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Traditionally, the twelve days of Christmas start on Christmas Day and run on until January 6th which is ‘Epiphany’ or ‘Three Kings’ Day, the day that marks the arrival of the three wise men in the nativity story.
It’s also usually the day when all the Christmas decorations come down.
I thought it would be fun to mark the 12 days of Christmas as dad to an additional/special needs son, thinking about what ‘gifts’ James might bring me… I hope it resonates with you and that you have a happy 12 days of Christmas too.
On the First day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… memories of a lovely, peaceful, lie-in… they don’t happen very often for additional needs families!!
On the Second day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… hilarious laughter in his den… a sound not always heard by additional needs families!!
On the Third day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… some chillout time as he relaxed… a rare moment of peace and calm, cherished by additional needs families!!
On the Fifth day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… his willingness to spend some time with me… savouring these moments is important for additional needs families!!
On the Sixth day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… raucous belly laughs about something amusing him… additional needs families don’t always know what it is!!
On the Seventh day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… a quiet day spent in his bedroom… sometimes it can all get a bit overwhelming for additional needs families!!
On the Ninth day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… a day of routines and places we had to visit… routines are VERY important for additional needs families!!
On the Tenth day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… a successful visit to our favourite café… food can be a key motivator for some children with additional needs!!
On the Eleventh day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… letting me give him a haircut… sensory processing can make this traumatic for additional needs families!!
On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my additional needs son gave to me… thoughts of returning to school… after a holiday, this needs careful planning by additional needs families!!
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all.
Real life stories, issues and experiences of day to day life by special needs parents and
healthcare professionals.
Additional Needs
by Sharon F
on 22nd April, 2024
Additional Needs
by Helen Horn
on 19th April, 2024
Mark heads up Urban Saints pioneering additional needs ministry programme and is co-founder of the ‘Additional Needs Alliance’, a learning and support community. He is a ‘Churches for All’ partner, a member of both the ‘Council for Disabled Children’ and the ‘Living Fully Network’, and serves on the executive for ‘Children Matter!’ Most importantly, he is dad to James, a 17-year-old Autistic boy with Learning Difficulties and Epilepsy.
View Mark’s Profile
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