Faith Family And Children With Special Needs

It’s hard enough for today’s parents to raise faith- filled children. But for the parents of kids with special needs, the challenges can be almost overwhelming; these parents’ own spirituality may suffer amidst the daily obstacles of raising a child with disabilities, and they may wonder how—or even if—their child can ever experience a meaningful spiritual life. In Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs, David Rizzo—whose 12-year-old daughter has autism—offers great hope for parents who want to grow in their own spirituality while helping their children with disabilities experience God in a deeper way. Throughout the book, Rizzo’s abiding though sometimes tested Catholic faith is made clear as he thoughtfully explains everything from the practical, such as how parents can maintain sanity during Mass when the child with special needs becomes disruptive, to the profound, such as how parents can understand God in a way that is relevant to their predicament. At other times, Rizzo’s advice is intended to help the child grow in his or her own faith, as when he explains how kids with special needs can participate meaningfully in the Eucharist. By looking at big-picture issues of faith while also providing speci fic tips to nurture spiritual growth in parents and in their children with disabilities, Faith, Family, and Children with Special Needs will serve as a highly useful and inspiring resource for anyone in the community of faith who interacts with children with disabilities.

"With a frank and honest observation on how disability can unravel family unity, this book inspires and equips us to live out our faith as we interact with those we love." -Joni Eareckson Tada, founder & CEO, Joni and Friends Between the worry, the doctor’s appointments, and the thousand small challenges of everyday life, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and exhausted. The idea of showing abundant love to every member of your family can feel like a daunting task. Jolene Philo has been there. And in this wise, warm, practical guide, she and Dr. Gary Chapman show you how the 5 love languages can help strengthen your marriage and family life—whatever your needs. Sharing dozens of stories from parents of children with special needs children, they teach you how to: protect your marriage amidst the stress discover and speak the love language of your child—even if they’re nonverbal accommodate the love languages for children with special needs and disabilities show love to every member of your family when you have limited time, money, and energy Having a special needs child shouldn’t mean sacrificing a full family life. Learn to share love abundantly no matter your circumstances.

When a parent hears that their child has a disability, hearts and hopes are often broken. But faith doesn't have to be. In Unbroken Faith, Dianne Dokko Kim comes alongside you as a fellow special needs parent to help you reconcile the premise of a good God with the devastating realities of raising a disabled child. Kim courageously articulates deep-seated, unspoken doubts and fears you may have but are afraid to voice: Will my child still have a full life? Can I do this? Where is God in all this? As you are adjusting to your new normal, Kim's biblical-based encouragement will help you understand that you are not alone, that God gets it, and that God's Word is entirely relevant to the raw and messy yet hallowed spaces of special needs parenting.

Family life is a spiritual path Is your family calendar so jammed that there’s never enough time to “be spiritual”? Maybe you need to think about spirituality in a new way. Author, editor, and speaker Tom McGrath shows how the hectic and ordinary moments of family life offer endless opportunities to live more deeply. This book is full of stories and ideas for parents who care about their children’s souls. McGrath suggests how we can foster a healthy spirituality in our children—while tending to our own spirits as well. He presents many useful lessons and practical strategies for passing on religious heritage, including: • Introducing children to sacred time • Examining the image of God we actively (or passively) present to our children • Fostering empathy to build our children’s moral character • Learning to pray creatively as a family • Developing spiritual disciplines as parents • Cultivating a spirit of forgiveness in the home “If you ever wanted to be a great and inspiring parent, this book gives you the tools to learn how.” —Mark Victor Hansen, co-creator, #1 New York Times best-selling series Chicken Soup for the Soul

Filled with anecdotes, vignettes, thought-provoking quotes from experts and community members, and specific examples of successful strategies, this innovative guide helps faith communities become places of welcome and belonging for people with a wid

For many parents seeking faith formation for their child with special needs, the resources are either severely lacking or nonexistent. A family looking to participate in the life of the Church can find it a struggle to get the support, materials, and community needed to grow the faith for their child with special needs. David and Mercedes Rizzo know the struggle all too well. When they searched for sacramental preparation materials for their daughter Daniella, who has autism and is nonverbal, they found a lack of suitable resources. Both memoir and manual, Spiritually Able: A Parent’s Guide to Teaching the Faith to Children with Special Needs is a life-preserver to parents who are seeking ways to grow and nourish a deeper relationship to God and their faith for their child with special needs. Full of tips, advice, and personal accounts, Spiritually Able helps bridge the gap and invites all into the welcoming embrace of the Church.

Disability is not a boundary to holiness, because God is with us. But it can sometimes be an obstacle to full participation in the life of the Church, simply because many do not understand what is needed to help people with disabilities overcome any physical, mental, or interpersonal challenges they may face in church and in leading an Orthodox Christian life. This book addresses the question from theological, practical, and experiential perspectives, giving individuals and families with disabilities the opportunity to voice their needs and suggest some things the rest of us can do to make them welcome in the household of God.