Helping Kids Be Kids

Shawn and Jerusha Sejera kick off our four-part series to encourage dads by sharing their journey through a high-risk pregnancy that was potentially life-threatening for both mother and expected child. Their son, Giovonni just graduated from the Little Light House and is shining his light in the world. Through laughter and tears, the Sejera's share how God has met them in their joys and struggles....

Three-year-old Sophia was born with Coloboma, resulting in visual impairments in both of her eyes. Her parents share how they discovered her diagnosis, responded to it, and help her live life to the full. At the end of the show, Lynda Crouch, Sophia's vision therapist at Little Light House, joins us to share her perspective on Sophia's progress. Shining Light Conference - Learning to See at Home a...

Bri Dodson is no stranger to pain. She knows the heartache of infertility, miscarriage, and strained relationships. In this conversation, she shares the highs and lows of parenting kids with various complex diagnoses, including Autism Spectrum Disorders and ODD. Learn how she finds hope amid heartache. Shining Light Conference: Learning to See  https://www.littlelighthouse.org/shining-light-c...

Brittany Gartner graduated with my Doctorate of Physical Therapy in 2013. As part of the Little Light House therapy team, she specializes in working with children with mild to severe developmental disabilities. She is passionate about early intervention, gross motor skill development, and parent education. In today's episode, Brittany shares about realizing her son needed PT. By sharing her story,...

Mother of three adopted kids with special needs and author of three devotionals inspired by her children, Mindy Cariker Wiggins shares some of the insights recorded in her latest book, How God Is Sustaining Me. Mindy shares practical insights into hearing God's voice through your daily experiences. To learn more about Mindy, refer to the previous Helping Kids Be Kids podcast, Fetal Alcohol Syndrom...

Amy Bonham is the Special Needs Ministry Administrator for Victory Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. As a mother of three, she shares her journey with her middle son, who has autism. For a season, she laid aside her thriving community and successful teaching career to be a stay-at-home mom. A life-long learner with a servant's heart, she diligently learned all she could to help her son. God used her scho...

Keith Boyd, an LLH alumnus with spastic quadriplegia, communicates with a Tobii Dynavox, an eye gaze-enabled speech-generating device. His Dad and his best friend collaborated with him to share the value of AAC to unlock Keith's voice. Little Light House: https://www.littlelighthouse.org HKBK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpingkidspodcast HKBK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helpingkid...

Lance McLemore is a brilliant young man on the autism spectrum who uses LAMP Words for Life as his primary form of communication as a result of expressive aphasia. In this conversation, he uses LAMP to share his expereinces as an AAC user. Direct inquiries about hiring Lance for speaking engagements to Center for AAC and Autism at registrations@aacandautism.com. Little Light House: https://www.lit...

John Halloran, SLP, and creator of LAMP, joins us to share the origin story of the therapy approach called LAMP (Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning) and the assistive technology tool called LAMP Words for Life. Learn more about how the Little Light House, a LAMP Center of Excellence, integrates communication tools to support the speech and language development of students who are experien...

Have you ever wondered, "What is AAC, and why would I want to use it with my child?" Stefanie Olson, an Assistive Technology Practitioner, explains the benefits of AAC. She assures that AAC does not prevent a child from learning how to speak. It can be a temporary or lifetime support. The LLH uses a therapy approach called LAMP (Language Acquisition Through Motor Planning) and an AT tool called LA...

Contact Amy Bonham: abonham@victory.com A Special Purpose: http://aspecialpurpose.org/ Information to provide a church so they can prepare to support your child: https://victorykids.family/championsclubform HKBK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpingkidspodcast HKBK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helpingkidspodcast Little Light House: https://www.littlelighthouse.org Join THECREW: https:...

Being a parent is a big responsibility. Former Little Light House special education teacher and home-school mom shares the big-picture vision and goals that helped her raise her kids to fulfill their God-given potential. This episode provides insights for creating a purposeful, joyful family culture. This practical message conveys values and practices that help parents bring out the best in their...

