admin December 22nd, 2009
I loathe the expression “What makes him tick.” It is the American mind, looking for simple and singular solution, that uses the foolish expression. A person not only ticks, he also chimes and strikes the hour, falls and breaks and has to be put together again, and sometimes stops like an electric clock in a thunderstorm.
- James Thurber
As many of you have noticed that over the past month or two there has been little activity on the blog. I have not given up on my committement to make things better for my daughter nor have I lost my focus. No, instead I have much like the above quote broken a little bit and needed to be put back together. Seems like my daughter is not the only one who is having to challenge the anxiety monster. I have always suffered from anxiety attacks and since September my past has caught up with me and made me take some time to sort some things out for myself. I’ve been given the opportunity to look into myself and the way I tick and chime in efforts to help my daughter out there.
This has been an incredible year for both the blog and myself. This year the blog has:
- Been host to some amazing woman who have shared their insight with us such as Ruth Hartman, Jan Lundy and Ruth Hix and Chynna Laird.
- Been selected to be one of the Top 100 at the Baby and Children’s Blog.
- Had a first ever “Blog Contest” where Iris the Dragon books were given away.
- Attended the Parents for Children’s Mental Health conference.
- A wonderful article was written in the Toronto Star by Andrea Gordon on early intervention for children.
- Presented at the annual Parents Information Conference for the Halton Catholic School Board.
For myself I have had the chance to put “me” back together. In the struggle to make things better for Sydney I lost a bit of myself. A panic attack back in September landed me in the hospital and things have been changing a little bit each day since. Don’t worry for the better. I feel priveleged and honoured to have gotten so many wonderful emails from friends and strangers thanking me for what I do and I must admit I feel a little guilty that I’ve just sort of dropped off the blogging world. I’m sure all parents but especially parents that are raising children with challenges know we must take care of ourselves first and foremost because without us where would we be? I’ve enlisted the help of naturopaths, chiropractors and the therapist from ROCK (as we go through the second phase of the trauma session group). Each one of these individuals I consider to be like Angels that have been placed tenderly in front of me to help me be a stronger more whole and well individual. Everyone knows when we feel good inside great things can happen and that is exactly what I plan to do.
Great things will come in the New Year trust me.
So, as the end of the year draws closer I want to wish you all the best of the season no matter which celebration you engage in. I want to ensure you that the blog will continue and I will do my best to find great things and resources for all of us. The one thing I ask is that you as the parent or the one suffering from anxiety or any other mental health issue be kind to yourself and know that we all have within us a great power and vitality to live. We just as the quote says, “chime, break and sometimes stop” but that doesn’t mean the end it just means that temporarily our path changes but once we’re back on track we have life ahead of us, and the possibilities are incrediable.
Merry Christmas and all the best of 2010.
admin June 8th, 2009
Parents for Children’s Mental Health is organizing a campaign in an effort to require the Ontario Ombudsman’s Office launch an investigation or at the very least make a public statement about the deficits of the Child and Youth Mental Health System. It is important that we utilize all avenues available to us to continue to promote the need for reform and to exert pressure upon the public, and government to address these issues.
Attached is some basic information and tips for filing a complaint. Please fill in the form and submit back to PCMH so we may schedule your name in this campaign. By keeping track of the timing of complaints and the total number of complaints we hope to have a stronger impact. We want to ensure complaints are being receiving daily, and we want to know how many complaints have been launched along the way for Press Releases etc. \
The Ontario Ombudsman’s Office receives approximately 16,000 complaints a year on differing issues - we feel it would be very fitting that they receive at least this many complaints about the Child and Youth Mental Health System alone to demonstrate clearly the disparity that families and their loved ones deal with daily.
Thank you for your participation in this continued effort. If you have any questions, please contact PCMH
admin May 13th, 2009
If you didn’t get a chance to check out the April Newsletter from Parents for Children’s Mental Health here’s your chance. Lots of great stuff is loaded in this Newsletter.
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 January 22nd, 2009
I stumbled upon this great website that I just had to share with you.
“To Advocate, To Educate and To Support.”
Parents for Children’s Mental Health is a non-profit, provincial, parent run organization that provides a voice for children and their families who face the challenges of mental health problems in Ontario. We work with the families, the general public, mental health professionals and agencies, and government to provide education, support and advocacy.
The goals of Parents for Children’s Mental Health:
- To advance the unique needs of children with emotional and behavioural disorders and their families
- To dissolve the stigma attached to children’s mental illness
- To advocate for research, prevention, early intervention, family support, education and other services needed by these children and their families
- To work with mental health agencies and government to ensure that children with emotional and behavioural disorders have access to community-based services to help them reach their full potential
One of the things that I have been fighting for as many of you know is for understanding and a bright future for these kids. Parent’s for Children’s Mental Health has the same goal in mind but they have gone one step further. If you go to the website you’ll come to a letter from the President Sylvia Naumovski. She describes how the waits are long and how government funding falls short.
Children’s mental health treatment works. Sadly, most local and regional children’s mental health centres have long wait lists. Government funding for children’s mental health services falls far short of what is required to help meet the mental health needs of children and youth.
The organization is asking for our help. There are pre-written letters that we can address to our local government officials to let them know that we are concerned about our children’s futures. Please help!
