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TEN GREAT TRAITS OF PARENTS OF CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS

By Joan Celebi, Special Needs Parent Coach It’s been said that having a child with special needs brings out the best in us, and I heartily agree.

I suspect you’ll recognize yourself in the qualities listed here:

  1. Camaraderie. Meet someone new + find out they have a child with special needs = instant friend.
  2. Sense of Humor. It carries us through even the worst of days.
  3. Appreciation for what’s truly important in life.
  4. Determination. A “do whatever it takes,” never give up attitude.
  5. Vigilance. Often anticipating and heading off potential problems before they happen.
  6. Empathy…for others facing challenges in life, whatever those challenges may be.
  7. Intellectual Prowess…from reading all those research studies!
  8. Resourcefulness. More often than not, we find a way or make a way.
  9. Strength…mental, emotional, physical, and stamina, too.
  10. Courage. We face challenges head-on that we once could never have fathomed.

Joan Celebi is the founder of SpecialNeedsParentCoach.com and author of Overwhelmed No More! Published with permission.

PARENTING CLASSES

Designed specifically for parents of children birth to 3 years old. Learn about your child’s temperament, safety points to keep in mind and effective discipline for this age.

Sioux Falls, Sanford CHILD Services
Responsive Parenting classes are free and run continually on Wednesdays. The classes do require pre-registration. In some locations, child care is offered at no cost to parents who attend the classes. For questions or to register, please call (605) 328-7115 or email childsrv@sanfordhealth.org.

Statewide Common Sense Parenting Classes
Designed by Boys Town as a practical approach to help parents be more positive with their children and to use more effective discipline. Common Sense Parenting Classes are appropriate for parents with children ages 3 to adolescence. If classes are not offered in your area or to explore opportunities for virtual classes, contact 605.773.3227

Aberdeen:
Lutheran Social Services
605.882.2740

Belle Fourche:
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
605.394.5120

Brookings:
Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership
605.692.6391

Cheyenne River Reservation:
Northwest Area Schools Outreach Services
605.374.3918

Catholic Social Services Outreach Services
605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

Custer:
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
605.394.5120

Hot Springs:
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
605.394.5120

Huron:
Jan Manolis Family Safe Center
605.554.0398

Madison:
Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership
605.692.6391

Martin:
605.374.3918

Mitchell: 
Family Visitation Center 605.996.8880

Mobridge Area:
 605.374.3918

Pierre:
Growing Up Together
605.224.3189

Pine Ridge Reservation:
Catholic Social Services Outreach Services
605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

Rapid City:
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
605.394.5120

Catholic Social Services
605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

Rosebud Reservation:
Catholic Social Services Outreach Services
605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

Sioux Falls:
Children’s Inn
605.338.0116

Sisseton:
Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Agency Village
605.698.3911

Spearfish:
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
605.394.5120

Standing Rock Reservation:
Northwest Area Schools Outreach Services
605.374.3918

Sturgis: 
Black Hills Special Services Cooperative
605.394.5120

Yankton: 
River City Family Connections
605.665.1204

Watertown:
 Beacon Center
605.886.4304

Winner: 
Southern Plains Behavioral Health Services
605.835.8505 (evenings)

Aberdeen

Aberdeen: Lutheran Social Services 605.882.2740

Belle Fourche

Belle Fourche: Black Hills Special Services Cooperative 605.394.5120

Brookings

Brookings: Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership 605.692.6391

Cheyenne River Reservation

Cheyenne River Reservation: Northwest Area Schools Outreach Services 605.374.3918 and Catholic Social Services Outreach Services 605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

 

Custer

Custer: Black Hills Special Services Cooperative 605.394.5120

Hot Springs

Hot Springs: Black Hills Special Services Cooperative 605.394.5120

Huron

Huron: Jan Manolis Family Safe Center 605.554.0398

Madison

Madison: Inter-Lakes Community Action Partnership 605.692.6391

Martin

Martin: 605.374.3918

Mitchell

Mitchell: Family Visitation Center 605.996.8880

Mobridge Area

Mobridge Area: 605.374.3918

Pierre

Pierre: Growing Up Together 605.224.3189

Pine Ridge Reservation

Pine Ridge Reservation: Catholic Social Services Outreach Services 605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

Rapid City

Rapid City: Black Hills Special Services Cooperative 605.394.5120 and Catholic Social Services 605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

Rosebud Reservation

Rosebud Reservation: Catholic Social Services Outreach Services 605.348.6086 or 1.800.727.2401

Sioux Falls

Sioux Falls: Children’s Inn 605.338.0116

Sisseton

Sisseton: Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate, Agency Village 605.698.3911

