​Planning for Parenthood With a Disability
By Ashley Taylor, guest author

​You’ve heard it a million times by now: having a child changes everything. But only fellow parents can really understand the truths in this saying. If you are bringing a child into your life, whether through adoption or birth, you’ll need to take some time to really prepare for these changes. If you are also living with a disability, you may need to tweak some common parenting advice, but the level of planning needed is still the same. From one parent to another, here are some ways you can help make bringing your baby home a smoother adventure.

Prepare Yourself
 
Taking care of a child is hard work and you’ll want to be sure you are up for the challenge. Check in with your body, your mind and your soul to create some balance before your bring your child into your world. Make sure you are mentally prepared for the new concerns and challenges but know that you’ll still be anxious and you’ll still be stressed. Parents feel this way, especially with their first child, but it’s important to find ways to relieve any worried feelings. Develop some healthy self-care routines now and try to maintain them when you become a parent. Make sure to stay hydrated, and to your best to get seven to nine hours of sleep each night.
 
Work on Your Finances
 
Whether adopting a child or having a baby, bringing a child into your life also means bringing additional expenses into your budget. You’ll need to immediately factor in initial costs, like legal fees for adoption, expenses related to fertility treatment and/or co-pays for prenatal care. Leave enough room in your budget for continued costs to make sure you can take care of any financial needs for you and your growing family. Be aware of any changes you need to make to benefits or insurance plans and take care of those promptly to avoid any costly surprises.
 
Arranging Your Home
 
You may already have your home set up for everyday accessibility for yourself but you’ll want to think about extra modifications for a child. Create a basic prep checklist and add items that may be helpful for you. Consider installing grab bars in tubs and showers to make bath time easier. You’ll also want to check for any common household hazards including sharp cabinet corners or uncovered electrical outlets and ensure that flooring such as mats and rugs are non-slip. Even simple steps such as labeling your child’s food and care items with textured tape or Braille labels can make a world of difference when you finally bring your baby home.
 
Building Your Village
 
When it comes to raising a child, we all need a little help from time to time, whether it’s from doctors, other professionals or fellow parents. Take some time to build a network of trusted professionals to help care for your child. You’ll want to have appointments set up with a pediatrician right away and keep a regular check-up schedule. If you know you’ll need child care, do some research to find the best option for you and don’t underestimate the value of support groups and fellow parents. Whether online or in-person, you can find advice and help with everything from breastfeeding to potty training, but don’t feel like there’s only one way to parent. Make choices that work for you, and your family, and reach out when you need help.
 
 
Ask any parent and they will tell you that your kids will be grown up before you know it. It won’t be long before play dates and pre-school will be replaced with graduation and adulthood, so be prepared, be aware, but above all, be present for the joys of being a parent. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to raise a child. With a little planning, some patience and a lot of love, you will have all the resources you need to be a great parent. Congratulations and good luck with this amazing adventure.
 
About Ashley 
Ashley Taylor is a freelance writer, photographer, and advocate for people with disabilities. She created DisabledParents.org to provide information and resources to other parents with disabilities. When she isn't working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and two children. 

Preparing your children for summer camp will help ensure their success while they’re away. Helping children know what to expect at camp and how to manage being away from home will ease their fears, and safety tips will keep your children safe. Don’t forget to help prepare yourself for sending your children out into the big world.
 
Camp Life
 
Ask your children what concerns they have about camp, and do your best to address them. Many children are worried about fitting in or trying new activities while at camp. Review some of the things they did well during the school year, and explain how at camp will provide the opportunity to build on these skills and develop new ones.
 
Depict tasks that will likely occur during camp, such as making beds, packing trunks, and tidying up. Underscore how these tasks are particularly important in a shared space. Also, discuss bathroom procedures, such as what to do if they need to go to the bathroom at night. If your children have never camped before, explaining a bathhouse and what items to take is a good idea.
 
Shared Space and Sleeping
 
Many children are nervous about sharing a room with other kids. Even if your children have siblings, sharing a bedroom, especially with multiple strangers, can make them feel nervous. Describe the basics of cohabitating to help calm their nerves. You can show children how to keep their areas organized so that items are easily accessible and don't overflow into someone else's space. Some parents host a sleepover before camp to expose their children to group living.
 
After a busy day filled with activities, children often struggle to fall asleep. The added anxiety of sleeping somewhere away from home with strangers makes it even more difficult. Teach your child strategies for falling asleep and relaxing, including visualizing himself in a favorite spot or practicing deep breathing.
 
