admin March 5th, 2009
Parents supporting Parents workshop will take place on Saturday April 25th, 2009 at the Livig Arts Centre in Mississauga. A great opportunity to meet other parents who have the interests of their children in mind.
In order to register for this event go to the Parents for Children’s Mental Health website.
admin March 5th, 2009
Can you help? If you are over the age of 18 you may be able to help gather data that will in turn help people who have social anxiety. Here are the details:
Holly Clapton is a research assistant helping with a study that is collecting data to eventually form ways of helping people who have social anxiety. We would really appreciate your input!
The study has been approved by the ethics committee at the University of Southampton. The study involves visualizing various social situations and completing questionnaires about yourself and your relationships with other people. We are hoping that the results could help us understand how people with different degrees of social anxiety cope with different social situations and could potentially lead to possible forms of treatment for social anxiety. If you are interested, please follow this link. Your help and participation is greatly appreciated!
admin March 4th, 2009
As you know I am always searching for great resources for us and I’ve found two interesting books. Take a look and see what these books have to offer. I think both books are wonderful endeavours.
SONGS OF MY SOUL
is the poetry of a Canadian teenager who took her own life, in November 1991, after struggling, for more than ten years, with what began as school phobia (known as school refusal today) and progressed to, social phobia, panic disorder and agoraphobia.
If you have an anxiety disorder and cannot make your friends and family understand the problem, this book will help them to understand that a person who has social phobia is a sensitive, creative and compassionate human being, too.
KIRSTIN’S STORY: no place to stand Author, Jean Jardine Miller
Children were not supposed to have anxiety disorders in the 1980s, when Kirstin’s story took place, and treatment consisted mainly of trying to track down the non-existent trauma that was causing the problem. Today, while we are, fortunately, more enlightened, misconceptions are still major hurdles when a child is referred for professional help. This book was written to help parents of children with anxiety disorders recognize what is happening when a child’s behaviour changes and to let them know that they are not alone.
admin January 19th, 2009
Have you ever heard of a blog tour? Well, neither had I until a couple weeks ago. I was approached by a wonderful group of ladies who run a website called, wow-womenonwriting.
A blog tour is similar to an author’s book tour, but it’s hosted online, instead of at, say, a bookstore. The touring author visits a number of blogs (otherwise known as “blog stops”) over a set period–typically, a month.
Authors use this format to buzz their book, connect with readers, and have fun! It’s a wonderful way to network with a readership the author might never get to meet in “real” life. For instance, this tour takes us across the U.S. and to Canada, all in one month! Even the most gregarious traveler couldn’t conquer that much territory in such a short time. But it’s not about the territory covered, it’s about the interesting people you meet along the way.
I have the pleasure of hosting three of these wonderful authors throughout the months of January and February. Each author shares some topics that I think would be of interest to you. Here are the dates and upcoming authors and be sure to check back to see what wonderful things they have to say. As well if you get a chance and are an aspiring author be sure to go to the WOW website and poke around. There is lots of great informaton and you can see which authors you’re most interested in.
January 29: Ruth Hartman
February 6: Jan Lundy
February 16: Kim Hix
admin January 13th, 2009
You know everyone has an opinion on food allergies and sensitivites. Some people think that food allergies and sensitivities are due to other factors such as stress and overwhelming situations. Some people don’t understand that if products are left on the table and a child is to touch it and then put it to their mouths there is a potential for an allergic reaction especially if the child is anaphalactic to it.
Syndey over the last few years has developed some very irritating sensitivities to certain foods and on the other side of the spectrum she has develop and anaphalactic allergy to some foods. It has been a world wind of food exploration over the last couple of years. Because all of these allergies were not figured out all at once to some people it might seem a little confusing.
Anyone with a child who has any kind of allegy or sensitivity is fully aware of how horrible you feel when you look at your child who has the most angelic face and see it balloon out to horrific proportions where you can’t even tell that it’s your child in there unless they speak. Sydney’s sensitivity is not fatal by any means but what happens is that her body can not handle the food or addititve and shortly after she eats it she ends up bringing it back up again. I know for a fact that certain family and friends do not understand the whole food allergy/sensitivity thing and in their defense unless you are living in the realm of reading every ingredient it is a little hard to understand.
What is frustrating to many parents with children suffering from allergies and sensitivities is the lack of understanding and open minded idea that sometimes we will bring food in tow just to be sure. Yes, it is not fatal if my daughter eats red food colouring but why would I give her something that I know for sure will make her sick. Why would I chance a meeting with her and walnuts when the last time she ingested it she was in the hospital because of trouble swallowing and breathing and she her eyes were so swollen she couldn’t even see. Why do I carry around an epi-pen? In this day and age there are so many allergies with so many children and as I said before it’s hard to get your head around the concept until you have to read every label and have a garbage can at the foot of the bed at your disposal for those “just in case moments”.
