Author Archives: Linda Hansen

Boy Crazy

My mother had two, my sister had three, and my brother had four! What did they have that I didn’t? Little girls. My family is abundant with females. I have seven nieces and they in turn had a multitude of baby girls. I, on the other hand, had one baby boy. He grew up and had two baby boys. When we took custody of two children, they were boys. A year later we took temporary custody of…one more boy. Five out of six of our cats are boys. My whole life revolves around the male psyche. In my teen dating … Continue reading →

Nocturnal Enuresis: Bed Wetting

“I’m sorry, I wet the bed again”. We became familiar with this phrase soon after the boys moved in. Even more frequently, there would be no declaration of an accident, simply wet sheets and pajamas, discovered after the boys left for school. During our first visit with Randy’s psychiatrist, I discussed his bedwetting issues with her and asked for suggestions. This was my first experience with the problem and I had no idea how to deal with it. Randy had gone through a medical exam to rule out a physical problem. His doctor told me in her opinion his problem … Continue reading →

Helping Your Child Achieve His Personal Best

Teaching your child to achieve his best takes a serious commitment. To learn and grow requires effort and the ability to be able to peak your child’s desire to achieve the goal you have helped him set for himself. His personal goal can vary due to his disability. Whether his objective is to master speech impairment, overcome emotional issues, or learn to walk unassisted, he must have the tools needed to help him reach his goal. The key to learning is desire. To begin, set a target goal and a time frame to achieve it. There is something about charts, … Continue reading →

Forgetting to Remember-Part 2

Memory is the ability to store, organize, and recall information in the brain. Having a memory deficit means a slower response to problem solving, a shorter attention span, poor concentration, and the inability or slower response to recalling information already processed. Poor memory skills are a common symptom in many learning disabled children, including our youngest child Daniel. We have crossed many “disability bridges” since the boys came to live with us. We are now in the process of learning how to cope with and improve poor memory. Our first step will be to talk to Daniel’s pediatrician. He recently … Continue reading →

Forgetting to Remember: Part 1

Does your child forget easily? Do you have to repeat instructions or remind your child on a regular basis? Many learning disabled kids have the symptom of poor memory. Daniel, our youngest, falls in this category. The old saying, “You’d lose your head if it wasn’t screwed on”, pretty much describes his ability to remember things. We have a weekly chart to help him remember his daily chores, including tooth brushing and flossing, walking the dog, emptying the trash, etc. I strategically place post-it reminders in areas to help him remember to do whatever he needs to on a given … Continue reading →

Mainstreaming Our Learning Disabled Child

Yesterday we had our annual ARD Meeting for our high school freshman. For the first time, Randy was present. I enjoyed having him interact at the meeting. I was pleased with his behavior; he was well mannered, respectful and sat up straight, legs under the table. He displayed self-confidence and answered all questions in an easy manner. He made direct eye contact with everyone he spoke to at the table and displayed his charming smile when appropriate. We have come a long way since the first day, two and a half years ago, when I enrolled him in seventh grade. … Continue reading →

Stinky Pinky

Several months ago, we received a phone call from my sister, the animal advocate. She had temporary custody of a white female boxer. The dog was approximately three to four years old, was overused for breeding purposes, and had been physically abused. Would we be interested in adopting her? She knew our circumstances. I had an older poodle when the boys came to live with us. She was my mom’s dog and when my mother passed away she transferred her emotional dependence to me. She was not a child’s dog in any way. Prissy was a miniature apricot poodle, advanced … Continue reading →

The Watermelon Cat and Mr. Bones

When the boys first arrived in our home, to describe them as traumatized would be an understatement. They were ages twelve and nine at the time. The boys had been placed in a shelter by CPS (Children’s Protective Service) after being removed from their mother’s care. She was drug addicted and jobless. They had no permanent home and moved from place to place every few weeks. The boys had experienced hunger, deplorable living conditions, exposure to a criminal element, and left most of the time to fend for themselves. They both had an assortment of physical and emotional issues. By … Continue reading →

Little Stevie Wonderful

One balmy night in 1963, I turned the big stereo “hifi” on and heard Little Stevie Wonder for the first time. It was an unusually warm night in the winter, even for Galveston. The ocean breeze was blowing in through the open windows and I was home alone. I remember hearing the harmonica and thinking what a catchy tune. It was “Fingertips Part 1”. I was hooked on Stevie Wonder; he and I were both twelve years old when he released that song. I learned later he was blind at birth, played not only the harmonica, but had also mastered … Continue reading →

Independence Day

Teaching your special needs child to be independent in his thinking and actions doesn’t have to be a daunting task; it can be a new chapter in your lives together. Preparing him for adult life is an adventure you can both share and an opportunity for you to teach your child about the journey into adulthood. As a parent, your first concern is his safety and wellbeing. It’s normal to nurture. However, there comes a time in your life when you are no longer able to provide some or all of your child’s daily needs. Preparing your special needs child … Continue reading →