A Diamond in the Rough

Recently my father gave to me several old books that had belonged to my great-grandmother. As my son was glancing through the pages, a worn, yellowed slip of paper fell out. He brought it to me and asked what it was. I glanced at it and saw it was a short poem about motherhood entitled A Diamond in the Rough. As I read it aloud to the children, I was moved to think that I was getting a small glimpse into the heart of my great-grandmother. 


It reminded me that our generation is not the first to struggle for the hearts and souls of our children. Each generation has had it's own unique challenges and difficulties. We are walking in the footsteps of countless women who have sacrificed and poured their all into this life changing work called motherhood.


I'm sure my great-grandmother would never have dreamed that a small poem she had tucked away into the pages of a book would end up in the hands of her great-granddaughter and great-great-grandson. It is a nice feeling to think that all the little things we do could one day be found and remembered by the generations to come. Here is the poem for you to enjoy. 

A Diamond in the Rough

A diamond in the rough is a diamond sure enough

For before it ever sparkles

it is made of diamond stuff!

Of course, someone must find it, 

or it will never be found.

And then someone must grind it, 

or it will never be ground.

And when it's found and when it's ground, 

and when it's burnished bright

that diamond's everlasting

just flashing out its light.

O Mother in that family, 

to hope is not enough!

The task is yours, that child is

just a diamond in the rough.

Author Unknown

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How to Enjoy a Kitchen Free Weekend!

**A very big thank you to my sister, Rachel, for this awesome guest post!**

And on the seventh day God ended His work which He had done, and He rested on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then God blessed the seventh day and sanctified it, because in it He rested from all His work which God had created and made. (Genesis 2:2,3)
Let’s admit it—making healthy, homemade meals from whole foods is work. If we want to feed our families well, it requires more effort and time than opening a box of highly processed, prepared convenience food. However, if God Almighty rested from His labors, then how much more so do we mothers need a rest, especially a rest from cooking and dish washing! So how do we enjoy a day of rest from our kitchen labors without resorting to convenience foods or take out? With a little planning, it’s simple.


 Some time ago I instituted a Preparation Day on Friday, which is basically spending a little time preparing extra food on Friday for my family to enjoy on the weekend. This usually involves a combination of chopping vegetables, mixing a dip or marinade, cutting up or precooking meat, or making a desert or other treat. Pretty simple idea, but the blessing I have experienced from implementing it has been tremendous! Sunday has become a day where I can truly rest from my labor, which has made it so much easier to begin a new week refreshed and ready to face the joys and challenges of mothering a difficult child.


  To begin your Preparation Day, first start with a meal plan. For example, this weekend’s menu looks like this:

• Saturday breakfast—Sausage gravy, biscuits, eggs and fruit
• Saturday lunch—Cheese chunks and pretzels
• Saturday supper—Homemade pizza, fresh veggies with dip and potato chips
• Sunday breakfast—Cereal or leftover sausage gravy
• Sunday lunch—Chili, hot ham and cheese sandwiches, cookies
• Sunday supper—leftovers 

Remember, anything that can be prepared ahead saves you time spent in the kitchen on the weekend, with the ultimate goal of no cooking whatsoever on Sunday. With this in mind, here is a list of prep work for this menu, prioritized by importance so that, if I run out of time, the most important things have been taken care of first:

• Make chili
• Mix cookie dough (cookies can be baked if time allows)
• Make and freeze ham and cheese sandwiches
• Mix ingredients into pork to make sausage (this has to chill overnight)
• Wash and cut up veggies (for dipping and for pizza toppings)
• Make veggie dip
• Cut up cheese chunks
• Make biscuits or biscuit dough (as time allows)

 This might seem like a daunting list, but many of these items the children can either help with or do entirely alone, further reducing my time in the kitchen while teaching them valuable life skills and providing a wonderful opportunity for us to spend time together.

Here is the list again, broken up by the age of the child who will perform or help with the task.

4-year old--wash veggies

and layer cheese on ham sandwichs.

