Writing about life, motherhood, disability advocacy and more.

On Giving our Kids More

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Thanks for supporting sponsors here on TLM. There are two things I’m becoming surprisingly strict about as a mom: my children spending time outdoors and my children eating healthy food. Nature and nurture you could say. Certainly these aren’t “surprising” parenting concerns to most people, but as a latch-key kid of the late 80’s and...

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Special Needs Spotlight || Jackson

Friday, September 2, 2016

Dear readers, this is an extra special special needs spotlight. Grab some tissues and then settle in. You will be so glad you took the time to read this. XO, Miggy Hi! I’m Claire, wife to amazing, kind, Kevin and mama to the three most amazing kids I could ever imagine: Jackson, Charlie, and Adele....

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LaurenSeptember 2, 2016 - 12:41 pm
Oh my heart is breaking for this family! That is so amazing that the mom took the time to share her sweet son with us. I think I will make it a goal this weekend to go out of my way to be kind to a random person in honor of Jackson.ReplyCancel
AnonymousSeptember 2, 2016 - 4:10 pm
Thank you for sharing your story and I am so sorry for your loss.ReplyCancel
KatieSeptember 2, 2016 - 4:21 pm
Tearing up over this spotlight. Thank you so much for your example of kindness and love in the face of such difficult circumstances and for sharing your sweet son and family!ReplyCancel
UnknownSeptember 2, 2016 - 4:55 pm
May we all have the light of Jackson and love of his mama. XxReplyCancel
KimSeptember 2, 2016 - 7:37 pm
Her last paragraph about parenting a dying child, and the opportunity it gives you to stop worry about all the STUFF and just love them…..that was beautiful and really resonates. Thank you!!ReplyCancel
Amie RikkeSeptember 3, 2016 - 12:11 am
Claire, thank you for sharing such a tender, precious part of your life. Your children are blessed to have you as their mom, and I pray you and your husband continue to grow together in love.
What an honor to Jackson. Thank you.ReplyCancel
KerriSeptember 3, 2016 - 3:50 am
Thank you for this. I have older children who I love dearly, but parenting teens has its challenges. This reminded me to love them for who they are, not what they do, to appreciate the gifts they are to me. I loved this interview so much. ReplyCancel
- AnonymousSeptember 5, 2016 - 2:24 am
  AMEN! You took the words right out of my mouth. I have 4 teens right now, I love them with every part of me but my gosh, I'm finding the days long and the headaches frequent. This was such a great reminder to love them. ReplyCancel
SarahSeptember 5, 2016 - 5:44 am
My daughter passed away 12 years ago. It's strange to type that number, strange that the earth keeps turning, I kept breathing, and somehow it's been 12 years since I last held her. My stomach drops when I learn of another parent losing their child. I'm sorry you have to feel that pain. The best thing someone (who had also lost a child) said to me was: because you have felt such deep sadness, you are now capable of feeling greater joy. Claire, I've found that to be true. The sadness is always there, but when the joy comes it is wonderful. All my love to your family. Thank you for sharing about Jackson. Say his mame out loud to yourself every once in a while. It's good.ReplyCancel
- SarahSeptember 5, 2016 - 5:46 am
  *name*ReplyCancel

Oregon Family Reunion Top 5

Wednesday, August 31, 2016

I wanted to do a recap of our family reunion in Oregon this past summer, but instead of just a random recap I liked the idea of doing a Top 5 list. We spent the majority of our time in Salem, but traveled around a bit to Portland, Albany and the coast as well. Some...

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Special Needs Spotlight || Fragile X Siblings

Friday, August 26, 2016

Hi. I’m Rachael. I’m married to a fantastic and fantastically handsome man, Marc. We have 3 children ages 16, 11 and 6, whom all have what is called Fragile X Syndrome. Marc and I love adventure and friendship and we try very hard to include out children in as much as we can despite their...

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Eat: Brie + Mango Quesadillas

Wednesday, August 24, 2016

This is one of my very favorite lunch indulgences of all time: brie + mango quesadillas. I got the recipe from a blog that no longer exists (Fresh365) and seriously loved all her recipes. I’m not sure why she shut down her site but I wish she’d come back! Her recipes were so delicious! And...

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S C H O O L + How to Navigate a Special Needs Encounter

Monday, August 22, 2016

It’s that time of year again… school supplies, new shoes, school lunches. It’s all so exciting! For the first few weeks anyway. This year also marks a new beginning for us as we now have TWO girls in all day school. It feels both strange and exciting. More time with my littlest one and more...