Spearfish

Spearfish: Black Hills Special Services Cooperative 605.394.5120

Standing Rock Reservation

Standing Rock Reservation: Northwest Area Schools Outreach Services 605.374.3918, 605.374.3918

Sturgis

Sturgis: Black Hills Special Services Cooperative 605.394.5120

Yankton

Yankton: River City Family Connections 605.665.1204

Watertown

Watertown: Beacon Center 605.886.4304

Winner

Winner: Southern Plains Behavioral Health Services 605.835.8505 (evenings)

PARENTING TRAINING - FREE AND ONLINE

Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers

Parenting Toddlers and Preschoolers
Topics include: Communicating with Your Child, Creating Structure and Rules, Giving Directions, Using Discipline and Consequences, and Using Time-Out. Two types of videos are available, one features Real-Life Parenting Challenges that show how parents address every day challenges and find real world solutions. The other features experts offering “How-To” tips and ideas that are direct and to-the-point.

Positive Behavior Support for Parents - Self-Paced Online Training

Positive Behavior Support for Parents – Self-Paced Online Training

An overview of positive behavior support strategies, including ways to encourage good behavior. Requires 1-1.5 hours to complete. West Virginia University Center for Excellence in Disability.

Strategies for Parenting Defiant Children - Webinar

Strategies for Parenting Defiant Children – Webinar
Ross W. Greene, Ph.D., outlines positive parenting techniques that will help oppositional and defiant kids manage frustration and develop greater empathy and reasoning skills. In this audio and slide presentation Dr Greene discusses: tips for calming your defiant child, how to “reason” with your ODD child, strategies to help your kid manage frustration and problem solve.
additudemag.com

Positive Discipline

Positive Discipline Part 1
This 25 minute video is appropriate for parents who want to learn an alternative to the reward and punishment system. The program is also appropriate for parents interested in different techniques that includes children with disorders of attachment, children on the autism spectrum, and children exposed to trauma. University of Montana Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development.

Positive Discipline Part 2
This program promotes a strong parent to child connection, as well as sets clear boundaries and limits. University of Montana Center for Children, Families, and Workforce Development.

Conscious Discipline Videos

Seven-part webinar series includes every Conscious Discipline skill and structure based on an essential power of social-emotional health in adults and children. This popular series explores each of the seven powers: Perception, Unity, Attention, Free Will, Love, Acceptance and Intention.

Using the M.A.P. process to help children be successful: Model, Add pictures, and Practice.

Parent Tips for Picky Eaters

Parent Tips for Picky Eaters
A registered dietitian offers helpful approaches for parents of picky eaters (and how to prevent world war three from breaking out at the dinner table!)

Ins and Outs of Adolescent Brain Development - Webinar

Ins and Outs of Adolescent Brain Development – Webinar
Why do teenagers act the way they do? The prefrontal cortex, which controls higher-order thinking abilities, is not fully developed until very late in adolescence. In this introduction to adolescent brain development, we will focus on the development (and under-development) of various parts of the brain, the ways this brain development affects behavior, and ways to support adolescents as they finish the crucial period of brain development. Presenter: Dr. Diane Bales, Associate Professor and Extension Human Development Specialist, University of Georgia. connect.extension.org

Successful Co-Parenting After a Divorce - Online Training

Successful Co-Parenting After a Divorce – Online Training
Free online, interactive, multimedia platform with videos demonstrating skills and strategies, extensive resource site, and certificate of training. Applicable to parents, family members and professionals. Modules: Introduction to Divorce and Co-Parenting; Strategies and Skills for Co-Parenting; Self-Care, Transitions, and Safety. coparenting.fsu.edu

For Your Phone

Sign up for the free Milestone Tracker App to help you understand your child’s development and ways to help them reach developmental milestones.

Sign up for Bright by Text for free information and resources to help all those caring for children up to age 8.

an older woman hugging a younger woman.

GRANDPARENTS

AARP

AARP
Information, guides and resources.
aarp.org

Raising your Grandchildren

Raising your Grandchildren
There is much information on this website for grandparents raising grandchildren or other relatives parenting someone else’s child.

raisingyourgrandchildren.com

Grandparents of Kids with Special Needs

Grandparents of Kids with Special Needs
On Facebook and Yahoo group: facebook.com/GrandparentsOfKidsWithSpecialNeeds

 

Generations United

Generations United Improving the lives of children, youth and older adults through intergenerational collaboration, public policies, and programs. 

gu.org

Featured Resource

A vase sitting on a table

Take advantage of our most recent publication “Preparing For The Future… Understanding Guardianship and Alternatives”

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