6-year old-- make ham and cheese sandwiches

 and brown hamburger for chili (with supervision)

7-year-old—cut up cheese chunks and wash dishes

9-year-old—mix dip ingredients and mix sausage ingredients

Momma—make chili

 mix cookie dough

  (of course you need a helper to lick the beaters:-)

cut up veggies

mix biscuit dough and supervise.

 Saturday morning, I brown the sausage, reserving half for the pizza that evening. The biscuits bake while I make sausage gravy. After such a big breakfast, lunch is a quick snack and supper is simply a matter of mixing pizza dough and adding the toppings (the sausage is already browned, the veggies are cut up, and the dip is made). Paper plates make clean up even easier.

 Sunday is simply heating or reheating food for various meals. Sunday evening I pull every leftover out of the fridge from the last two days, even if it is just one or two servings of a particular item, and make a “buffet” on the counter top, letting everyone pick what they want to eat. This uses up all those wonderful leftovers (cutting down on food costs) and pleases even the pickiest of eaters, who can usually find at least one or two things he/she likes.

 If you are a mother who works outside the home or if this level of planning seems intimidating at first, start simple. Make Saturday morning a Preparation Day for Sunday; split up the work between Thursday and Friday; or purpose yourself to make and freeze a casserole earlier in the week that can be defrosted for Sunday’s main meal. You will be blessed by providing wholesome homemade food for your family on Sunday while still enjoying a true day of rest.  

 ***Disclaimer regarding sausage gravy and biscuits***

Okay, I know that not many people would consider sausage gravy and biscuits to be a wholesome meal. However, when I choose meals for my family, I generally do not consider overall fat content as much as whether or not the recipe calls for “real” ingredients (loosely based on the Nourishing Traditions cookbook). For example, when making biscuits, I choose real butter rather than vegetable shortening or margarine. I am also in the process of “weaning” my family off of white flour and onto wheat flour. In the sausage gravy, I make my own sausage out of ground pork to avoid preservatives and use raw milk. So, while it definitely goes against the USDA Food Pyramid, I consider this a wholesome Saturday morning treat for my family. And it sure is a lot better for them than Pop-Tarts!

 Black Bean Chili

• 64 oz tomato juice
• 12 oz tomato paste
• 1 lb hamburger
• ½ small onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• chili powder, salt and pepper to taste

Brown hamburger, onion and garlic; drain excess grease. Return meat to pot and add remaining ingredients. (I usually use about 1 T chili powder, 2 tsp salt and ¼ tsp black pepper, but this will need adjusted depending on your family’s preferences). Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer. Allow to simmer for 15 to 30 minutes.

Hot Ham and Cheese Sandwiches

• ½ c butter, softened
• 1 tsp poppy seeds
• ½ tsp ground mustard
• 2 tsp onion, dried 
• 1 tsp Worcestershire
• Buns
• Ham
• Cheese

Mix butter, poppy seeds, ground mustard, dried onion and Worcestershire; set aside. Layer ham and cheese on buns. Spread butter mixture on top bun before placing on top of ham/cheese. Wrap each sandwich in foil and freeze. When ready to use, preheat oven to 350 F. Place sandwiches on baking sheet and bake 20 to 30 minutes or until thoroughly defrosted and centers are warm.

Sausage

• 1 lb pork
• 1 tsp sage
• 1 tsp poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 tsp pepper
• 1 T maple syrup

Mix all well; chill at least one hour up to overnight.

**Sausage Gravy and Biscuit tutorial to follow**

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What is Sensory Processing Disorder? and New Post Series

My husband and I had no idea what to make of our toddler son's sensory-seeking behavior. It didn't strike us as anything to be alarmed about, we just couldn't understand why he did some of the things he did. We had never heard of Sensory Processing Disorder or Sensory Under-Responsivity, we just knew he craved "touch".  Several years later, we came to realize that the behavior our son displayed as a toddler was characteristic of a neurological disorder known as Sensory Processing Disorder or SPD. It is a subject that has fascinated me ever since.


To put it simply, SPD is a term that refers to the way our nervous system receives sensory messages and turns them into responses. This includes the senses we are all familiar with (sight, sound, touch, taste, smell) as well as the proprioceptive and vestibular senses. (less known senses that we use for speed, movement, pressure of muscles and position of our bodies.)

