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Oct
17
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 What words do you use when your child says or does something inappropriate? When my son sprayed me in the face with water recently, apparently I said, “Do it again”– and never added the time-honored parental follow-up, “ — and you’ll be in big trouble.” So guess what?  My normally not-so-compliant son did “it” again. Eyes laughing, he looked right at me, sprayed me in the face, and said, “What? You said do it again.” | |||
Blog Posts by Kim Stricker
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Feb
03
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Our family has had a rough time as of late. I wish we knew why and I wish I knew what sets it off.  I wish we knew how to better handle it. But what I really wishis that it never would happen. However, in our family, as in many of yours, we lead different types of lives. We are parents with kids with difficulties. Whether these difficulties are the results of genes, environment, or personality; we parent differently. We have to. There isn’t a choice. | |||
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Dec
21
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As many of us realize, sometimes it seems the main job of a parent is to say no. I remember as a child waiting for a “maybe.” At least a “maybe” meant my parents were thinking it over and there was the possibility of a yes. Well, that is until I learned and often voiced, “But maybe means No!” Since I became a mother, I’ve learned that parenting an ADHD, defiant, or Asperger child means there are even more opportunities to say no. | |||
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Nov
04
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How can you tell when your children’s friends are actually being friendly or more foe-like? Parents of all children know how hard the challenges of negotiating cliques, bullying, and manipulation of their kids by other kids can be. Parenting a child on the spectrum or a child who has difficulty making friends makes this situation even trickier. Sharing information with a parent is at a bare minimum. Knowledge of the social scene is even less. Read more » | |||
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Sep
23
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Three weeks ago, I wrote an EP blog about what teachers wanted parents to know at the beginning of the school year. My message was to encourage parents to try to stay out of the way, as your child and teacher settles into the new school year together. I wrote the blog because I taught for eleven years and because I still teach teachers. However, the teacher hat is not the one I wear most days. My most important job is parenting our two grade school boys. My oldest child has special needs and is often a daily challenge to parent. At school, he is fairly well behaved and on task. I try not to call the school very often. However, like many of us, I am an involved parent. In order for me to keep tight boundaries on my oldest, I need more information from teachers and the school. He also has ADHD, and needs more help with organization. Therefore, I admit, I sometimes feel the teachers think I am overdoing it. However, it does prompt me to say there might be 5, 10, (or 50!) things we want teachers to know about parents like us. Here are my top five. What are yours? | |||
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Sep
03
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My children have been in school one week. This is the first year I have not met with my son’s teacher ahead of time, or written and called about my son’s special needs before school started. There are a couple of reasons I have restrained myself this year. He is at the same school as last year and the staff knows him and his IEP. He is in fifth grade and would be embarrassed if I show up or call unnecessarily, and most of all, I remember what it was like to be the teacher starting a new school year. It is a crazy, busy time. The days are filled with staff meetings, getting your classroom ready, and preparing for teaching. Most years I had an average of sixty students to learn all about in those first few days. Therefore, I have been trying to keep in mind the five things I think your child’s teacher wishes you knew. | |||
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Aug
03
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It is summer. I am finally on vacation. This means I do not have to teach my hardworking graduate students one night a week for 8 weeks, battle over my sons’ homework, attend numerous PTO or IEP meetings. However, I will still be in contact with my students as they continue their action research literature review. In the meantime, I will continue my perpetual ongoing literature review… the one that began about eight years ago. | |||
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May
26
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By the time this blog is posted, I will be 2000 miles away from my family. I bought a ticket to the West coast and off I am going. No more negotiating with my children, struggling with homework, or shuttling to and from activities and appointments. I am free. Free, for three and half whole days. I am meeting my best girl friends in California. Four out of the five are moms and we are collectively leaving nine children behind, ages six months to twelve years. We are fortunate to have husbands, family, and friends to provide the childcare. | |||
