Coupons for Special Moms
Download and print these coupons that give Mom what she really wants -- victory in an argument, an acknowledgment of rightness, escape from homework help, a good cry, the right to throw a tantrum of her own now and then without everybody falling apart, carte blanche in discipline decision-making, a meaningful talk, even something so simple as an uninterrupted bath. And moms, there's no rule that says you can't go ahead and print these out for yourself and force your family to honor them. There's even one obligating your spouse to read IEPs and all those important articles that usually just pile up on the table.More »
Love Notes Mother's Day Cards
Store-bought Mother's Day cards are nice, but they often don't quite capture the challenges and triumphs of mothering a child with special needs. (Plus, if you forget to go to the store and buy them, you're out of luck.) The collection of Mother's Day cards on this About.com Parenting Special Needs site can be downloaded, printed, folded, and given without a special trip, and with sentiments from the Love Notes for Special Parents gallery on the front, they pay tribute to the meaningful and unique things that special moms do. Need a card for a different occasion? Choose from a variety of inside messages, plus a blank version for a love note of your own.More »
Books By and For Moms
Realistically, just about every book about parenting children with special needs is a book for moms, but some draw more specifically on a mother's perspective in sharing personal stories or experienced advice. I've gathered a dozen books reviewed for the Harried Parent's Book Club that would make good gifts for mothers or good reading for moms who actually get a moment or two to sit down with a book. For more reviews on books of particular interest to moms, check out the index for family issues,cookbooks,humor and inspiration, and parenting strategies, or just browse the alphabetical shelves to find something that looks right for you.More »
A Special-Needs Mother's Day Wish List
As Mother's Day nears, commercials try to convince gift-givers that what Mom wants is a piece of jewelry, a bouquet of flowers, a nice lunch somewhere fancy. Moms of kids with special needs can only imagine the tantrums their child will throw at the restaurant, the allergies to flowers, the way a necklace can be yanked from a neck. Instead of listening to marketers, listen to what Mom asks for all through the year and so rarely gets -- a little support, a little sharing of the load, a little backup in tense situations, a little help organizing the 500 pounds of reports that accumulate around kids with special needs.More »
Love Notes for Special Parents
The notes of encouragement and inspiration featured on the Mother's Day cards above are also available in designed squares suitable for framing, for just taping up next to a desk or sticking to a bulletin board, or for e-mailing to a mom who needs a lift. Pick one or a bunch that celebrate the qualities of the mom in question -- there are 28 to choose from. Reassure mom that "You Are Strong," "You Are an Expert," "You Are a Good Parent," "You Make a Difference," "You Deserve Respect," "You Try Hard," "You Have Superpowers," and more. The notes are also available in calendar form -- print and give one for each month left in the year.More »
Pay Tribute to Special Mothers and Grandmothers
Have something nice to say about a mother of a child with special needs? Don't just jot it on a card, make a public display of appreciation by leaving a message on the Readers Respond page for paying tribute to special mothers. Your words will be added to a list on this site as a continuing symbol of your respect and admiration. Don't forget the special grandmothers, either, the ones who really "get it" and become an important source of love and support to families of kids with special needs. There's a Readers Respond page for them, too.More »