Most of us are born with the ability to receive sensory messages and organize them effortlessly into the "right" behavioral and physiological response. If that yummy cookie aroma coming from the kitchen turns into the smell of something burning, we don't have to stop and think about what to do. We automatically translate the olfactory (smell) message into the behavioral response of dropping the book we were reading and rushing into the kitchen. At the same time, the nervous system produces a physiological response-an uptick in heart rate, a rise in blood pressure, the outbreak of a fine sweat.Sensory Processing Disorder exists when sensory signals don't get organized into appropriate responses and a child's daily routines and activities are disrupted as a result.                                                                  -Lucy Jane Miller, Ph.D., OTR, Sensational Kids

There are three subtypes under SPD: Sensory Modulation Disorder, Sensory-Based Motor Disorder and Sensory Discrimination Disorder. The behaviors represented in each subtype can be very diverse and can overlap. It is important to understand that all of us experience sensory problems at some time or another, but for the child with SPD, their sensory difficulties are chronic and a disruption to their everyday life.


Okay, so how does this disorder manifest itself? For the sensory-seeking child (hyposensitive) you might notice that the child:

• moves constantly (always running, jumping and hoping instead of walking)
• is constantly touching 
• talks excessively
• prefers foods with strong flavors (very spicy, salty or sweet)
• has difficulty sitting still 
• has a very intense or demanding personality
• frequently bumps, hits or pushes other children
• has difficulty getting along with peers
• prefers clothes to be as tight as possible
• makes reversals in letters or words
• has poor motor skills 

For the child with tactile defensiveness (hypersensitive) you might notice that the child:

• did not like to be held or cuddled as an infant
• is bothered by certain material textures such as rough bed sheets, new clothes, socks, etc.
• dislikes getting hands dirty with mud, glue, play dough, etc.
• is a very picky eater (may gag with certain textures)
• is distressed by having fingernails or hair cut 
• resists friendly affectionate touch
• is distracted by sounds not normally noticed by others
• cries or covers ears with loud or unexpected sounds
• has difficulty accepting changes to their routines (will throw temper tantrums)
• difficulty with potty training
• has severe mood swings throughout day

This is just a few of the many symptoms that can present with SPD. If you suspect your child may have SPD you can read a complete list of symptoms at The Sensory Processing Disorder Resource Center. I highly recommend this website! 

I would also recommend

This book is a great tool for understanding SPD. If you already know about SPD and are living with it, you will appreciate Part 2 of the book, Living with Sensational Kids.

If you are a mom struggling with your SPD child, I hope you will join us here next week as we kick off our first post series:

We will seek to encourage and inspire you with resources, ideas, and strategies for teaching and loving your SPD child. I hope you will join us!

**please note that we are not trained medical professionals, just caring friends!**

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Is This Your Child?

I want to share with you a great resource. Is This Your Child? by Dr. Doris Rapp is the first book I ever read about food allergies and behavior. It is a very easy read and some of the testimonials are amazing! Her book (which was a New York Times bestseller) provides very thorough information that helps parents to identify which allergens (food, chemicals, etc.) are causing illness and behavior changes in their children. I remember being so excited when I read the book. It was the first time I realized that there were other parents just like us and that there was a reason for our son's behavior.

Here is a video from her website in which she provides a brief overview of food allergies and the symptoms they can cause. 

We now have a resource page available where you can find Is This Your Child? as well as other helpful resources. We will soon offer a list of free resources, as well as books and educational materials available through Amazon. This page is still a work in progress so check back often to find something new!

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When Motherhood Is Too Hard ebook (and giveaway)

Generation Cedar has just released a new ebook When Motherhood Feels Too Hard (Devotions, Advice & Renewal).

Kelly writes: " I know about the days when you want to give up. I know about feelings of helplessness as you face your failures day after day. But I also know about a resolve that can be planted in the heart of every saint to bear them up on those days and give them what they need to carry out the task to which they have been called.That’s why I wrote this book. And because I have been there, every word pours from a knowing heart–a “comrade in the trenches”, as I have come to define it."

