excellent sandwich maker, age 6

Adiba: Excellent sandwich maker, age 6

I remember feeling proud. I remembered that feeling while I was writing Meet ClaraBelle Blue and knew that it had to be part of ClaraBelle's story with her mom. It was so important to the story, and the line running through the story "ClaraBelle Blue is just like you" - because it's so true. My relationship with my daughter is *so much* like my childhood relationship with my mom. My daughter is silly and precocious and a total prankster - like ClaraBelle, and probably like your kiddo too. And I think if she could, she'd make me a tunafish and gumdrop sandwich too. And because I'm her mom, I'd eat it. With a smile on my face (but let's be real, as soon as she looked the other way, that bite would go right into my napkin).

What's the most interesting "meal" your kiddo has ever made you?

 

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tags special needs, parenting, kids

Gifts For EVERYONE On Your List!

Adiba Nelson

It's no secret. 

The holidays are hands down the most FAVORITE time of year for the ladies of RCP. The baking, the caroling, the yards and yards and yards of wrapping paper - it's all just wonderful! What we love most though, above anything else - GIFT GIVING!  I think we can all admit that there is nothing better than watching our little ones tear open gift after gift exclaiming  "WOW!" time and time again. It's the best, right?

Well, this year we thought it would be great to compile a little list of companies that have gifts that kids of ALL abilities can enjoy - from toys to clothes and everything in between! We'll highlight a few that we think are particularly amazing, and provide links to others, but all in all, we hope that you just enjoy scrolling through, making your shopping lists, and spreading a little bit of inclusive holiday cheer!

First up....

STORYTIME

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1. Meet ClaraBelle Blue by Adiba Nelson

You didn't think we'd leave our book off the list, did you?

Meet ClaraBelle Blue is the debut children's picture book by Adiba Nelson and the first book of The ClaraBelle Series. Loosley based on Nelson's daughter, Meet ClaraBelle Blue is told through the voice of ClaraBelle's mom, Viola. In this funny, sweet, beautifully illustrated book we get to see how like the other kids ClaraBelle truly is, and children reading it will come to find that what ClaraBelle's mom says in the book is true - "she's ClaraBelle Blue, and she's just like YOU!"

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2. We're Not So Different After All by Lissette Lent

We're Not So Different After All introduces us to the sweet, precocious, always fashionable Maggie Hope. Told through the eyes of her older brother, we learn that just because Maggie has some special needs, and wears red glasses, that doesn't mean that she doesn't love to play and have fun - just like other kids! Don't miss the great conversation starters at the end of this book!

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3. Wonder by RJ Palacio

Wonder, the book that was just made into a major motion picture starring Julia Roberts and Owen Wilson, has remained in the Amazon Top 10 for most of 2017. And it's no surprise. The story of Auggie being the new kid in school is one that all kids can relate to; except that Auggie isn't just the new kid. He's the new kid who looks a little different from the other kids.  Pick up Wonder for the young reader in your life, and then just let the conversations flow. 

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4. Out Of My Mind by Sharon Draper

Written from the viewpoint of Melody Brooks, a young girl with spastic cerebral palsy, who is also non-verbal, Out Of My Mind offers keen insights to the thoughts of someone who cannot communicate in traditional ways. So often people equate physical disability and being non-verbal with lower intelligence.  This book dispels that notion, as well as serves to potentially break down the wall of communication between typically abled, verbal children, and those who are not.  

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5. Decibella and her 6-inch Voice by Julia Cook

Oh Decibella, Decibella. It's hard sometimes to control ourselves in social situations. We don't always know how to act, where to go, or even how loud or not-so-loud to be. This hilarious book is perfect for your little one who might have some issues around social interactions. Decibella and her 6-inch Voice  is sure to be a bedtime favorite!

FASHION FORWARD

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TARGET

Target has SO MANY cute choices in adaptive fashion, for such AFFORDABLE prices! Their new CAT & JACK Adaptive Styles are adorable AND functional. Pullover sweatshirts with hidden openings for easy abdominal access (perfect for feeding tubes, ostomy bags, and insulin pumps), tagless, flat seam tees for our friends with sensory issues, and easy-dress pajamas and jackets! Snap closure, side access and removable sleeves make Target a natural go-to for holiday shopping that won't break the bank! Click each photo for a larger view. PRICE RANGE: $4.50 - $39.99

TOMMY HILFIGER

If you've got some wiggle room in your wallet, check out the new TOMMY ADAPTIVE line from fashion magnate, Tommy Hilfiger. Popular in the mid-late 90's for his classic, easy style, he's back, and thinking about fashion for ALL. With button down shirts that hide magnet closures, and adjustable width pant legs that make room for AFO's (ankle-foot orthotics), the line is as inclusive as it is cute! Click on the images for larger views. PRICE RANGE: $11.99 - $100.00

NIKE/CONVERSE

If your kiddo wears AFOs (Ankle Foot Orthotics) you know how difficult it is to find cute shoes that actually FIT the braces. The ones they give you with your braces are not what we would call....fashion forward...or even sports friendly. However Nike and Converse (coincidentally both under the same parent company), have designed quite a few styles that work incredibly well for fitting AFOs, and also allow for independent dressing! SO RAD! Click the pictures for a larger view. PRICE RANGE: $29.97 - $90.00

#PLAYALLDAY

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So, we could dedicate an entire blog post to JUST toys that work in a gazillion different ways for all of our friends and their various needs, but luckily we don't have to! Toys 'R Us has already done all the work for us! Click on the image below to be taken directly to their Toy Guide for Differently Abled Kids, and search for toys that fit your kiddos specific needs - from social to sensory to language and motor. It's all in ONE PLACE! Scroll down a little further and you'll find their recommended apps! We just love this guide so much, we had to share it with you!

And there you have it - our handy guide that will *hopefully* help with your holiday shopping! Have a wonderful, WONDERFUL holiday season!

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categories ACCESSIBLE LIFESTYLE, SPECIAL BULLETIN
tags holidays, special needs, gifts, disability, christmas, hannukah