Let’s face it, trying to determine how to guide our kid’s use of technology can produce a lot of anxiety. Especially while we are staying at home for work and school. How do you determine what’s best for your family? Assistive Technology Practitioner and down to earth mother-of-two is here to give perspective and grace on this timely subject. Resources: Media and Young Minds (Policy Statement from...

Let's get messy! If your child receives Occupational Therapy, you've most likely heard of messy play or sensory play. Our OTs are here to demystify and simplify messy play. It's just playing that incorporates the senses, and it's fun! We'll help you think like a therapist and give ideas to have fun with your kids while engaging all of their senses. HKBK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpingki...

It's been a year now since the stay-at-home orders, and COVID precautions went into effect. To support you in your parenting at home, we are launching the "Parenting through the Pandemic" series. Our first topic, literacy, focuses on one of the powerful practices of intentional parenting: reading aloud with your child. Today we guide you through the stages your child will go through in their pre-l...

Do you ever question why your child has special needs? In this episode, Little Light House Founder and former Director shares how she learned to change her perspective by changing her questions from "Why?" to "How?" She candidly explains how her passion for helping her daughter born with a visual impairment led her to found a school with a global impact. For more of the story, read Marcia's books,...

Three siblings share heart to heart about life's struggles and joys with special needs. We cover advocacy, resilience, comparison, and gratitude in this conversation. Our guests share what their parents did that influenced them to devote their careers to serve kids with special needs. This conversation will give you a glimpse into what motivates Little Light House staff to help kids and families t...

Kendra Morgan's passion for kids and families led her to found Building All Children in Tulsa, OK. With 20 years of experience in child development, she focuses on training parents and educators in brain development, the hierarchy of learning, and the heart behind the behavior. "We have to look at the heart behind the behavior, so we can guide them to make the appropriate choice." Play and stillne...

The relationships you build with your child's education team significantly impact your child's experience in school. Here Diana Lee provides checklists of the vital information you can give your school about your child. She recommends questions to ask and how to ask them to help build collaborative relationships and get the services your child needs. HKBK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helping...

Does your child need extra support at public school? Are you preparing for an IEP meeting? Listen for great tips from a school psychologist with nearly fifty years of experience. Diana Lee insightfully coaches parents on advocating for their special needs child. You'll learn when to enroll, how to prepare for the meeting, and what to expect from school-based therapy.  HKBK Facebook: https://w...

As the parent of a child with special needs, your heart needs TLC. Shawna McClung knows this personally as a speical needs mother of a six-year-old. In this episode, Shawna shares how changing her perspective gave her confidence to tackle daily tasks. Diana adds practical wisdom from her 48 years of supporting families as a teacher and school psychologist. HKBK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/h...

After a holiday break, we are back! Mike and Sarah Ledbetter's innocence about childbirth was stollen when their first child tragically died at birth. Months later, they were devastated to learn that their second child, Gracie, had Down syndrome. Mike and Sarah faced a decision. They could let their hardships drive them apart or draw them together. They chose each other. In this story, Mike shares...

On today's episode we have guest Beth Soderfelt, a dedicated advocate for individuals with special needs who helped start the RISE inclusion program at Marquette Catholic School in Tulsa, OK. She has intentionally prepared her son Aaron for adulthood. Join Beth and Diana Lee for helpful advice on preparing your child with special needs to flourish as a young adult. HKBK Facebook: https://www.faceb...

Kaylie Boomer vulnerably shares her journey to discover that her son was blind. After a series of disappointments and trials, she learned that her four-month-old had bilateral optic nerve hypoplasia. Find yourself in this young mother's honest conversation as Kaylee finds her way to hope. HKBK Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/helpingkidspodcast HKBK Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/helpingki...

Grassroots efforts to grow his business brought Michael Amberg through the doors of the Little Light House. The desire to make an impact keeps him here. Michael has used his influence to help kids with special needs through sports camps, corporate fundraisers, and development advice. Learn how you can make a lasting impact by finding what you love and using that to give back to your community. HKB...