8 minute read
Dinner’s Ready
They tackle everything together! When you are a family of 10 and have a child with special needs, you have no choice but to be a team.
Loren and Adam have eight children together, the oldest being 12 and the youngest recently turning one. Most would agree having eight beautiful children and driving a 12-passenger van is pretty unique in and of itself, but the couple also has their son Jaxon, who was diagnosed with non-verbal autism at two years old.
“My journey has been very unexpected but appreciated. Not only am I a mother, I am a special needs mother... two very different things,” Loren shared. “Learning of my son’s diagnosis changed my life, my family’s lives, our future and the lives of others that we hadn’t even met yet. Our life revolves around my Jaxson even though we have seven other children.”
Cooking in the household is something Loren loves to do. The children will jump in and get involved in the process, especially when Pizza Pasta is on the menu. This is a family favorite; they often make two pans, so there is enough for everyone to eat and have leftovers. Cooking for a large family often means that not everyone will eat what’s for dinner. However, with the exception of Jaxson, this is one meal the whole family looks forward to. “Every night and day, Jaxson eats the same meal: Banquet popcorn chicken with a side of ruffled potato chips,” said Loren. He doesn’t waiver from this meal, even if the family is away from home all day or on a family vacation. “We bring his bag, Toy Story plate, chicken, chips, and water.”
When the family isn’t eating at home, they often opt for buffets where everything is quick and there are many options. But, even then, Jaxson will have his bag packed and ready to go.
“My kids and this family we have created bring me the most joy. Is our family crazy? Yes, absolutely…but it is a beautiful kind of crazy,” Loren said. “Our dynamic can sometimes be wild, but the love is high. We keep God at the center and hold on to him as tightly as we can. God blessed us with this family and entrusted us to care for these littles. We want to glorify him and do the best we can. Our special needs baby, now growing to be a beautiful young man, has blessed us beyond what I could have imagined. Jaxson is a light to so many. I always want to share parts of his story to be a glimmer of encouragement.”
The Cooley’s Pizza Pasta
Ingredients
• Two rolls of sausage (one hot, one mild) • One 5 oz bag of small pepperoni minis • Mozzarella chunks (your desired amount) • 4 cups shredded mozzarella • 8 cups Colby Jack shredded cheese • 2 boxes bow tie pasta • 2 66 oz jars of Ragu spaghetti sauce
Directions
Brown and drain sausage, set to the side. Cook pasta as directed on box, set aside. In a large mixing bowl, add toppings (sausage, pepperoni minis, any others you desire), mozzarella chunks, spaghetti sauce, the Colby Jack shredded cheese and the pasta. Mix and divide into two greased cooking pans. (I add spices to taste, including oregano, garlic powder, and onion powder. If you want it spicy, go ahead and add red pepper flakes.) Cover with mozzarella shreds and top with pepperoni like a pizza. Bake on 350 for 50 minutes or until bubbly.
Note: You can also add olives, bell pepper, onion, Canadian bacon and any pizza toppings you want. It’s a super fun dish to make with kids.
Gabriele has been married to her husband Daniel for 16 years. Together they have three incredible children - two boys, ages 15 and eight, and a sweet girl who joined the family last summer. She is a full time Pink Cadillac Sales Director for Mary Kay Cosmetics. When she isn’t spending time with family or building her business, she supports her husband who is the Lead Pastor and Planter of Forward Church in Foley.
Like any other kids, kids with special needs are diverse, and many educational apps can help them with their specific needs. Here are some of the best ones, and they’re all free. So if you’re a parent or caregiver of children with special needs, check them out, and then download the ones that are the most useful and fun.
(Available at Apple Appstore; Google Play)
This app is great for kids who need help practicing their oral communication skills. They can either upload or take a picture of themselves, draw a mouth, and then record anything they want to say. It’s particularly useful if you’re having a difficult conversation at home and your kids find it easier to express their views through an avatar rather than directly to you. It can also be useful in school if your kids require extra time composing an answer to a teacher’s question. They can record and re-record their response until they get it just the way they want it.
Coach.me
(Available at: Apple Appstore; Google Play)
Drawing on the latest psychological and behavioral research, this is a great app that assumes that a key to achieving one’s goals is to develop good, consistent habits. Users decide which habits they’d like to develop, track those habits over time, receive reminders, and then get positive feedback (high-fives) when they reach their goals. Depending on their age and maturity, your kids can either use this app on their own or with a little help from you.
Emotionary
(Available at: Apple Appstore; Google Play)
If you want to help your kids better understand other people’s emotions, the best thing you can do is help them better understand their own. This app has more than 100 short, dictionary-style definitions of common emotions, each accompanied by an emoticon. This helps kids develop a rich vocabulary for expressing their emotions, and it teaches them coping skills so that they don’t become overwhelmed by their emotions. They can create their own emoticons for emotions they think aren’t included in the app but are really important to them.
iOT Session
(Available: Apple Appstore)
Created by a wellknown occupational therapist, Dr. Frederick Covington, this app features lots of kid-friendly, game-like exercises aimed at improving their visual perception, tracking, and coordination. It also improves fine motor skills, especially kids’ ability to create proper letters. The app is used by occupational therapists everywhere, but your kids can use it too, either on their own or with your help, to track their progress over time.
MindShift CBT
(Available at: Apple Appstore; Google Play)
Based on cognitive behavioral therapy, which is widely used, this app teaches kids how to deal with different anxiety-provoking situations like conflicts, social situations, and tests. It features tools that help users relax, practice mindfulness, and re-orient their thoughts. It has audio recordings with guided mediations, a journal for users to record thoughts that make them the most anxious, and general tips for managing anxiety.
(Available at: Apple Appstore)
This social skills app teaches kids how to interact with different kinds of people that they encounter in their daily lives, such as grocery store clerks, hairdressers, doctors, and restaurant waiters. It has 12-photo slideshows that model kids engaging in appropriate behaviors with people in different settings.
My Little Suitcase
(Available at: Apple Appstore)
This game-like app, which can be played by up to four people, enhances kids’ ability to memorize and match items. Similar to the popular card game Memory, each player has a suitcase with six different items represented on a small card that is faced down. Players take turns turning the cards over. If the card is theirs, they put it in their suitcase. If not, it’s the next player’s turn. Aside from improving their working memory and retention skills, they learn how to focus, categorize, and engage in proper turn-taking. It’s a great game for the whole family. ESP
Tanni Haas, Ph.D. is a Professor in the Department of Communication Arts, Sciences & Disorders at the City University of New York – Brooklyn College.