Outdoor Safety Precautions
 
Summer camp generally means spending time in the great outdoors. Many families take a family camping trip before camp in order to familiarize children with the outdoor environment, nighttime sounds, darkness, and safety precautions. These precautions include pointing out poisonous plants like poison oak and poison ivy. A good way to remember is the rhyme “Leaves of three, let it be.” You should also teach your child to avoid drinking untreated water and to stay with the group to prevent getting lost.
 
Although your children may be aware of the importance of sunscreen, reiterate to them how important it is and how to apply it when you’re not around. Show them the proper way to apply it, and suggest they ask for a friend or counselor to help with hard-to-reach spots, such as their backs. Don’t forget to explain how often to reapply and to wait before getting wet.
 
Staying Away From Home
 
While your children may go to school during the day, which is time spent away from you, camp is an entirely different experience. Your children will be gone for multiple days, and each day is a full 24 hours without their parents. Children feel excited, but also very nervous. Be honest with children. Help them understand that feeling lonely is normal. Reassure them that as camp activities kick off, these feelings will pass, but may still come up here and there.
 
All of your preparation talks with your children will prepare you as well. Parents often have mixed feelings about their children going away to camp. Remember all of the positive experiences your children will have. Between participating in fun activities, making new friends, and learning new skills, your child will reap many benefits from camp. Finding a camp that fits your budget in terms of cost can also help ease your stress. Trying to pay for an expense you can’t afford will only make you more stressed about sending your children away. Check out Care.com for free or cheap summer camp options.
 
Review the camp's brochure and/or website with your children to help everyone get an idea of the tasks and activities to expect, as well as how the grounds look. If you’re able to do so, attend an open house while camp is in session or just drop by for a visit. Summer camp is often an experience that will stick with your child for life. Help make that experience a positive one by preparing your child beforehand.
 

Dream Dinners is turning 15, and you're invited to our Birthday Bash
May 8th, 5-7:30 pm

Join us for an evening of food, fun and fabulous prizes. We will be serving  a selection of entrees, side dishes and desserts from the May menu, and everyone will receive a birthday present from us!  Plus, we will be drawing every half hour for prizes valued at more than $1,000, including a $300 Southwest Airlines gift card, a $250 Spa Certificate, a 3-day, 2-night "Staycation" in Del Mar, a Dream Dinners insulated cooler, and much, much more. The first 25 RSVPs/Sign Ups  will receive extra chances to win!

Bring a friend (or two or three!) - Everyone's Welcome!
They can make a three-serving chicken meal to take home and enjoy with their family.* 

Make, Take and We will Donate!
To honor 15 years of serving our community, every guest will have the opportunity (but no obligation) to prepare a sampler of three 3-serving meals from our current menu - this "Taste of Dream Dinners" is just $34.99 (that's a total of nine servings at less than $4 per serving), and we will donate $10 to Cecily's Closet or the Dream Dinners' Living the Dream Foundation for every order.

Learn more about Dream Dinners and view our current menu at www.dreamdinners.com/delmar, or simply join the party on May 8th!

RSVP by signing up below
or call us at 858.350.4546.  First 25 RSVPs receive more chances to win!
http://www.signupgenius.com/go/5080f4fa4a72fa3fb6-celebrate

*Free chicken dinner for new guests only, please. Existing guests will be honored with gifts and PlatePointss.

Date: 05/08/2017 (Mon.)
Time: 5:00pm - 7:30pm PDT
Location: 230 Lomas Santa Fe Drive, SB
Created by:  Dream Dinners Del Mar-Solana Beach 

Already signed up? You can change your sign up.

Another year, another wild ride! We just turned seven! Cecily's Closet is a true labor of love and it takes passion, dedication and an army of volunteers who are committed to helping children with special needs in San Diego to make it all happen.

​It is often hard for us to believe that we've been doing this for seven years because quite honestly it still feels like we're making it up as we go. Yes, you read that correctly.  We never promised perfection. We had a simple vision to give back to other families with children who were born with special needs.

It started with our folks providing a wonderful makeover for sweet Cecily and it blossomed into us wanting to provide this lasting gift for others.  It continued as our parents invented the original belly band. When we first started making them there was very little in the market... we chose not to patent this because we only want to give help, for free, to families who may need it! The belly band was invented so others felt comfortable holding baby Cecily. After a few misfortunate accidents with her g-tube, my Mom made a soft, gentle wrap to protect her feeding tube from getting accidentally removed.  Many in-patient stays later we started handing them out secretly to families in need. We then expanded this into a free, online request form via our website. It was not planned... it was just what we lovingly refer to as a happy accident.  And this accident has resulted in thousands of bands being delivered to kids across the county (and in many cases the nation) for free. 

