Blog on parenting SN kiddo & church

Re: Blog on parenting SN kiddo & church

• ToastieSimons member

  February 2012

  Our church knows everything.  We share openly with our pastor, his wife and our close sunday school group.  Some people don't know everything because they're not as involved in our social circle, but if they ask I share. 

  Our church has been crucial to our success with grieving.  Our congregation is about 200 people and we have an 8yr old with autism, a boy who is undiagnosed (we're close with his grandparents and he's often passed back and forth to them from his mother so he unfortunately doesn't seem to get all the support he needs), a high schooler with asperger's.  Another family has a grown son with CP and we have a family who adopted children with special needs (they're grown adults now in their 40's).  

  Our church is very involved with www.joniandfriends.org and their organization came and held a seminar about disability ministry.  Our church is trying to plan out how to make the preschool sunday school classrooms accessible for DS.  They're upstairs and they could just switch it with a downstairs classroom, but what happens if someone comes in a wheelchair in that group?  Our church also got a sizeable grant from two sister's for church ministry.  We're doing an entire church mission with Habitat for Humanity and we've upgraded our video equipment.  The third part is to enhance the church to help minister to our daily community and one project their considering is turning the playground into a complete handicap accessible playground to be open to everyone.  

  Whenever DS has been in the hospital or we need a last minute babysitter our church is always available.  Most try very hard to understand and accept DS as he is and not treat him differently.  They send us cards and call us often.  I don't know where we would be without them.

  To my boys:  I will love you for you Not for what you have done or what you will become I will love you for you I will give you the love The love that you never knew
  

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• malcivar member

  February 2012

  You!!!! Tears at work ... well at least I can blame it on the pregnancy hormones.  Not really a big church person but thank you for sharing that with us.

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

  
  

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• MirandaHobbes member

  February 2012

  I posted a long time ago about finding a church that was compatible with kids with autism. On one hand, a small community would be nice because everyone would know DS and support him. On the other hand, a larger church might actually have other ASD kids, or provide some directly related support. Last April, as part of autism awareness month, a local mega-church near us unveiled a program for kids with autism and other behavioral problems. They trained jr. high and high school students to be a "buddy" to younger kids with ASDs, ADHD, etc. The older student would accompany the younger kid to sunday school classes and help him out. I couldn't think of a more perfect program for our DS- he loves older kids, especially boys. Unfortunately DS and I are conflicted over the church itself- it's a denomination that's basically opposite what we're used to. We said we'd at least try it out but haven't yet. Anyway, just wanted to share, hopefully programs like this will become more prevelant.

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• MaxandRuby member

  February 2012

  We have started going to a newer church just in the past couple of months. The room that DS2 goes in knows about him because they need to and when he goes to the next room I'll be telling them also. I don't recall if we have actually told the pastor or not. I'm not nearly as shy about telling people about DS2's CP diagnosis as I used to be but I don't necessarily offer it up either. Since we are so new to the church, I haven't really made a lot of friends yet. It is a smaller church too but I like it. Everyone seems pretty cool and accepting of DS2 so it makes me feel good and not quite as nervous to share DS2's challenges.
  

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