by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com

Yesterday we talked about WHY we need help.  Today let's talk about HOW to get help!  Here are just a few creative ways parents of children with special needs are getting help - and making their lives more manageable and balanced!

1. Barter for help among friends and neighbors. 

It's been done since the beginning of civilization.  In these tough economic times, bartering for help is once again regaining popularity among parents who are pressed for time, who realize they can't do it all themselves, and who are watching the budget.  A few examples of very successful barter arrangements that have worked well either for myself or for my clients:

• Trading babysitting
• Cooking in exchange for ironing
• Tutoring in exchange for child care
• Gift wrapping in exchange for errands
• Car repair in exchange for yard work
• Window treatments in exchange for organizing closets

Who do you know who might be interested in bartering for help?  See what they think.  You'll be amazed at the possibilities!

2. Delegate small jobs (or big jobs) to family members.

My daughter pours the milk at every meal.  My son sweeps under the table after dinner.  These may not sound too significant in the grand scheme of things, but these small jobs add up to minutes and hours saved over the course of the day.  Plus, it teaches the kids to pitch in!  How many small jobs do you do, that could be done by someone else in the family?

3. Seek out sources of help in your community. 

There may be free services out there that you're not even aware of, closer than you may think!  Find them by calling your town or city clerk, community organizations, local churches, your pediatrician's office, local hospitals, and local school offices.  Even if they don't directly offer services themselves, they often can tell you who does - and give you phone numbers and names of people who can help you.  And don't overlook what is most often the best source of information of all: other parents! 

You might be surprised at what you find.  For instance, many high schools have community service programs where students will come help you with a number of different types of work, in return for your signature on a paper stating how many hours they put in!  Remember, families of children with special needs are usually considered eligible for such programs. 

What are your plans for getting more help into your life?  Post a comment using the "cloud link" below and tell us! 

For more ideas about getting help, check out my book: Overwhelmed No More! The Complete System for Balanced Living for Parents of Children with Special Needs. 

by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com

Last week, I spent the hour with my Coaching Club members introducing the topic of Getting Help.  Help is something we hesitate about as parents of children with special needs - but it's absolutely crucial to keeping life manageable and balanced - for you, your children, and your family - when you have a child with special needs.

Getting help is a topic that sounds simple enough, but can actually be quite complicated.  During our call we talked about why getting help is so hard, and where to begin as you start to get more help as a regular part of your life.  Here are some thoughts from our discusion:

1. Getting help - in all kinds of ways - will help you lighten your load without letting things go.

2. When you ask someone for help, you're not necessarily imposing. In most cases, you're actually giving them a gift.

3. When asking for help, whether from family members, friends, neighbors, etc., make the request as specific as possible. 

4. Systematize the help you're putting into place, so you don’t have to keep asking.

5. Keep an open mind. When you allow someone to help you, they may do the task differently than you would.

6. Help with even the smallest tasks can really add up, save u significant amounts of your time and energy.

7. Action step: What can you get more help with? Choose one thing to ask for help with this week.

More ideas coming soon!   Sometimes you have to get creative in the ways you get help.  Later this week I'll post some examples of they ways you can get help -- and some tips for free or low-cost help that you may not have thought of!

Tell us what kind of help you have in place already -- and how you feel about it! Click on the cloud link below to post a comment.

You are one of MILLIONS of parents of children with special needs.  Mark your calendar and make your call to Congress on Thursday.  There really is strength in numbers!

From the Wrightslaw Newsletter this morning:

http://www.wrightslaw.com/nltr/09/al.fairness.act.09.htm

Thursday, July 9!

Please call your Congressional Representative on July 9. Ask him or her to co-sponsor the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act, H.R. 2740.

We would like to get as many cosponsors as possible so the bill passes. Your call can help make that happen!

Dial 202-224-3121 (TTY 202-225-1904) and ask for your Representative.

Support the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act, H.R. 2740!
Find out:

• Why is H.R.2740 so important?
• How do you find your Representative?
• What do you say?

Help Parents Recover Expert Witness Fees and Level the Playing Field!

School districts can use tax dollars to employ and pay for psychologists and other technical experts.

Few parents can afford the thousands of dollars needed to pay for expert testimony that is necessary to prevail in IDEA due process hearings and litigation. Parents have fewer resources and yet must bear a greater financial burden.

The IDEA Fairness Restoration Act, H.R. 2740, is necessary to allow parents to recover their expert witness fees. It will restore Congress’ original intent. This bipartisan bill, introduced by Congressman Chris Van Hollen (Maryland) and Pete Sessions (Texas), will help level the playing field and make the right to due process affordable for parents across America.

Find out more details about the IDEA Fairness Restoration Act, H.R. 2740 and make your call on Thursday, July 9!

Please ask friends, colleagues, clients, and family members to call too. It will only take a few minutes.

by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com

Just a quick note to let you know that you can now follow me again on Twitter!  To get my latest updates for parents of children with special needs, go to http://www.twitter.com/joancelebi/ and click on the "Follow" button at the top left of the page.  Hope to see you there - and I look forward to following you, too!

by Joan Celebi, Ed.M., CLC
Founder, SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com

You've probably had some difficulty if you've been trying to follow me on Twitter today.  Evidently, hundreds of thousands of people have had their Twitter accounts frozen due to a malfunction that I won't pretend to understand!  Hopefully, the good folks at Twitter will take care of this soon, and I'll be tweeting away again before long, with plenty of tips, ideas, quotes, and links to great resources for parents of children with special needs.

In the meantime, feel free to explore the website here at SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com.  The blog and the free resources page will keep you busy for quite a while!  Also, please be my friend on Facebook, where I'll be posting periodically.  I look forward to connecting with you soon!