Our vision for equipment recycling was really our original passion. We spent so much money on items for Cecily... and with every purchase we held out hope that this was going to be the silver bullet that would help her walk, talk or eat by mouth. Yes, in some cases it was therapy to buy these tools, but it always felt like we were doing the right thing by supporting her. Our heart broke thinking about the families who would also want to buy these goods but for one reason or another, were unable to.  It took us about five years to really get our equipment recycling program off the ground.  The best thing is we have learned from our mistakes. We didn't give up. We kept pushing and today (in large part thanks to Facebook...) the program is a shining star. We are so excited to have an online community where family members can post equipment and gain access for FREE. The goal is for families to share equipment and donate equipment to others in San Diego.  It's a welcome site for many who are unable to procure equipment from government agencies or private insurance. We encourage anyone reading this with equipment in their garage to contact us. We will happily post it on our site and the interested party will pick it up directly from your home. We eradicated our storage bill and in turn, created a program that sees more than 80% of all posted equipment recycled within one week. 

And I guess what we're most proud about is how the vision has adapted to not only help families, but to provide teachable moments with hands on volunteer work. Our volunteers range from six year olds to 75+, and its this diversity that creates such a unique perspective on how to help families in need. Everyone has something to offer and we listen to everyone.  Sometimes a six-year old really does have the best answer on what a fellow child needs. We can learn a lot from kids when we ask them to lead a team.

​With 2017 here we can proudly say we have worked with more than 600 people in the community over the last seven years.  We have wonderful partners and wonderful companies that have repeatedly volunteered with our team and we continue to forge additional partnerships with local youth groups. This year more than 100 of our belly bands were made from teens representing the National Charity League and the Girl Scouts. Teen Volunteers in Action (TVIA) continues a strong partnership of providing volunteer opportunities for boys and young men.

We are so proud of our volunteer led organization and that fact that we are able to help so many families with very little overhead and no paid staff.  

Over the last 7 years Cecily's Closet has accomplished the following:
- 91 room makeovers with two more in production
- Provided more than 2000+ belly bands to children in need
- Recycled more than 700+ pieces of medical equipment
​- Featured in Family Circle Magazine - national coverage! 
​- Recognized with four awards for providing services to children with special needs
- And shared various donations with families in need - toys, books, and lots and lots of love and encouragement through our various book drives & adopt a family programs

​There are too many people to count by name but we'd like to recognize 
Jon Ray, owner of PaintGreen for his constant commitment and support for our organization.  Jon and his team graciously donate their time and talent to provide a beautiful backdrop for every room we complete. We can't say enough nice things about Jon or the work he does in the community. He was born with a heart of gold and he is truly a saint. 

And thank you to our team of wonderful artists with a special thank you to our repeat givers:  Emily Dolton, Hanna’s Murals, Kevin Anderson, Arielle and Sweet Delisa!  We love our artists and we are actively recruiting more for future rooms. If you have friends or family that can help - please let us know.

​Thank you to our belly band crew who sew love all year long! Thank you to "Grandma Jane", Kathy, Ingrid and her Mom, Denise, Kelly Wesseln, Jennifer Bayliss, Julie B., the lovely ladies from TVIA, the lovely ladies from IIDA, and all the volunteers who surprise us with belly bands from time to time. I am quite certain that I've forgotten someone... These are the volunteers that remain in the shadows but are critical to the execution of our program.  We love that these protective wraps designed to keep a g-tube or j-tube safe are made with love from volunteers and shipped to families in need.  And a big, special shout out to my sister, Anita, for managing the orders, shipping the bands and meeting all of our demands. What would we do without your constant support and devotion? You are the best sister a girl could ever hope to have.  You keep me sane and talk me off many, many ledges.

​Thank you to our board of directors who provide the vision and strategic planning for our efforts. What a team! Thank you to Gina, Julie B., Julie D., Christina, Anita, Emily, Kate, Dr. Christine Wood, and Suzy for your hard-work all year long.

Cecily's Closet continues to operate without a paid staff and we have no intention of changing.  If we can do all of this without a penny spent on overhead... it means we can help more families in need. Every penny received goes directly to fund our programs. 

​Every year we look at our "to-do" list and wonder if we have it in us to keep on trucking.  We had some health scares with our sweet Cecily towards the end of 2016 and we honestly were not sure if we had enough energy left in the tank to keep the wheels on our bus. We decided to do less in 2017, and see where the journey would lead us... well of course... it led to more opportunities!  We are still finding our way.  We are still making it up and hoping our efforts are good enough.  We're still fighting the good fight to secure funding.  But we have the most amazing family in the world supporting us so we're confident that there are more miracles ahead for Cecily's Closet.