Here is the lovely video

For TODAY ONLY, Generation Cedar is offering this ebook for $1.00!! 

You purchase now by clicking HERE.

We are going to give away 2 FREE copies!

To enter to win, please do one or more of the following:

1.) subscribe to receive Hope for the Difficult Child sent directly to your inbox (2 entries)
2.) "like" us on facebook (2 entries)
3.) leave a comment on this post or on our facebook fan page (1 entry)


This giveaway will close on Wednesday 2-22-12 @midnight EST


I hope you win!


This giveaway is now closed.


Any the winners are........


Becky Clark
Cheral Shonjon

Today is a New Day

Yesterday I totally blew it. I became impatient and angry with my children and began rebuking them harshly. Next followed these big, audible, shoulder heaving sighs. With every look, every harsh word, every slump of my shoulders,  I was conveying the message to my children that I had HAD IT with them! At some point in the day I began trading in the priceless, lovely garments of grace so dearly purchased for me and began clothing myself in the ugly and shabby garments of the flesh. 


There are many days I wonder if this blog should be called Hope for the Difficult Mother.  Isn't that really what we all are? Difficult women being patiently and lovingly trained into the image of Christ? Do we always give Him instant obedience? (Then why do we demand it of our children?)  Do we faithfully follow all of His instructions? (Then why do we get so frustrated when our children don't follow ours?) Don't we too need to be taught the same lessons over and over and over again by our Heavenly Father? 

Dear Mothers, the same mercy and grace that our Lord generously bestows upon us, we ought also to bestow upon our difficult and not-so-difficult children. Christ, in His perfect love, sees His redeemed children through eyes of mercy. If Christ is our example, why then do we allow ourselves to see our children's behavior through eyes of frustration and resentment? 

"Why do they have to be so difficult? I have had it with them! I can't do this 

anymore, it's too hard. Why can't they just be easy for once in their lives?"  

We must seek diligently to follow Christ's example and not hold our child's faults and failures over them. We should seek to let go of  past grievances and hurts. We need to pray daily for grace to not grow resentful of the work and sacrifice our children cost us. 

How many of us find ourselves behaving like the wicked servant, who was forgiven a very large debt and then turned and had no mercy on the servant who owed him little. 

"Therefore, the kingdom of heaven is like a king who wanted to settle accounts with his servants. As he began the settlement, a man who owed him ten thousand talents was brought to him. Since he was not able to pay, the master ordered that he and his wife and his children and all that he had be sold to repay the debt.“The servant fell on his knees before him. ‘Be patient with me,’ he begged, ‘and I will pay back everything.’ The servant’s master took pity on him, canceled the debt and let him go.
“But when that servant went out, he found one of his fellow servants who owed him a hundred denarii. He grabbed him and began to choke him. ‘Pay back what you owe me!’ he demanded.
“His fellow servant fell to his knees and begged him, ‘Be patient with me, and I will pay you back.’
“But he refused. Instead, he went off and had the man thrown into prison until he could pay the debt. When the other servants saw what had happened, they were greatly distressed and went and told their master everything that had happened.
“Then the master called the servant in. ‘You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn’t you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’ In anger his master turned him over to the jailers to be tortured, until he should pay back all he owed.
“This is how my heavenly Father will treat each of you unless you forgive your brother from your heart.” (Matt. 18:21-35)

Like the wicked servant, we eagerly grasp at God's mercy and grace and then turn and deal with our children's "debts" with frustration, annoyance and harshness. Oh, if we could only learn to return unto our children the smallest percent of the mercy and love God so freely bestows upon us every day.


 Have you ever said to a friend, "I hope you have a great day!" Well, I have a very wise friend who says, "You don't have a good day, you make it a good day."  The good news for us, mothers, is that today is a new day! Praise God, His mercies are new every morning! We don't have to get up tomorrow and clothe ourselves in ugly rags of resentment, frustration and impatience. We can freely fall upon the throne of grace and allow God to clothe us in garments of love, patience, forgiveness and hope. 

