admin July 18th, 2010
As parents you always wish that you can celebrate your childrens accomplishments. You want to be able to sing them, “Happy Birthday” and tell them just how special they really are. With a child who suffers from social anxiety these things are not quite the same. Up until this year most birthdays were face with trepadation. Would she be overwhelmed by all the people? Would her cousins outgoing and ambitious spirit be too much for her and have her sitting in the corner? Singing “Happy Birthday” would just be out of the question never mind opening up the presents. Too many eyes and ears on her.
Well, there has never been a prouder moment for our family than at Sydney’s party this year. She embraced every single moment of her birthday right from the get go. She had me put a calendar on her wall to mark off the days until her party. She asked specifically for her cake and wanted to help with the preparations. She was concerned when it started to rain before everyone came over that perhaps they won’t come because the car was in the garage and it was raining. She greeted the cousins at the door and promptly darted upstairs in giggles with the girls. She enjoyed every ounce of her birthday like nothing else I’ve seen.
When it came to the cake and singing her “Happy Birthday” she hopped up on the seat and waited patiently while we lit all the candles that spelled out happy birthday. She was watched by family and friends, she was in the spotlight and she was okay with it all. What a glorious day to celebrate Sydney. We sang her happy birthday and even paused a minute to take a picture and it made my heart melt.
To think that even a year ago we didn’t do presents, we didn’t sing, we celebrated in a very monotone way. It was a party without the glitz, it was quieter moments to appreciate Sydney. The thing is, we acknowledged that singing and the fuss involved would not be good for her at the time but we still wanted to celebrate the beautiful daughter, cousin and grand-daughter she was. But in traditional Sydney style when she was ready, when she felt that she could handle the attention she embraced it and what a party it was.
At the end of the day (very late I may add) she sat in her bed with her presents beside her and in her new journal that she bought with some birthday money she wrote down everything that she received. She thanked me for what she coined was, “The best party ever”. I would have to agree.
admin May 29th, 2010
Barbara Coloroso, author of The Bully, The Bullied, and The Bystander will be presenting in St. Thomas on June 9th, 2010.
Recently in St. Thomas, a young boy aged 13 took his life. His family’s wish was that his death would result in an increased awareness around bullying. PCMH is hosting the event in Bryten’s name.
admin May 7th, 2010
“While we try to teach our children all about life, our children teach us what life is all about.”
I knew that I wanted to send everyone a message for mother’s day and then I found this great quote and it made me chuckle. Oh, how true! For anyone reading the blog and anyone who has children regardless of difficulties being a mom continually teaches us what life is all about but only if we are willing to listen. I learn every day from my children just how big a world it is out there and I as well learn the value of communicating, listening and caring. I have had the privelege to walk with my children in their early years and learn more about myself through them. It is a relentless job and I know that on some days I want the sign on the door to say, “Out to lunch – INDEFINATELY”.
I know a number of mothers read the blog and to all of you out there I want to tell you to remember just how special a job mothering is. Parenting children with special needs takes a special kind of mother and that doesn’t happen over night. Each day it shifts and moves and we too need to move with the ebb and flow. To all the mothers out there I wish you a peaceful and beautiful Mother’s Day. One in which you get to see just how special you are. When you look in the eyes of your children know that everything you do for them day in and day out challenges your heart and soul and makes life just what it is meant to be – worth living.
Happy Mother’s Day to you all.
admin April 30th, 2010
You have got to watch this new public service announcement from NKM2. It’s starting to make people think differently about mental health. Are you ready to embrace it or be embarrased by it?
Watch the public service announcement
admin April 30th, 2010
Don’t forget the Parents for Children’s Mental Health conference is on this weekend starting tonight. It truly is a wonderful event.
A Message from Parents
for Children’s Mental Health –
The Importance of Advocacy
We are pleased to once again bring together families from
across the province who have children with mental health
challenges. Our “family network” continues to grow allowing
us to be stronger for our children, as well as a strong voice
for families and children across the Province. As we are all
acutely aware, the crisis within the children and youth mental
health system grows rapidly. We all see first-hand the damage
that the fragmented and underfunded system has on families,
communities, and our children and youth.
Click here for the details
admin April 29th, 2010
Here’s an article by Todd Snyder. Dr. Todd Snyder is a licensed clinical psychologist who specializes in helping people with social anxiety disorder and public speaking phobia as they reclaim their lives from the grips of anxiety. He is the owner of a private practice psychological counseling clinic in Northwest Indiana near Chicago, IL. www.anxiety-counselor.com
Who experiences social anxiety symptoms? Is it only people who have some deeply repressed unconscious psychological trauma? NO! Is it only people who are shy or people who have low self-esteem? NO! Is it due to some sort of failure to develop good social skills? NO! People who have social anxiety that reaches the point that it is interfering with their enjoyment of life are simply those among us who have a very powerful ability to practice what is called mind-sight, combined with a self-perpetuating process of avoidance and anxiety.
The mind-sight issue is at the root of all of the symptoms. Mind-sight is the process by which you mentally project yourself into the other person’s perspective and then look back at yourself through their eyes. This gives you a great social advantage (unless it takes over as in social anxiety disorder). You are able to self-monitor to present yourself in a positive light to others. People who are low on this ability are the are at a great disadvantage in relationships and business ( Think of someone you have known who seems clueless about how they talk on and on without checking to see if the listener is still interested. Or think of someone who doesn’t seem to realize that other people brush their hair and don’t start personal conversations in the grocery store line). Mind-sight allows you to predict what others are thinking about you. If the mind-sight ability is genetically wired into you to a very strong degree, all it takes is one or two situations that cause you anxiety about how others are perceiving you, and then the process of feeling anxious about a recurrence of those situations sets in. Once you begin to consciously or unconsciously anticipate a certain kind of situation with fear, you will become more aware of the first signs that the situation is approaching.
Read the full article