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LaurenAugust 22, 2016 - 6:15 pm
This is great, thank you! My daughter just started kindergarten and not having any experience with differently-abled kids before, I realized today (after reading) that we probably should talk about how to react if she meets someone at school that she has questions about! ReplyCancel
- MigonAugust 25, 2016 - 2:46 am
  So glad you found it helpful! I hope the conversation went (or goes) well. ReplyCancel
JGAugust 23, 2016 - 8:00 pm
Thanks so much for this. I am going to use it with my preschool classes. It is never too young to learn. BTW … I check in regularly and enjoy reading your posts. ReplyCancel
- MigonAugust 25, 2016 - 2:48 am
  So great. Personally I don't think we can start teaching these things too young…the younger the better as the more "normal" it will seem. Because disability is a normal part of life. ReplyCancel
ShannonAugust 24, 2016 - 1:55 am
Would you discuss how to navigate a special needs encounter as an adult? With an special needs adult or child? I never know what the best thing to do is, except behave exactly as I would with any other person. However, I am a nursing student, I'm curious, and I want to ask questions, but I 100% do not want to cross boundaries or offend. I don't always have the best social skills either so I tend to second-guess myself with the result of not saying anything/interacting at all even when it would be appropriate. What do you think? Do you have any advice?ReplyCancel
- MigonAugust 25, 2016 - 3:05 am
  Shannon,
  
  Thank you for asking. It's a good question and one that should probably be addressed more. You are exactly correct in that when meeting a disabled person you should behave exactly as you would with any other person.
  
  And while I certainly understand your curiosity as it pertains to your profession, in my opinion it is inappropriate to ask probing questions about a person's disability for your own curiosity–especially a person you just met. Even if that curiosity is rooting in your professional life. Maybe think about it like other private matters of a person's life–would you ask a person you just met about details about their divorce? No, but maybe if you get to know them a little and they say things here or there, you can ask. Relationship has a lot to do with it.
  
  There are two spotlights I did recently of adult women who have disabilities and the issues they face in public regarding people who comment on their bodies, have questions, offer help, PRAY OVER their bodies is quite alarming. One woman specifically said when she finally got to her 30's she realized she didn't have to answer people's questions about her body if she didn't want to. The disabled do not own anyone any explanations about their body or their disability. I hope I don't sound harsh, but I really do think this is important to understand. Here are the two spotlights if you want to read them for yourself:
  
  http://www.thislittlemiggy.com/2016/01/special-needs-spotlight-rebekah.html
  
  http://www.thislittlemiggy.com/2016/07/special-needs-spotlight-elizabeth.html
  
  Thanks again for asking and again I am not trying to sound rude, but rather emphatic.And before I had a daughter and starting interviewing families I would not have known this myself. Again, this is my own opinion and probably a boundary I've crossed before as well, but as Oprah says, "When you know better, you do better." XOReplyCancel
- NicholeSeptember 16, 2016 - 12:07 am
  Thank you for your comment Miggy, and for those links. "you don't own anyone any explanations about your body or your disability" is something I will definitely teach my daughter! ReplyCancel
AnonymousAugust 24, 2016 - 6:16 pm
What a beautiful little girl!ReplyCancel
- MigonAugust 25, 2016 - 3:05 am
  Thank you! I think they're all beautiful!ReplyCancel
HeatherAugust 24, 2016 - 10:18 pm
Thank you for your advice. It is really insightful and practical. Have you seen the new (I think) "Disability" series in the New York Times? ReplyCancel
- MigonAugust 25, 2016 - 3:06 am
  No I haven't. I'll have to check it out.ReplyCancel
May ozoneSeptember 6, 2016 - 8:49 am
Lovely girl. She's look so beautifulReplyCancel
NicholeSeptember 15, 2016 - 10:59 pm
Thank you so much for this. I've been one who has maintained a "polite" distance from those with disabilities, smiling from afar and giving a wide berth. Until I had a daughter with special physical needs. Because of her, I'm learning to do better, to connect with the person behind the disability. I'm so intrigued by the idea of better educating myself, then helping educators and elementary aged children. So, I love these tips. Do you have any ideas for how to develop a visual presentation?ReplyCancel
AnonymousJuly 9, 2018 - 4:10 pm
Different issue, but how would you explain cognitive differences to young kids? My daughter cried at a birthday party when another kid grabbed food off her plate and scared her with some other unusual behavior. She also has a non-verbal kid in her kindergarten class. We've been explaining that some people have "a different kind of brain."ReplyCancel

Special Needs Spotlight || Olivia

Friday, August 19, 2016

Our family of 5 live in Davenport, Iowa. Mike and I (Katy) have 3 girls. Bella just turned 9, Lexi will be 8 next week, and Olivia is 4 ½.We also have a bird Keyko and dog Bandit. At 7 months we found a fracture in Olivia’s left lower leg. After a few months they...

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