Will you join me this morning in making a great day for you and your difficult child? Greet your child with a big smile and a new perspective.  Let him/her know before the day even begins that yesterday is done and gone. Today is a new day. And let it be so.  

"Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! 

morning by morning, new mercies I see;

all I have needed Thy hand hath provided;

great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me!

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Teaching At Our Tables

I have to give credit for this post to my great friends, Tabitha and Rachel. They are two of the best moms I know and a great source of inspiration to me! Both of them use this great idea for turning family meal time into a time of encouragement and instruction.


My husband shared with me at the beginning of this year that he would like to see our family memorize the books of the bible. While visiting at my friend Tabitha's home a few weeks ago, I was sitting at her table and noticed it was covered in a clear, thick, vinyl tablecloth. Under the vinyl she had placed maps and place cards for each family member. The idea came to me that this would be a great way to memorize the books of the bible!

I went to JoAnn's and purchased 2 1/2 yards of clear vinyl for around $4.99/yard. The vinyl can be found in the fabric section on large rolls. It is available in several gauges of thickness. I believe I purchased the 8 inch and mine is a little on the thin side, so the 12 inch gauge would probably work nicely. Don't forget to take your 40% coupon from the Sunday paper! These coupons are good for one cut of fabric and the vinyl is included.


I made two very simple posters, one for the Old Testament and one for the New Testament. Then I used different colored markers to divide the books of the bible into their categories. (i.e. major prophets, history, books of law, etc.) You can find a list here.

 Now every time we sit down to a meal, they are right in front of us! I don't have to "remember" to practice the books of the bible, nor do I have to work it into my school schedule. It's right there on our table reminding us at every meal! Also, the vinyl is durable and super easy clean-up. It also protects your posters and table really well.


My friend Rachel uses her vinyl table covering to display her kids art work. (How much better is this than a hundred coloring pages hanging off your refrigerator and getting stuck in the door every time you reach for a gallon of milk?) It can be a wonderful way for your children to proudly showcase their work. A sweet idea would be to let each child take a turn placing their artwork at Daddy's seat for him to brag on and enjoy during supper!

 There are so many ways you can use your vinyl table covering for educational purposes. How about a map of United States to memorize the states and capitals during meal time?

Here are a few other ideas I have come up with:

 scripture memory verses

 anatomy posters (brain, skeleton,etc) 

maps

 math facts

 poetry to inspire and encourage! 

The ideas are endless! 

Do you have an idea to use under a vinyl table covering? Please leave a comment and share it with us!

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Mothering for an Audience of One

Do you find your pride sometimes bruised by the behavior of your difficult child? Are you, at times, embarrassed by how loud and disruptive or immature your child can be? Are you ever fearful of how your child will behave in front of others or how friends will perceive you as a mother? Do you occasionally feel judged by family and friends for your inability to "control" your child's behaviour? 

I want to share with you a powerful truth.

You are mothering for an audience of ONE and He already knows all about it. He loves you and your child with a love that we cannot even begin to fathom. Others may not see the silent battles you fight, but He does. In fact, He is right there with you on the battle field. Others do not know the hours you spend laboring to teach, train and discipline your child. He knows. He sees every tear you cry, He hears every prayer you pray. 

Have confidence this week as you mother your difficult child, knowing that your patient and loving labor is a pleasing aroma to this audience of One.

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Learning to Tell Time

 ****Okay, before we jump into this fun post, I have a quick note: This blog is intended to be a source of inspiration and encouragement for all mothers of difficult children regardless of their life situation. Whether you are a working mother, single mother, homeschooling mother or any other kind of mother, it is my sincere prayer that you will find something to strengthen and inspire you as you labor to train your child. Since I am a homeschooling mother, it is easy for me to write what I know. However, all of our Teaching the Difficult Child posts will be ideas you can easily adapt for your preschooler, or reinforce concepts your child is struggling to learn in school.****

I recently taught my 6yr old & 7yr old to tell time using a few simple games and activities. I was so pleased with not only the speed at which they learned this new math skill, but how much fun they had while learning! They begged me to keep "playing" when I told them it was time to wrap it up so we could move on to our next activity. It really is important to stop your activity while the children are still interested so you can keep them asking for more!