It ceases to amaze me how different opinions can be on the subject and I have spoken to a number of others who are in the same boat as we are and we all agree on a few things. When at a party or function I do not expect for the host to completely alter the menu but what I and others do hope for is the understanding that we may bring our own meal for the child or we may eat before hand just and come a little later. If it’s a birthday party and there is cake involved we will probably bring an alternate treat just for the child. This in no way is meant to insult the hosts it is just to reassure that the child does not feel out of place and can too enjoy his/her self.
I can not tell you how touched I am when people call before a function and ask if there is something specific that they can have so that Sydney can enjoy the menu too. It’s a simple thing but it means so much to parents when you just ask “what can we do”.
I suppose that saying, “Walk a mile in my shoes and you’ll understand” rings so true. After months of seeing Sydney heave after eating items that contained red and yellow food colouring and after working with her and her naturopath for so many months to get her well why would I expose her to something that has the potential to make her sick? They aren’t the ones holding her head over a garbage can at two o’clock in the morning are they?
I’ve seen both sides because Ehren has no food allergies or sensitivities that we are aware of. I am the first to admit that I miss my nuts and seeds and the whole red and yellow food reaction has been very enlightening. It has made me question things I am putting in my mouth and made me more aware of what I am feeding my family. There are a few wonderful companies out there that are paving the way to make every day eating easier for families with food issues. Which leads me to the second part of my blog post for today. I’ve found a wonderful company that is Guardian Angel Foods. They are a company from Quebec who have their products out in various stores across the city. I have tried a number of their items and everything I have tried so far is so good.
Welcome to our web site ! Why “Guardian angel” ? Did you know that even a trace of an allergen can cause an allergic reaction in some people? Food allergy sufferers need a watchful presence to ensure that what they eat is safe. And this is precisely my mission: to apply the greatest possible rigour in watching over those for whom food poses a daily challenge.
My involvement doesn’t end there. I also wanted to offer desserts that are as delicious as they are appealing — cakes that signify “joy” and “celebration” for children and adults alike while alleviating any lingering worries about eating foods that may contain allergens.
Much like my fight for others to understand social anxiety it is tied for us hand in hand with food allergies. Everyone knows if you feel good from the inside out it shows and you are more confident and happy with yourself. Let’s hope that we can build tolerance and understanding that for some eating takes a little more preparation and thought…which in this day and age with the processed foods on the market thinking about what you’re putting in your mouth isn’t such a bad thing!
admin January 8th, 2009
Facebook connect me many months ago with a film maker by the name of Chester Jones III. He told me about a movie he was making about a man who suffers from severe anxiety. It’s making it’s way around and I just had to let everyone know that it is getting great reviews and from what I’ve seen I can’t wait to see the whole thing.
Please check out the official Hey Diddle Diddle website and when I know it’s coming closer to home I’ll keep everyone posted!
admin January 8th, 2009
True happiness is…to enjoy the present, without anxious dependence upon the future.Seneca Quotes (Roman philosopher, mid-1st century AD)
You know they say that the most beautiful songs are written by artists who are being torn apart, from suffering comes infinite creation. I realized today that I have started the year off with very little to blog about and in so many ways that is good because it means that Sydney is doing much better. On the flip side it’s bad because without the angst of every day life things seem pretty comfortable and well just plain boring. Don’t get me wrong I like boring some times and surely in the context of the progress of my daughter it means so much. Silence is golden as they say.
We are going into the fourth day of the transition back to school and I must say that Sydney has surprised me. On Monday she whimpered a bit at the door to the school but she went with the Special Education Resource Teacher and didn’t look back. She had brought a couple things for her friends that I had forgotten about. She wrapped up five little packages and took them with her to distribute during the day. She came home and was absolutely on the top of the world because she gave out her gifts, she played with her friends and there was only one point in the evening where she broke down in tears.
On Tuesday she brought three books for three friends and gave them out. When I asked her what she was hoping would happen when she gave these little gifts away she replied, “I want to give them these things because they are my friends and I want them to know that they are special and I thinkabout them.” Then she discussed who she played with at recess and what they did. All this after a two week break.
Today she told my husband that she wanted to walk into school all by herself. I wasn’t aware of this little tidbit of information and she was fine until just before the bell rang. Then she stiffened up and got quiet but she did kiss me on the cheek and told me I had to go because the teacher was there to help her out. She’s doing so well.
We are looking into goals for this term and how to move forward from here but to be honest I didn’t think we’d be here right now, just yet! A year ago all of this was just a dream. Nevermind a year ago at the beginning of the week on Sunday night when Sydney was asking over and over again how many days until school and begging for “just one more day Mommy” I would have never thought the week would turn out as it has so far. Again, my whole philosophy about jinxing myself; I’m speaking totally about the past three days.
True happiness is about the present and to enjoy every moment.
admin December 24th, 2008
What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future. It is a fervent wish that every cup may overflow with blessings rich and eternal, and that every path may lead to peace.”
~ Agnes M. Pahro
To all of my friends both old and new, to all of you that read the blog either frequently or those who have just glanced by I thank you for your support, encouragement and feedback. There are so many things that I am thankful for and Christmas is such a wonderful time to embrace those close to my heart. I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday season, one surrounded by love and warmth.
