Special Needs Homeschooling
A Thousand Simple Kindnesses
By;Dr.;Anne;Margaret;Wright
Leave some time for joy—it might be the best investment you ever make.
As my husband and I have homeschooled our beloved children with special needs, we have had our hearts re-freshed;by;a;thousand;simple;kindnesses.
We;have;five;beautiful;kids:;two;through
birth, who are both gifted and delightful, and three through adoption, all of
whom;have;Down;syndrome;and;bring
much;joy;to;our;hearts.;We;have;dealt
with adoptions, communication difficulties, developmental disabilities, and
many,;many;medical;issues.;Sometimes
we are tired and stressed, as is bound to
happen occasionally on this path. We
have also been awed and humbled as we
have found God to be ever faithful and
ever loving. Friends, family members,
our church, medical staff, and sometimes
even strangers have come alongside to
refresh;us—through;gestures;both;large
and small.
Is;there;a;special;family;in;your;life
whom;you;would;like;to;help;and;en-courage, but you’re not sure where to
start?;Even;simple;gestures;can;make;a
huge impact in someone’s life! Here are a
few;ideas;to;get;you;started:
Physical Needs
Often the most immediate and the easi-
est;to;see,;physical;needs;are;more;easily
met than emotional or spiritual needs.
Especially during emergency periods,
such;as;surgery,;hospital;stays,;or;other
immediate crises, it’s a safe bet to start
by;meeting;some;of;the;family’s;physi-
cal needs:
• Listen, listen, listen! Most families
have learned many creative ways to
deal with their child’s special needs.
Listen,;and;they;can;help;you;under-
stand how best to help.
• It’s the old standby, to be sure, but
bringing a meal in the midst of a crisis
can;be;extremely;helpful.
•;Offer;to;pick;up;their;mail,;babysit;the
kids, water their plants, feed the dog,
wash the car, mow the lawn, repair
something,;run;an;errand,;pay;a;bill,
or whatever seems appropriate to the
situation.
•;Allow;flexibility;in;your;relationship.
Don’t;ask;more;than;they;can;do.
•;Learn;all;you;can;about;the;particular
challenges;of;the;child;so;that;you;can
understand the unique issues the fam-ily;is;facing.
•;Think;about;anything;they’ve;mentioned
being;stressed;about;that;you;could;rea-sonably;take;care;of;for;them.;Or;think
about;what;you;might;need;in;the;same
circumstance. Don’t underestimate the
value of doing something simple that
takes a burden off their shoulders!
