Posts pertaining to family life in general or how mental health issues impact it.
It’s back to school time and I couldn’t be happier! Summer break is nice when it first starts but by the end, the days seem endless and whatever structure that was there is out the window. The first day of school starts a new season of routines and the end of chaos. This year I’veRead more
When something in life happens that pulls the rug completely out from under you, things can get pretty ugly pretty quick. Your whole world seems to shatter around you and there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. There is no steadying yourself or jumping back up on your feet right away. You areRead more
Everyone has fears about raising their children. That is one thing that parents of typical children and parents of special needs children share. Is my child happy? Will my child make friends? How safe is my child? With parents of disabled children though these questions take on a whole new level of stress. Along withRead more
Divorce is such an ugly thing. I wish that I could write about something else right now, but this word ‘divorce’ has consumed my entire existence these days. Twenty years is a long time to share a life with someone. To have that tie severed is traumatic. Especially when one of the parties involved hadRead more
We have returned from our trip to Disney. I wish I could say that it was the truly world changing, mind-lifting event I was so hoping I would be. For all the planning I did where Ry was concerned, I forgot one other major component – me and my depression. It’s no secret that I’veRead more
Today I had planned to post “The Truth About Self Harm” but we are going to Disney this week. It is supposed to be a week of wonder and magic. I don’t want to curse it by posting about something so dark and morose. This week will be a good one. I refuse to beRead more
Parents of special needs children face stress and anxiety daily. There’s really no way around it. From the moment we realize our children are different or are diagnosed a wall of tension crashes down on us. Life becomes filled with questions of the unknown. What does this diagnosis mean for my child? Will he everRead more
One thing that most people don’t think about when speaking about mental illness is how that disorder affects the family as a whole. We usually talk about the person who deals with the mental illness; how they can cope, tips on self-care, what to do if such-and-such happens, etc. Rarely, do we hear about theRead more
Our family will be going to Disney next month to help my mother celebrate her 70th birthday. It is going to be a big family vacation. We are excited because we haven’t had the opportunity to go to Disney with the kids yet – so it’s a big deal. What I’m not excited about isRead more
Raising a child with special needs is demanding even in the best of circumstances. Add depression to the mix and things can get even more challenging. I have Major Depressive Disorder and I’m raising a son with severe autism. The depression adds a tricky layer to our family dynamic. We are not alone though. ParentsRead more