Here's the latest article from the Special Needs Children site at BellaOnline.com.

Gratitude and Perfection - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art64366.asp
Children with special needs are often held to higher standards for reaching their potential and goals than their mainstream peers who have more natural accommodations and support in regular classrooms, playgrounds and social situations.
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art64366.asp

This week in November means many gatherings, traditions and memories for families across the USA. If you are traveling or hosting guests for the Thanksgiving holiday, I hope the weather and your children's special needs are less challenging than you expect and that you find much to be grateful for within your family and among your friends. I hope the traditions celebrate and those you start this year will build many happy memories for everyone, and that eventually we all will recognize the humor in things that go terribly wrong or slightly askew.

The day after Thanksgiving is a special occasion for retailers and the hardy souls they hope to entice with their sales. Amazon 'Black Friday' Deals start on Monday and last for a week - this link (slightly) benefits the Special Needs Children site Nov. 23-29, 2009:
http://tinyurl.com/AmzBlkFriSls

As an Amazon affiliate and shopper, I enjoy checking the Amazon "Gold Box" deals of the day and other discounts available through the site, including the Thanksgiving shopping week bargains. In my articles I do encourage our readers to browse in their public library and buy at their local bookstores, and neighborhood retailers. This was advice I should have taken myself when I recently decided to buy an iTunes gift card through Amazon - and ended up spending $34.48 for a $25 iTunes card through a 'third party' dealer in another state. Please be warned, and always pay attention to prices and shipping costs (((blush))).

I have often found highly discounted childrens books and those I have reviewed or recommended in articles through Amazon. During classroom holiday parties featuring games I often brought books as prizes. Students could take a book home or the winning student or team would have their names on a sticker inside the book to show they donated it to the classroom. Teachers and therapists seem to appreciate donated books, games and toys as much as students. It's best to show the items to the teacher before the day of the party as some books or games may not be familiar, or may be inappropriate due to unexpected reasons.

I had no problem at all buying movie theater gift cards at Amazon ~ the price was the same value as the gift card ~ and discovered that there are some showtimes designated 'sensory-friendly screenings' of children and family movies at a local theater. I discovered this is happening throughout the country, with lights turned up, volume a bit quieter, warmer temperatures, no ads or previews, free movement, talking and outside food ok during that showing; often during the earliest screening of the day or at a special early screening time so there are few people in the lobby or snack bar. I think this is quite wonderful.

Follow me via Twitter for updates and newspaper articles, television shows, movies, and technology developments related to disability issues (including Down syndrome):

http://twitter.com/DownSynAdvocacy

Don't forget you can check out the Amazon 'Black Friday' Week discounts starting this Monday Nov. 23-29, 2009 at the Special Needs Children affiliate link above, or at this link designed for Twitter:
http://tinyurl.com/AmzDlsBF

Please visit specialneedschildren.bellaonline.com for articles and advocacy related to raising babies, educating children, and encouraging teens with special needs. Thank you for sharing this newsletter and specific articles of interest with other families and advocates.

Sign Language and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art49898.asp

Anxiety and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art59924.asp

Sensory Integration and Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48942.asp

Brothers and Sisters - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art56919.asp

Forgiving Family
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art48067.asp

Family Happiness and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art63747.asp

Grandparents and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art37114.asp

Teaching Relatives to Care for a Disabled Child
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62563.asp

Cousins and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art44239.asp

Grandfathers and Great Uncles - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51398.asp

Teaching Children to Plan Meals and Cook
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38064.asp

Teaching Handwriting - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51022.asp

Proloquo2Go for iPod Touch and iPhone
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art63999.asp

Nintendo Wii Therapy Rehab for Children and Teens
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art63675.asp

Amazon Kindle and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art60812.asp

iPhone and iPod Touch Apps - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62136.asp

Photography Lessons for Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art63595.asp

The iPrompts Application and Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art63982.asp

Nintendo Wii Therapy for Children and Teens
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art63675.asp

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Patricia E Bauer's Disability News website features a Guest Commentary every so often, and last weekend presented my perspective on whether parents would embrace a cure for their son or daughter with Down syndrome:

DS community needs support as much as a cure
http://www.patriciaebauer.com/2009/11/21/guest-commentary-ds-cure/

"... we don’t really know what choices we would make if a safe, effective “cure” was developed for the range of intellectual disability found in most individuals with Down syndrome. ..."

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Terri Mauro has an insightful article about enjoying/surviving family get-togethers:
Special-Needs Kids and Special Occasions
http://specialchildren.about.com/od/inthecommunity/a/holiday.htm
and links to others at:
http://specialchildren.about.com/lr/holidays/334615/4/

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To participate in free, fun online discussions, this site has a community forum all about Special Needs Children located here -

http://forums.bellaonline.com/ubbthreads.php?ubb=postlist&Board=57

I hope to hear from you sometime soon, either in the forum or in response to this email message. I thrive on your feedback!

Have fun passing this message along to family and friends, because we all love free knowledge!

Pamela Wilson, Special Needs Children Editor
http://specialneedschildren.bellaonline.com


Encouraging Fussy Babies and Sensitive Toddlers
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62765.asp

Affirmations - Expressing Affection and Acceptance
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art208.asp

Teaching Printing and Cursive Handwriting - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51023.asp

Orthotics and Shoe Inserts for Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art63716.asp

TV Actors with Down Syndrome
http://tinyurl.com/dsActrTV

Down Syndrome and the Acting Gene
http://tinyurl.com/dsActgGn

Sensory Processing Disorder in Children
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art960.asp

Pain Management for Children at Clinics and Hospitals
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art51895.asp

Interviewing Caregivers for Your Child
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art62519.asp

Teaching Math Skills - Childhood Disability
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art38411.asp

Recess Skills
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art432.asp

School Bus Rides
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art45298.asp