Welcome
This website was begun on Valentine's Day, February 14 2003. I guess that is karma's way of saying that it is a Labor of Love.
The wisdom and experience expressed in this website grows out of another labor of love: Raising and homeschooling my children.
My original life plan was that I would take a few years to be with my kids when they were little but my main focus would be a career.
Instead, I ended up as a full-time homemaker for a couple of decades because it was clear to me that my oldest child needed so much more from me than
I could give if I also pursued a career. He had a lot of issues but I felt that underneath all those problems was a bright little boy who
would be utterly miserable if he ended up living in a halfway house and condemned to programs for special education kids.
I had no idea just how much it would take to meet my simple goal of letting his strengths shine through so he could create a happy,
fulfilling future rather than letting his weaknesses dictate a miserable and circumscribed life. Other parents of kids like mine --
with both big strengths and big weaknesses -- seem to get a lot out of my point of view. I have practical knowledge of how to accommodate my sons'
weaknesses without stifling their strengths and I take real joy in my kids, warts and all.
There doesn't seem to be another resource with a similar point of view and upbeat attitude.
Many resources which address special needs or handicaps have a negative feel to them. I am sincere in feeling that
the good points and bad points are two sides of the same coin -- that you don't have mountains without valleys and I don't yearn for
a "flatter" terrain. I'm happy with what I've got.
Addendum (March 23, 2008):
When the site was overhauled in March 2008, color choices were made with the help of my oldest son (20 years old at the time of this writing).
He has many visual handicaps and it took some time to find colors that popped out without being too harsh. I like the new site design a lot and so do my sons.
I would welcome hearing your thoughts on how well it works (or doesn't work) for you.
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