YOUR PAGE

This page is meant entirely for you. We want you to contribute anything you like, whether it is a funny story, your experiences with special needs children, top tip, suggestion, letter, joke, favourite recipe or place to visit or you just have a question about special needs you hope someone might be able to answer. If you want to send anything in please email:

yourpage@special-needs-kids.co.uk

We all know that as a Carer it is also very important to take care of yourself as well as your special needs child. If you are not in a fit state of health and mind yourself it makes it much more difficult to take care of your child. It is vital that we have some time to ourself, to pamper and treat ourselves.If it is impossible to get a weekend away, even an hour to have lunch and a chat with a friend while the kids are at school, or a nice bubble bath after they have gone to bed works wonders. Or for men a round of golf or going to watch a football match may do the trick. On the links below we have found some treats online for you to try out and also some more traditional suggestions. We have also listed some useful websites for parents of children with special needs.

Treats for Her

Treats for Him

Parent Websites:-

Familyonwards - help site for parents and grandparents

face2facenetwork - parents supporting parents of disabled children.

geocities.com/katiegirl_59/ - for parents of a child with special needs

OurKidsAreSpecial.com - helping Parents and Caregivers of Special Needs Children

Managing Stress for Carers
Dr Ann Edworthy, Chartered Psychologist, has written a book, free to members of Cerebra called ‘Managing Stress for Carers' For more details Tel: 0800 328 1159 Email: info@cerebra.org.uk or click on the link below.

http://cerebra.onestopcms.co.uk/Parent+Support/Support/counselling_service.htm

New qualification for carers
The 'Certificate in Personal Development & Learning for Unpaid Carers' is a qualification for carers and designed by carers. For more information about this distant learning course telephone 0151 3430972 or visit www.duotraining.co.uk

YOUR QUESTIONS

If you want to reply to any of the questions asked by visitors please do so here.

We have received this question from one of our visitors:

I am looking into buying an all terrain buggy for my daughter to use. Has anyone bought one or had any experience of one. Please email sharonscanlan@tiscali.co.uk if you can help.

Here are some very funny, but true, stories we have come across from America about things people say!

1) I walked into a hair salon with my husband and three kids in tow and asked loudly, "How much do you charge for a shampoo and a blow job?" I turned around and walked back out and never went back. My husband didn't say a word....he knew better.

Melinda Lowe, 39, Texas

2) I was at the golf store comparing different kinds of golf balls. I was unhappy with the women's type I had been using. After browsing for several minutes, I was approached by one of the good-looking gentlemen who works at the store. He asked if he could help me. Without thinking, I looked at him and said "I think I prefer playing with men's balls."

Colleen Collins,31, Ferndale, MI

3) My sister and I were at the mall and passed by a store that sold a variety of nuts. As we were looking at the display case, the boy behind the counter asked if we needed any help. I replied "No, I'm just looking at your nuts." My sister started to laugh hysterically, the boy grinned and I turned beet-red and walked away. To this day my sister has never let me forget.

Faye Emerick,34, Ellerslie, MD

4) While in line at the bank one afternoon, my toddler decided to release some pent-up energy and ran amok. I was finally able to grab hold of her after receiving looks of disgust and annoyance from other patrons. I told her that if she did not start behaving right now she would be punished. To my horror, she looked me in the eye and said in a voice just as threatening, "If you don't let me go right now I will tell Grandma that I saw you kissing Daddy's pee-pee last night!" The silence was deafening after this enlightening exchange. Even the tellers stopped what they were doing. I mustered up the last of my dignity and walked out of the bank with my daughter in tow. The last thing I heard when the door closed behind me were screams of laughter.

Amy Richardson, Stafford, Virginia

5) A lady picked up several items at a discount store. When she finally got up to the checkout she learned that one of her items had no price tag. Imagine her embarrassment when the checker got on the intercom and boomed out for all the store to hear, "PRICE CHECK ON LANE 13, TAMPAX SUPER SIZE." That was bad enough, but somebody at the rear of the store apparently misunderstood the word Tampax for Thumbtacks. In a business-like tone, a voice boomed back over the intercom, "DO YOU WANT THE KIND YOU PUSH IN WITH YOUR THUMB OR THE KIND YOU POUND IN WITH A HAMMER?"

Diane E. Amov

6) This had most of the state of Michigan laughing for 2 days and a very embarrassed female news anchor who will, in future, likely think before she speaks. What happens when you predict snow but don't get any? We had a female news anchor who, the day after it was supposed to have snowed and didn't, turned to the weatherman and asked: "So Bob, where's that 8 inches you promised me last night?" Not only did HE have to leave the set, but half the crew did too they were laughing so hard!