Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs

BOOK: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs
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What People Are Saying About
Chicken Soup for the Soul
®
Children with Special Needs
. . .

 

“This is such an important book! As parents, we need all the love, strength, and support we can get, especially from other parents and families. We are our children’s voices and the world needs to know how dedicated parents are and how hard our children work to overcome such obstacles that we sometimes take for granted.”

Nicole O’Drain

 

“If this book had been available to me back when our son Gary was born, it would have given me great hope for a happy future for our wonderful son. Families of children with disabilities desperately need validation that their child can function successfully in our society, and lead a productive life. The stories printed here demonstrate just how much is possible with hope, optimism, and faith.”

—Helen Ruvolo

 

“Thank you for not only addressing this topic but for providing a forum that allows us the opportunity to share our stories and read all the beautiful pieces included in the published edition. Each time I read such stories, they go straight to my heart and always leave a lasting impression; always touching, always spiritually enlightening, always uplifting. Love them!”

—Diane Cassity

 

“As the founder of Sharing Down Syndrome Arizona, I know that Down syndrome is the most common genetic birth defect. There will be countless parents who will love this book. Most parents’ hearts feel broken when hearing what feels like the hardest news ever about their newborn or unborn baby. This book will bring more comfort than you can ever imagine.”

—Gina Johnson

 

“When I was pregnant, all I could find was books that told me the bad, unhappy things that were in store for me. I wish I would have had a book that would have given me hope for a happy life. But of course, no one could have prepared me for the amount of joy I receive from my daughter daily.”

—Carolyn A. Kenney

 

“The need for such a book is long overdue. The challenges of my son’s autism have made me aware of how much work goes into not only loving him, but also appreciating his uniqueness. We need to know that others support us, whether through words that embrace the core of our struggles, or through a simple smile of understanding at the grocery store. We need avenues to express our joy, vent our frustrations, and share our triumphs.”

—Brenda Williams

 

“Our family is quite grateful for this project and the awareness it will create for these fantastic children. Our children have broadened and enriched our lives greatly and perhaps this book will give many others a little ‘taste’ of our joy.”

—John Bolton

 

“Chicken Soup for the Soul will provoke a better understanding of individuals with different abilities. I wish I had this book when I taught special education.”

Joey Travolta
Director, Inclusion Films

 

“Reading these stories has been a great experience for me. I work for an agency that provides services for people with disabilities and sometimes feel disconnected from our agency’s mission. This has helped me feel a stronger connection to my work place. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share in other people’s lives, to hear their dreams and hopes, triumphs and sorrows. It has been an honor.”

—Patty Dobbins

 

“I wish I could write each and every person to thank them for their stories. They have kept me smiling and sane through an international move, trying to readjust to life in the states and starting a new job. It’s been a busy couple of months, and I’m not sure I could have done it without the laughter and the tears from reading these stories.”

—Heather Minnick

 

CHICKEN SOUP
FOR THE SOUL
®
CHILDREN WITH
SPECIAL NEEDS

 

Stories of Love and Understanding for Those
Who Care for Children with Disabilities

Jack Canfield
Mark Victor Hansen
Heather McNamara
Karen Simmons

 

www.hcibooks.com
www.chickensoup.com

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

 

Chicken soup for the soul : children with special needs / Jack Canfield . . .

[et al.].

  p. cm.

 

eISBN-13: 978-0-7573-9854-4 (ebook)      eISBN-13: 0-7573-9854-5 (ebook)

 

1. Children with disabilities. I. Canfield, Jack, 1944-
HV888.C475 2007
362.4083—dc22

 

2007020388

 

© 2007 John T. Canfield and Hansen and Hansen LLC

All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

HCI, its logos and marks are trademarks of Health Communications, Inc.

 
Publisher:
Health Communications, Inc.
3201 S.W. 15th Street
Deerfield Beach, FL 33442–8190
 

R-05-08

Cover photo ©Wolfgang Weinhäupl,
topimages.com
Cover design and interior formatting by Lawna Patterson Oldfield

T
his book is dedicated to
everyone involved in the life of
a growing child.

We also dedicate this book to our own children
who have helped us grow as people.

Contents

Acknowledgments

 

Introduction

 

Share with Us

 

See Me
Melissa Riggio as told to Rachel Buchholz

 

1. ADJUSTING

 

Welcome to Holland
Emily Perl Kingsley

 

In the Game
Reverend Johnny Wray as told to Stephanie Welcher Thompson

 

A Message from John
Jo Clancy

 

The Miracle of Jay-Jay
Louise Tucker Jones

 

Out of the Mouths of Babes
Sarah and MMC John S. Smigal

 

Tomorrow
Jill Presson

 

No Words
Stacey Flood

 

Seeing Through Josh’s Eyes
Deborah Rose

 

The Voice of Reason Wears SpongeBob Underpants
Shari Youngblood

 

One Mother to Another
Donna Turenne

 

Reaching Back
Pam Wilson

 

A Reason to Celebrate
Janet Lynn Mitchell

 

My Finest Teachers
Gina Johnson

 

Out of the Mouths of Babes
Cheryl Kremer

 

The Vacation
Michelle M. Guppy

 

What They Forgot to Mention
Sandy Sotzen

 

2. GRATITUDE

 

Is That All?
PeggySue Wells

 

The Little Boy Who Waves
Michelle M. Guppy

 

All She Has
Connie Ellison

 

One Brief Hour
Suzanne Woods Fisher

 

The Gift
Jeffrey J. Cain, M.D.

 

I Won’t Do It
Nanette Whitman-Holmes

 

Out of the Mouths of Babes
Jimmy Hinkley

 

McBuns!
Trisha Kay Kayden

 

Challenges
Mary Mooney

 

What’s the Truth About Thomas?
Laura Dean as told to Jeanne Pallos

 

Kids Amaze Me
Chynna Laird

 

A Whale of a Time
Michelle Ward

 

Talking to Strangers
Jennifer Lawler

 

On the Inside
Susan Farr-Fahncke

 

Broken-Down Signs
Scott Newport

 

Broken Shells
Debbie Jaskot

 

3. MILESTONES

 

Dancing with Myself
Stephanie Welcher Thompson

BOOK: Chicken Soup for the Soul: Children with Special Needs
7.46Mb size Format: txt, pdf, ePub
ads

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