As the mother of a special needs child, I have a strong awareness about how children are treated and perceived by society. When someone knocks him down, they knock me down, and I question why people don’t see him for who he is – which is basically a rock star. I’ve been hurt by other mothers who have excluded him from their children’s lives because he is different – not just once, countless times. Now that he’s older, some of this rejection is beginning to come from other children, and now it hurts both of us, not just me. I look forward to the day where he is accepted and included for who he is.

That’s why the Special Olympics is so important to me and so many other parents of special needs children. Since 1968, the event has celebrated athletes of all kinds and strives to create a better world by fostering the acceptance and inclusion of all people. The 2015 Special Olympics World Games Opening Ceremonies kick off this Saturday, July 25 in Los Angeles! 7,000 athletes from over 177 countries will compete in this inspiring event, and my son and I will be watching.

In honor of this year’s Special Olympics World Games, a beautiful series of murals have been painted by artists as part of Toyota’s “Share the Journey” campaign.  These murals feature Special Olympics athletes and celebrate their joy and courage. Building on L.A.’s storied history of outdoor art, Toyota partnered with the Mural Conservancy of Los Angeles to produce three murals inspired by the spirit of the 2015 Special Olympics World Games. The murals have been completed in advance with the intent that they will remain in place as a cultural legacy commemorating the Games in the city of Los Angeles.

“The Greatest” features a large scale portrait of Muhammad Ali, who happens to be one of my childhood heroes. Combining lettering and calligraphy from multiple cultural traditions, Cryptik showcases his signature style to create the mural background. At a distance, the calligraphy forms a glittering background to the overall image. Along the lower half of Muhammad Ali’s portrait, are a series of plaques featuring Special Olympics athletes. Each plaque includes an  image as well as an inspirational quote from the athlete. Two additional plaques including inspirational quotes from Olympic gold medalist Apolo Ohno and former United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan.

The World Stage Legacy mural was created by artist David Flores as a celebration of the history of the Coliseum, the spirit of the Special Olympics, and the city & state of Los Angeles, California. The theme of inclusiveness embraces the idea of diversity, and thus the individuals depicted in the mural personify this theme and symbolize key aspects of the Coliseum’s history: Sport (the Olympic Games and football), politics, entertainment, technology, and social progress.

You can tune in to ESPN coverage of the Special Olympics World Games from July 25 through August 2.  You can also cheer on your hometown heros by clicking here and sharing on your social channels to support the Special Olympics World Games athletes.

Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for SheSpeaks/Toyota.

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Your child may be a stickler for routine or want all his foods separated. He may take medication and need an early bedtime. For all these reasons and more, you may be hesitant to take him out of his rhythm, but there are tactics to help cope. We’ve made a list of twenty-one tactics to keep in mind before, during and after your trip:

1. Realize the trip isn’t about you or only what you want to do.  There will be future visits, other times when they’re older when you can travel the way you want to travel.
2. Have an agenda, but be prepared to change it. Be flexible and spontaneous as plans can change at ANY time.
3. Give your child time to adjust to the time difference. Allow later bedtimes and later wake-ups.  After all, you’re on vacation.
4. You know your child best.  If your child has sensory issues, know their triggers and try to avoid them.  For example, if they don’t like noise, try to stay out of crowded places. If they need to eat at a certain time, watch for antecedents.
5. Don’t freak out about what your child is eating.  Give it time and realize that they won’t eat like they do at home.  But their habits will improve as the trip progresses.
6. Don’t react negatively – positive reinforcement will help any situation. Special needs child are all about praise and it will take your trip further.
7. Playgrounds break up the tediousness of going to museums and sightseeing.  Have fun at a landmark by letting your kids run around. Sensory kids will enjoy the exercise and it will calm them down for museum (quieter) experiences.
8. Make sure your kids wear comfortable shoes.  Blisters on their feet will send you right home.
9. When your kids start to complain about sightseeing, take a detour.  Get an ice cream.  Sit down.  Be flexible and do something more child-friendly or something that they like. If they are obsessive and stuck on seeing one sight or doing one particular thing, take time out.
10. Remember that certain behaviors are for attention purposes only.  Try to figure out what they are so you can spot them and nip them in the bud when they occur.
11. If a meltdown occurs, try not to let it ruin the rest of your trip. March forward.
12. If you do experience a meltdown, remove your child from the situation.  Maybe it’s time to go back to the hotel, and start fresh the next day.
13. Carry things they might need. Be prepared for accidents or anything they may want that would upset them if you didn’t have it on you.
14. Bring snacks.  Keep staples in the room and keep them fed on day trips.
15. Keep your child hydrated, particularly if medication is involved.
16. Ease up on restrictions on electronics. If playing with the iPad or iPod relaxes your child and will enable you to have more enjoyable days, let it be.
17. Pick up souvenirs as you go to make the trip memorable, letting your child pick them out.
18. Make the trip fun and they’ll have fun.
19. Have a back-up plan.  Make a list of things to do, and be prepared to change according to evolving moods.
20. Again, be patient.  It will get you further than you will ever know.
21. Lastly, plan activities your kids like to do, but don’t forget to try to squeeze in some time for yourself.  That will also make you a better parent.

