Special Needs Children

Each one of us thinks that our children are unique and special. And we are all right, they are. Each child comes with his or her own unique set of talents and gifts that enrich the lives of those lucky enough to know them. However, some of us are challenged more than others.

Some parents have children who have special needs. On one end of the spectrum, they can be developmentally delayed, emotionally delayed, or physically delayed. If the experience of having a child wasn't enough, these parents face additional challenges and must make modifications to any program they seek to use. On the opposite side of the scale, is another group of parents with gifted children. They too must face additional challenges and must modify any curriculum they use.

Both of these types of parents struggle with the decision of whether or not they are making the right decision for their child. They are often faced with ridicule by the very people who should be supporting them. If you know any family in one of these situations, please provide support, love, guidance, and prayers for them as they year on this difficult, often rocky but so rewarding journey.

For my family, my oldest child is extremely gifted. My middle child is moderately gifted, and the baby of the family I am still figuring out. My challenge is not seeking curriculum that is challenging enough but finding a curriculum that is challenging but not overly mature for my crew. My decisions are often questioned as many feel that I push my children to hard. In reality, the opposite is true. My to-do list is never quite enough. They are always left with the task of wanting and needing more. To delve deeper has been a mainstay of what we do around here. To see all sides of the story and to draw our own conclusions. For your family, it maybe different.

This is my warning for all of those trying to follow in my footsteps... if your child is "average" you will want to follow a year or two behind. If your child is "gifted" feel free to follow along on our journey. There is a lot of information on this site for a lot of diffrent types of people. I hope it will help you all on your own individual journeys. I wish you all the best of luck!