Reflections

This section presents my personal reflections along with those of other parents of children with severe disabilities. This is a section was initiated in June 2011 and will grow over time. It is a work in progress… Please be patient as it begins to take shape.

My Child: An Introduction…

Transformations

These reflections deal with how the lives of parents and families are transformed by children with disabilities.

At last! a tribute to Phoebe Snow

The Other Dale Evans

Hikari Finds His Voice

The Real Christopher Robin

Rescued by the Queen of the West! A Tribute to Dale Evans

hope

Hope in Families of Children with Developmental Disabilities by Shabana Kausar, Ronna F. Jevne, and Dick Sobsey. (2003).  Journal on Developmental Disabilities, vol. 10, No. 1. (this is a more academic exploration of hope).

Sobsey, D. (2001). Transformation: A hope for David. In D. Sobsey, C. Montgomery, D. Wilkins, & D. Hingsburger, Four sight: The disability community contemplates fate, future, and fear (pp. 27-31). Eastman, PQ: Diverse City Press.

a shorter version of this piece is available as

Sobsey, D. (2007). Perspectives. In J. Canfield, M.V. Hansen, H. McNamara, & K. Simmons (Ed.), Chicken soup or the soul: Children with special needs: Stories of love and understanding for those who care for children with disabilities (pp. 140- 141). Deerfield Beach, FL: Health Communications, Inc.

Some reflections on losing a child

These reflections deal with the loss of a child.

some other reflections

Family Coping with Loss of Support and Hurtful Comments This is something that I wrote way back in 1995 on parents dealing with those negative glares and comments. It was originally written as quick e-mail response via the Children with Special Health Care Needs Group to some parents feeling the pain of disapproval, but has been preserved by other parents in the Our Kids Archive, which has a lot of great pieces for parents of kids with special needs.

Father’s Day 2000 is another old piece that was published in a bunch of newspapers back in the year 2000  and has been preserved in the Our Kids Archive.