There is nothing better than showing your child the world.  Don’t be afraid to do it; embrace it. Your kids will come back more aware, more educated and more enlightened from your travels.

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Right when school ended, we came down south for a week to stay with my mother.  My goal was to spend time with her during a much needed healing process and to place my kids in the camp I grew up in.

When we arrived, his behavior was up and down.  Sporadic. Unpredictable. We were both not sure if he would wake up on the right side of bed to go to camp or whether he would lay there for an hour and struggle to dress, eat breakfast and leave the house.

Yet after a few days he started to jump up to run to camp.  It was obvious that he was enjoying the heck out of a camp where he didn’t know a soul. He was the odd man out, the only New Yorker in a group of native Atlantans.  Yet he was excited about the line-up of activities each day and would come home every day and check the schedule for the next day.  He also wanted to check the Shutterfly collection that they uploaded daily to see if he made into any pictures.

I don’t talk about his behavior too often here because it’s hard to describe. Without a diagnosis and a clear explanation of what the issue is, what can I tell you.  We’ve been in and out of services for the past 4 years and I’ve dedicated myself to his upbringing.  Fortunately, I’ve always worked part-time and have been able to focus on his needs.  Occupational therapy, social skills groups, psychologists…been there, done that, and a lot of it.  And whenever I think we no longer need help, I run back.  It’s often like running in circles, but you don’t know where you’re going.

But as a child like him gets older, it doesn’t get easier.  You hope that they’ll outgrow their idiosyncrasies, you can say it will get easier with age, but that’s not always the case.

But this week, with my job downsizing and minimizing my hours (that is a separate post but an issue that I am reticent to speak of here), I found myself here in Atlanta to make this trip the most for my children.  A whole nine days.  My mom and I have both been showering him with attention, and I, who spend a lot of time on the computer at home working as a consultant and writer, put my work aside and focused on my family.

I am sure that made a difference in his behavior and once again, I have taught myself a lesson.

Working from home is a catch 22.  You supposedly have the best of both worlds because you can be where you need to be for your kids.  But the draw back is that when you take time out of your work to do what you need to do for the kids, you lose time and have to make it up at times that are not convenient for the family.  I love the fact that I am an entrepreneur, writer, social media consultant, marketer and theater producer.  All these titles I owe to working from home and having the freedom to tap into whatever I’m interested in.  And believe me, there is more that I want to do and more that I will do.  But if paying attention to my son is what he needs, and he does require more than the average child, than I truly have to think about this moving forward.  As I spend my summer trying to figure out my own life, I will have more time to devote to his life.

So, whether or not I am actually closer to my son because of my current job status, or the fact that we just spent a week with my mom and there was an uptick in the attention factor, one thing is clear.  My son is fabulous and growing up fast, and it’s important that I really be ALL here for him.

I have always been by his side, although sometimes distracted as a mom trying to do it all (no, I’m not commenting on the Can Moms Do It All? controversy, although I certainly could fill up my blog with posts on that subject).  I’ve worked full-time, part-time, as a freelancer, in the office, out of the office, traveled for work, started my own business, contributed to various web sites as a paid writer, over-committed myself with volunteer work, and more.

So, to my mother, I simply replied, “I thought we were, but maybe you’re right.” As the mother of a special needs child, we can’t always be close.  He works against me sometimes, when he can not control his impulses.  But I always know, even if its hard to tell and he does not express it clearly, that I am his mommy.  He would be as lost without me as I without him.

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