Here is our Telling Time curriculum for the week.

A foam clock puzzle that I purchased at a thrift store for about thirty cents!

You can purchase a new one on Amazon here.

Plastic game pieces with written, digital and analog times that I purchased at an office store for around $3.00. My picture turned out too dark, but you can see them in the picture above.

Our Education Cubes! 

These are one of the best ideas ever! To make your own Education Cubes you would need to purchase a set of photo stacking blocks and a membership to Education Cubes. It is a one time membership fee of $12.00 and you will receive over 200 educational inserts. You will see activities and lessons involving Education Cubes pop up in a lot of my posts. They are so versatile and the learning possibilities are endless! They are especially great for children with sensory issues as most kids love the soft and chunky feel of the cubes. Also great for kids with short attention spans and a desire for constant motion! 

Pictured above are the digital time inserts. One way we use them is to have the boys toss the dice and then make that time on their foam clock puzzle. (See below for another idea using the Education Cubes.)

Our Time Timeline.

I came up with this idea recently when I realized that the boys had learned to tell time very quickly, but they still couldn't tell me what time of day we eat breakfast, what time we get up in the morning, etc. They still couldn't quite grasp the meaning of a 24 hour day or at what time various activities occurred during their day.

I printed off various clip art pictures depicting scenes from a typical day. The boys colored them and cut them out. I created an accordion style timeline by taping pieces of white card stock side by side.  I began our timeline with 7:30 (when my boys get up) and ended it with 9:00. (bedtime) Then the boys glued their pictures in the appropriate places.

This is also a great way for them to learn a.m. and p.m. It helps them visualize the concept of a 24 hour day when they see 9:00 show up two different times on their timeline.You could take this a step further and make a 24 hour timeline. 

 Once we finished our timeline, we played a game with it using our foam clock. 

I would ask the boys, "What time do we eat our breakfast?". They looked at the timeline to find the appropriate picture and then made the time on their clock. For an older child, you could make flashcards with the words one o'clock or two-thirty and they would have to point to the activity on the timeline. For younger children you could make 5:30 on the foam clock and ask your child, "What do we do at 5:30?" There are so many ways to use your Time Timeline!

Here's another great idea for using the Education Cubes. Once your children becomes familiar with their timeline, put it away and bring out their Education Cubes with the digital time inserts. Sit across from them or in a circle and toss the cube into the middle of the circle. When the cube lands on 8:30 ask them, "What happens at 8:30?" Try to stretch them a little further by inserting time cards that are not on their timeline!

We bring our time curriculum out for several days to a week at a time. I try to apply the principal of:

"precept upon precept, precept upon precept; line upon line, line upon line; here a little, and there a little" Isaiah 28;13

Until I feel my child has fully mastered telling time, we will use these activities every 2-3 weeks. If a year or so goes by and my child is starting to forget a little of what he learned, we will bring it back out again and "brush up". It doesn't matter if your child masters telling time in 1 day or 3 years, just have fun learning together and go slow and steady at their own pace.

If you are interested in Education Cubes, visit the Show & Tell to get and share Education Cube ideas!

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Teaching the Difficult Child

**note** If you have not already done so, please read  Who is the Difficult Child?

Chances are, if you are the parent of a diffcult child, you have already discovered that textbook teaching methods just do not work for your child. Whether it is a sensory issue, motor skill problem, inability to comprehend or just a plain old bad attitude, homeschooling a difficult child can be a little....well........difficult. 

This week we will begin a series of posts focused on Teaching the Difficult Child. Each week, a new post will give you ideas for teaching your child without the use of textbooks and workbooks. If your homeschooling has become a burden and your relationship with your child becomes strained during "school time", I challenge you to think outside the box! Put away his workbooks and try engaging him with hands-on, real life fun! You will be amazed how fast they can learn and how much they will retain when they are engaged and having fun! I will be sharing many of my own ideas, as well as ideas from other mothers like ourselves. I am very excited at the thought of learning from all of you as well!

Check back on Thursday and read: Learning to Tell Time. I'll be sharing some fun ideas for teaching time without workbooks, writing or tears! I hope to hear your ideas as well! 