Thanks for believing!  Let's see what we can do in 2017!

Onwards and upwards!
​The Ackerly Family
​

Keeping a child safe is one of the main priorities of any parent, but for moms and dads with special needs children, safety can be an overwhelming task. Not only is it difficult to anticipate potential problems in public spaces, but making the home safe is an entirely different task.
 
There are many things to take into consideration when making sure your home is a safe, happy place for your child. The first thing to do is think about your child’s specific needs and challenges. Whether your child has limited mobility, has a tendency to wander, or needs special equipment to function well, it’s important to remember what they’ll need to stay safe around the house.
 
Here are some of the best tips for making your home a healthy place for your child.
 
Check the doors
 
Make sure all doors are wide enough to fit wheelchairs or special equipment through and are not being blocked by furniture. For little ones who tend to wander, install locks high up, out of reach, and consider installing a motion sensor alarm that will sound when certain doors are opened.
 
Kitchen safety
 
Put all knives and sharp instruments high up in a cabinet. Look for stoves that have removable knobs and keep the ice/water dispenser on the refrigerator locked. For gas appliances, consider having a shut-off valve installed so you can control the gas line at all times. Lock up any medications out of sight.
 
Secure everything
 
To give yourself peace of mind, make sure everything that can be secured to the floor or a wall is nailed down. This includes dressers, television stands, radiator covers, and bookshelves. Anti-tipping devices can be lifesavers on big pieces of furniture, no matter what room they’re in. Cover all electrical outlets with fitted plastic covers.
 
Check the water
 
Water can be a dangerous draw for many children who fall on the autism spectrum, so always drain sinks, bathtubs, and small pools immediately after use. If you have a large or in-ground pool, make sure it is inaccessible to little ones by installing a fence with a locked gate; consider installing a cover, as well. It’s not a bad idea to put a motion sensor alarm here, too.
 
It’s also a good idea to check the hot water heater and make sure it’s not creating too much heat; this can save your child a nasty burn.
 
Plan your meals
 
It’s important to plan meals and snacks well ahead of time and refrain from buying foods that can be easily choked on, especially if your child has limited oral motor skills. Peaches, grapes, cantaloupe, nectarines, hot dogs, and candy are all foods that either have small parts or are not easily broken down with saliva, making them hazardous for many children. If you must have these types of foods in the house, keep them in a locked cabinet or drawer, out of reach.
 
It can be overwhelming to try and remember all the things that must be done to make a home safe for a child with special needs, but if you lay out a plan and stick to it, you’ll be able to implement easy fixes in no time.
 
 ​Thank you to Paul from, DadKnowsDIY.com, for contributing this article to Cecily's Closet.

As summer draws to a close we wanted to share this press release that announces some exciting news for Cecily's Closet! We couldn't be happier about it!  Our organization simply wouldn't exist without the support of local businesses and non-profits that help us achieve our mission of providing support for children with special needs here in San Diego.

Here is the official press release!

Cecily’s Closet, an Encinitas-based nonprofit devoted to providing support for children with special needs, has received a $1,500 donation from the San Diego chapter of The Charitable Foundation.

“Cecily’s Closet recycles durable medical equipment to children in need, provides free belly bands for children with feeding tubes, and offers sweet-dream room makeovers for children who spend a significant amount of time at home due to their disability,” said chapter chair Lory McGregor, a REALTOR®-Sales Associate with the Carlsbad office of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.

“Our chapter is delighted to help this deserving organization fulfill its mission.”
The Foundation’s chapters are comprised of the brokerage’s dedicated agents and employees who donate a portion of their commissions or salaries to The Charitable Foundation.

“We very much appreciate The Charitable Foundation’s support of Cecily’s Closet. On behalf of our team, thank you from the bottom of our big heart for providing a generous check to aid us with our goals,” said Rachel Ackerly, founder and president.
​
“We are excited to share that Family Circle (the national magazine) just featured us in their August publication. This wonderful PR, combined with this check, has made our summer!”

Additional information about Cecily’s Closet, plus a donation link, is at www.cecilyscloset.org.

About The Charitable Foundation
Backed by the dedicated agents at Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties, The Charitable Foundation supports local organizations that promote health, education, community and the environment. Since its inception, the Foundation has provided more than 1,000 grants, exceeding $5 million, to make a beneficial and constructive impact on the community. For more information about the charities and causes supported by The Charitable Foundation, or to find out how to get involved, visit thecharitablefoundation.net.
The Charitable Foundation is a nonprofit 501 (c)3 organization operated by real estate agents of Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties.
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