A Special Kind of Love: For Those Who Love Children With Special Needs

Rating:
Summary: A Book of Enablement
Review: If you have a special needs child, get this book. If you know of someone with a special needs child, get this book for them. They'll be encouraged by others who've worked through the special social and fatigue issues of their parenting. Besides sharing from their own experiences with mentally and physically handicapped or chronically ill children and grandchildren, the authors have invited other special-needs parents to get to the heart issues of their lives. The book is chock full of practical stories, like having a coming-home party when a sick child came home from the hospital. Or a "Blessings Jar" to help them focus on the positive. Having a trusted male relative take a wheel-chaired teen to the prom so she wouldn't be "dateless." Keeping thank-you cards in the car for when someone extends special grace. Printing up business cards to hand out when an autistic child has a public "inappropriate behavior" episode. Writing notes to curious neighbors about your special needs child, and inviting them to support the charity seeking a cure for the problem. There's so much more. You'll be glad you bought the book. I'm sharing mine with a friend with a special needs child to encourage her that she's not alone in her task.

Rating:
Summary: A Book of Enablement
Review: If you have a special needs child, get this book. If you know of someone with a special needs child, get this book for them. They'll be encouraged by others who've worked through the special social and fatigue issues of their parenting. Besides sharing from their own experiences with mentally and physically handicapped or chronically ill children and grandchildren, the authors have invited other special-needs parents to get to the heart issues of their lives. The book is chock full of practical stories, like having a coming-home party when a sick child came home from the hospital. Or a "Blessings Jar" to help them focus on the positive. Having a trusted male relative take a wheel-chaired teen to the prom so she wouldn't be "dateless." Keeping thank-you cards in the car for when someone extends special grace. Printing up business cards to hand out when an autistic child has a public "inappropriate behavior" episode. Writing notes to curious neighbors about your special needs child, and inviting them to support the charity seeking a cure for the problem. There's so much more. You'll be glad you bought the book. I'm sharing mine with a friend with a special needs child to encourage her that she's not alone in her task.

Rating:
Summary: A special book for special families
Review: When I first heard about this book, I figured it would be another compilation filled with a few great stories with the rest being just okay. As soon I read the first few pages I knew I was wrong.
If you have a special needs child, or you know someone who does, then this is a wonderful book to read. The format of the most incredible stories with the follow up comments by the authors makes this book both enjoyable and informative. The spiritual applications are strong without being puhy. The pictures of tthese special children added much to the book and made me want to read the stories again. There's something exhilarating about reading how every day families cope in extraordinary ways with the hands they have been dealt. This is the kind of resource that needs to be around for years to come.