Psalm 25:4-5

Show me your ways, O Lord, 

teach me your paths;

guide me in your truth and teach me, 

for you are God my Savior, 

and my hope is in you all day long.

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Free Download: Behavior, Learning & Health (The Dietary Connection)

Just a quick post to let you know about a great book that is available for free download on the Feingold Program website. Behavior, Learning and Health offers a clear and concise overview of the dietary connection between food and behavior, learning and physical problems of so many children today.

Covered topics include: ADHD, asthma, aggression and disruptive behavior, bed wetting, Autism Spectrum Disorders and the Gluten/Casein connection.

If you are a mother of a difficult child and you have never considered the connection between diet and your child's behavior, this book would be a great place to start! It is not too much information so as to "overload" you. 

download here

                                                        

Here is a startling excerpt from pg 15.-Aggression and Disruptive Behavior:

"In 1985 Dr. Stephen Schoenthaler published a series of studies on 12 juvenile correctional facilities, housing 8,076 young offenders. Just as he showed in the school studies (page 11), not all the children improved,but 20% of them made such a dramatic recovery that the total of“deviant behaviors” for all the children fell by 47%. At a Tidewater, VA detention facility, behavior problems fell 48% following dietary changes: Violence declined 33%, theft dropped 77%, etc. A controlled study of 1,382 youths at three Los Angeles County probation detention centers found a 44% reduction in bad behavior, and a northern California probation department facility making similar dietary changes found that violence fell 25% and “horseplay”declined 42%. In both these California institutions, suicide attempts fell 44%."

If you have not yet explored the idea that food could have a major effect on your child's ability to grow, behave and learn properly, I promise this will be eye opening for you!

I would love to hear from you if you read the book and find it helpful! 

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Trust Him

Trust Him when dark days assail thee,


Trust Him when thy faith is small, 


Trust Him when to simply trust Him


Seems the hardest thing of all.
                                   ~ Author Anonymous    

Dear Mother, trust in Him alone for the wisdom and grace to train your children for His glory.     

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Ideas For a Dye Free Valentine's Day!

February is here and that means Valentine's Day is just around the corner! The holidays can be a little tricky if you are trying to keep your difficult/hyperactive child away from artificial dyes and flavors. It is very hard to say no to grandparents and other friends/family when to comes to special treats around the holidays. With just a little extra effort and planning, you can provide your child with delicious alternatives and they will never know the difference! Here are some great resources for you to consider. 




1. The Squirrels Nest: This candy store was started by a mom whose son was sensitive to artificial colors and flavorings. You can read the touching story of the history of her business here. All of her candy is made without synthetic ingredients. She has many items that are Feingold stage 1 & 2 and they are listed in a separate category for easy reference. Please note: Valentine themed candy can only be ordered until Friday, Feb 3 at The Squirrels Nest.

I ordered these beautiful Valentine Jelly Beans 

and these Valentine milk chocolate foils

2. YummyEarth: YummyEarth candy is all natural and organic. They have the best tasting lollipops ever! I always keep a bag in the pantry as a special treat or reward. It's also a good idea to have a few on hand in your purse or car for those few occasions when your child is offered candy by others. 

3. Indie Candy: Indie Candy is all natural and allergy friendly. They offer candy that is dairy free, gluten free, egg free, peanut free, tree nut free, soy free and Feingold approved! I have never personally ordered from their store, but I found these beautiful all natural Gourmet Heart Gummis.

It might be a good idea to talk with grandparents, teachers and friends a week or two before Valentine's day to remind them that your child has difficulty with artificial dyes and flavorings. You can offer to place an all natural candy order for them when you place your order, or offer alternative ideas for "treats". Valentine themed pencils, stickers and other such small items are readily available at any supermarket and make a nice alternative to artificially flavored candy. 

Saying no to food dyes, doesn't mean saying no to fun! It just means we have to be a little more careful about our choices. 

Are you encouraged here? I invite you to subscribe to Hope for the Difficult Child and receive our latest posts straight to your inbox.  Connect with us on facebook and receive updates not posted on our blog.