Children with special needs are often held to higher standards for reaching their potential or IEP goals than their mainstream peers who have more natural accommodations and support in regular classrooms, playgrounds and social situations.

When my daughter was born, I was surprised that my role in the world seemed to shrink down to being only her mother. When her brother was born, that role seemed to shrink further - I was the mom of a child with Down syndrome. What happened to my history and experience before children?

Children with disabilities as well as their mainstream peers benefit from being included in peer mentoring and buddy programs in schools and community recreation.

Children and teens with peanut allergies or other food sensitivities face great challenges at school, visiting friends and family, and even in their own homes.

Families of children with special needs may be more aware of the specific risks during hospitalization that a son or daughter may experience than the most common dangers every child faces due to hospital mistakes, miscommunication or uninformed decisions. Companions and checklists reduce the risks.

Families raising children and teens with mental health issues face as many challenges from the lack of support, understanding and resources for their children and families as they do from the symptoms and complications of their child's mental health difficulties.

Sometimes children with special needs develop behavior problems that are age appropriate misbehaviors. Mainstream parenting resources can help all of us.

Mothers of children with disabilities can feel isolated due to insensitive comments and discrimination against their children; feelings of failing at being congenial 'ambassadors' - as well as the usual reasons mainstream moms feel they not living up to an ideal vision of perfect mothering. Whew!

Are our lives funnier with witnesses? Families of children with special needs may find resilience and survival sometimes depend on our ability to find more humor in ordinary situations and family events, especially when stress and unexpected emergencies collide with expectations and traditions.

Parent-Child Interaction Therapy teaches useful strategies and effective skills to parents whose children have aggressive, rebellious or otherwise challenging behaviors, to help children in difficult situations establish or rebuild relationships, and to bring some peace and comfort to the family.