Embrace the moments, cherish the memories and keep reading the blog because I have high hopes for the coming new year.
All the best to everyone.
admin December 22nd, 2008
Christmas is a time when you get homesick - even when you’re home.”
Carol Nelson quotes
I have the most of my presents wrapped, we just had our annual friends get-together, the mushrooms are soaking for the soup, I spent the other day at a good friends house making cabbage rolls and Christmas looms ever closer. So many things at this time of year are reminescent of Christmas past for me. When I was making pierogi the other day the sweet smell of the dough brought me back to the kitchen table with my mom and aunt as the cold winds blowed the steam fogged up the windows and the sweet smell of dough reminded me that it was almost time for Christmas.
Today when I strained the stock and prepared the mushrooms it reminded me of years ago when a package from Poland would hold a secret treasure to the winter brew. In my mothers hand would lye a brown package with a fragrance so woody and unusual that it to brought me closer to the big day.
I have tried to carry on all of these family traditions and hope that one day my children too will be able to look back at Christmas past as fondly as I do and remember “what mom used to make”.
The quote I found today rings so true because even though it is my house, my grandmothers bowl, my mom’s recipe that does not have a written rule as you just felt if the ingredients were right or not and I sometimes get homesick. I miss those who are not at my table and miss the fact that my daughter and son will not have Christmas traditions with my family, my mom and dad.
What I do revel in are the friendship that are so near and dear to me and those around me that make me feel like I belong. This year at Christmas has been a bit of a eye-opener as to how the year has gone. When usually I have all the presents wrapped and under the tree by mid-december I still things to wrap today. When normally the task of making pierogi and having friends over thrills me this year the sheer thought of it made me tired. I opted for a e-friendly computer Christmas card partially because I wanted to be eco friendly and partially because I didn’t have it in me to write out all those cards.
Although this year has been full of such strides and such highs and such progress it has been exhausting and I now realize just how tired I am. The lack of structure has been fantastic as it has allowed me to sleep in this morning, spend time with the kids that didn’t involve coaxing into the usual battles. I even hid in the tunnel that the kids made on the weekend and Ehren and I had a little heart to heart enveloped in the crisp white snow.
This year has brought me closer to some people and farther away from others. It’s allowed me to grow and realize just which direction I want life to go. It’s made my relationship with my children stronger and given my husband and I an opportunity to figure out where we stand as a couple. It’s introduced me to so many people that I would otherwise not have come into contact with and given me a chance to help others even if it’s been in a small way.
I am homesick for the Chrismtases of past but I am excited for the future and all the good things that it holds. I hope that this Christmas season is good to all of you that read this blog and have shared your stories and feedback. I hope that you are able to spend some time with all those who are near and dear to you. I know I am wrapping myself not in presents but in those who have done so very much for me. If I don’t get a chance to blog between now and Christmas have a very merry holiday seaon and thank you all for your support.
admin December 12th, 2008
Christmas! The very word brings joy to our hearts. No matter how we may dread the rush, the long Christmas lists for gifts and cards to be bought and given–when Christmas Day comes there is still the same warm feeling we had as children, the same warmth that enfolds our hearts and our homes.”
~ Joan Winmill Brown, American author and editor.
I have had one too many Christmases spent either in the hospital with my sick parents or seeing my children sick on Christmas Day. I have been pondering what I’d really like to get for Christmas. What things would I enjoy that I wouldn’t necessarily purchase for myself. So here it is my Christmas wish.
Ehren took the day off of school today. He claims he wasn’t feeling very well this morning and I don’t doubt it. He still have issues that are unresolved and they keep trickling out like a leaky faucet. This morning he explained how Sydney really upsets him sometimes because she keeps repeating herself and making him feel bad. He has only had one play date and Sydney has had two and this morning at the table Sydney kept saying she’s had two and wants more. When we dropped her off at school and yes this morning was just as bad as yesterday. She still planted her feet on the ground and this morning she actually hit me in the arm when I tried to take her hand. Ehren stood by and watched and when she went into school with the teacher he said, “Poor Sydney. Why is she so upset?”. We talked on the walk home about how she has such anxiety that she needs to reaffirm those things that she’s done. Take playdates for example. She just needs to keep reminding herself that she in fact has friends and her friends like her and she reminds herself about what a great time she’s had when she’s brought her friends home. She doesn’t mean to rub it in Ehren’s face.
I explained that she just needs some extra encouragment because like today she feels like she can’t do things. I told him he was a strong boy and had anxiety too but has managed to beat the anxiety monster and can control his feelings and that’s exactly what we’re trying to do with Sydney.
Ehren and I discussed making a booklet about his sister and her anxiety and I think it’s a great idea. Both a therapy for him and for me with the end result perhaps helping everyone who has a brother or sister with anxiety.
Thank goodness it’s friday because when Sydney comes home tonight and asks, “Can we sleep in tomorrow?” at least I can say, “yes!”.
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