We always want the best for our children. And part of my philosophy in life is to recognize that all we can do for our children is to provide the conditions and context for them to grow and face the challenges that they came into this world with.

Tragedies that take kids too soon are always unexpected. As busy moms, we just forget that we are all fragile. We sometimes forget that the messy room, the lapse in homework, the bad grade, aren't the important things about mothering.

It's often said that parents of children with special needs divorce at a higher rate than the general population. So, I asked John Gray: What do you think are the causes and what suggestions can you give to these parents?

Clients tell me they offer a variety of foods "all the time" and are frustrated by constant rejections. Many parents don't understand and are grateful to learn what a better "offer" looks like.

When people say, "I don't know how you do it," the implication is that they wouldn't be able to. And frankly, I don't buy it.

This letter is for the Special Needs Mom, whose child is unable to write or say the words this Mom may long to hear.

When one partner becomes very committed to a specific path for his or her child and is deeply convinced that "we should do this, this, and this," and if the other partner is not in agreement, it can create huge tension.

It's so easy to take things personally. Instead, the next time you notice yourself feeling defensive or like you're a failure or that you're not good enough, practice using a buffer phrase.

Normally, when thinking about communication, we think about verbal communication or some kind of physical communication. However, sometimes the best communication skill is to know when to take a time out.

My husband and I have traveled many places with our son, who is 7 years old and diagnosed with Down syndrome. We have traveled through many airports and have always followed the TSA policies. However, on this one particular day, we encountered rude and unpleasant harassment.

The blessing of a child can challenge a relationship. When the child has special needs, these challenges grow exponentially. With the right tools, parents of children with special needs can learn additional ways to relate to each other that will strengthen their connection and love,

When the nurses took Atticus to the nursery a few hours after his birth because his temperature was low, it didn't occur to me to be afraid. Even when a nurse entered the room with a doctor who introduced herself as a neonatologist, it didn't trigger an alarm.

It's easy to make fun of the A for effort, the trophy for participation, but the fact is, for Schuyler and countless kids just like her, those trophies are the ones that sit on their shelves. And they're not cheap tokens of faint praise, either.

Raising a child with special needs has been challenging to say the least. Convincing the medical community that my concerns about my son were valid, and then attaining a proper diagnosis, was a gruesome battle. My mother has been right there in the trenches with me from day one.

I try to capture these moments in a picture or on video because sometimes I'm not sure how often these moments will occur in the coming years. I want them to hold on tight to each other and lean on each other throughout their lives, as siblings should do for each other.

There just isn't a teacher, a doctor or other well-meaning professional who definitively knows what is "best" for my child. As Zoe's mother, I see her as the whole child she is: her spirit, her strengths, her abilities.