In an earlier post I talked about the heroes we meet on our journey as special needs parents. We find those sparkling gems, courageous mothers, teachers and professionals, and we help each other along the way.

Today I’m excited to share a story with you about one such mother. Like most of us, Tina Karimian was scared when she learned that her son, Kelvin had special needs, but this brave mama only let it fuel her drive to learn what she needed to help her child succeed. Now, she runs We Kidz, an organization that exists to help other families navigate the world of special needs parenting and give their children the best.

Tina and Kelvin, confident and living their best life!

“From the beginning, when I found out my son was not able to talk or respond, I got depressed. I blamed myself…a lot. At one point I decided to make changes, but I didn’t know what to do or where to start.” Once the initial shock and grief process passed, Tina knew the only thing she could do was act. She went to the fight for her child, and started winning, although it was an uphill climb.

“I mixed spiritual healing with academic practices to boost …my son’s development, and I was quite successful. Next month, he will be 6 years old and he is now able to talk, listen to instruction, read, write and attend school!” Those victories spurred Tina on in her passion and she developed a vision to help other families succeed.

Tina’s vision utilizes a holistic approach to parenting. On the website, www.globalwekidz.com, you can find everything from parenting tips to information on fine and gross motor skill development, cognitive delays, exercises to help your child, parenting tips, fun activities and educational resources, and so much more.

Have creative fun along the way!

The beautiful thing about We Kidz is that it’s not only for families of children with special needs! There are resources here that any parent will find useful and helpful for all developmental stages. You can even sponsor a child so that other families can reap the benefits of the We Kidz program! And of course, you can also subscribe to this personal and caring support system.

I love it. I can relate so much to Tina’s journey, maybe you can too. I remember like it was yesterday the day I noticed something wasn’t alright about my baby. Thus began the terrifying process of searching for a diagnosis, and hearing those words no mother expects to hear. I felt so alone and like Tina, I used to blame myself. If something like this program had been available to me when my son was diagnosed, I could have felt so much less alone in the process. That is what Tina wants to give to other families, the hope and knowledge that they are not alone.

“I started this business only because of my son,” — or so she thought. Tina says, “As I learned and experienced, I realized it was about me…I have confidence that if it worked for my son, it can work for other children too. As parents, we take the first step, work towards our children’s goals and stay consistent. The program we designed is all about educating parents and providing them with strategies and activities to help them in their journey.”

As parents I think we all can relate to that defining moment when we realized that our own determination to help our child the best way we could is their main ingredient to reaching their goals. Most of us who have children living with disability and special needs know how accurate Tina’s words are, “it was all about me.”

Maybe you are at the starting gate right now, you recently received your child’s diagnosis and are feeling overwhelmed and unsure where to turn or how to begin. You are not alone. You don’t have to figure it all out by yourself. Reach out to other special needs parents, comment below, and reach out to Tina and We Kidz. There are so many of us who have been where you are now. It gets better. There are days it will feel like the fight of your life, because it is, but we want you to know: you can do this!

Listen to Tina explain We Kidz in her own words here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0uyv-SrWeA

Visit We Kidz online here to learn more about what We Kidz has to offer, and how you can make a difference for your child or for others. Check out www.globalwekidz.com, meet my friend Tina and find companionship on your parenting journey.

Reading is a magic key that takes you where you want to be!