SpoonieSpawn

don't punish mistakes. don't punish kids for their support needs. remain calm, love them through it, hold their hand, laugh with them. remember that everything you do and say to them in those moments will translate to how they treat themselves and others in the future around similar moments.

https://static.project2025.org/2025_MandateForLeadership_FULL.pdf

Low spoon day? Still have to be a functional parent? Here’s some ways to entertain your little one when you feel like shit and have to save your energy for diaper changes. My kid is only 9 months old so these are mostly aimed her age and younger but lots of them can be adapted to older kids as well. 1. Sing. When I was recovering from childbirth and couldn’t do much physically I bonded with baby by singing. She’s older now and still loves it when I sing to her. She even dances. Sometimes I do little hand motions for the “itsy-bitsy spider” or “I’m a little teapot” folk songs from my couch perch. 2. Peek-a-boo. This is good for child development via object permanence. Hide under a blanket and then pop out. 3. Talk and snuggle. 4. Read books together. The more new words a baby hears, the better for their budding language skills. Books introduce not just stories, but bonding time, pictures, and object interaction. I use board books because my child is very grabby and destructive. 5. Watch cartoons and cuddle. When you hear you should keep kids away from screen time, the most important reason for that is that it is non-interactive. I believe there is nothing wrong with screen time (in moderation) if it is interactive. Tell the kid what they are seeing, explain the show. Ask them what they like about the characters, even if they can’t answer you yet. 6. Lay on the floor and let the kid interact with you. You don’t have to move around a whole lot to stack blocks or play with plushies or roll a ball around. 7. Bath time. Sometimes I need to soak my sore muscles, so kill two birds with one stone and wash the kid at the same time. Make this into a fun activity with bath toys and playful splashing. (This is best for kids old enough to sit up independently; I bathed her in her infant bath by herself before she was old enough for joint bath time). 8. Just show the kid all the things you are doing and narrate yourself. Babies are fascinated by you.

Ever try explaining MS to a child? It isn’t always easy. To help children understand what you or a loved one may be experiencing, watch this animated video—You See, I See—together.

But this year families in Chicago and beyond are reaching out to kids who can’t eat peanuts, milk or other common allergens by putting a teal-colored pumpkin on their front porches as a signal that they are handing out treats that are safe.

Going back to school with a #chronicillness can be difficult. Here are some tips to help you.#Backtoschool #InvisibleIllness http://ow.ly/dq3230lEcv1