When I started blogging years and years ago… I didn’t have children. I wasn’t married. I was still in college. It was my personal space to vent, my personal journey – and journal. I never connected those two words before, but it makes sense. Then I got married. I had kids. And my kids turned out not to be perfect in society’s eyes.

I have two beautiful children. One has a mental and learning disability. The other has a hidden physical disability. Both require care beyond the “norm.” Both require specialized attention beyond the “norm.” And, I love them.

But it’s been a fight. Fights with insurance companies, school administrations, medical personnel who think they know my kid better than me (after that all important 20 minute screening,) and plain red tape. There’s going to be more fighting. Of course. And I’ll be the one to do it. Of course. But I had a really hard time finding information that helped me, the parent, fight for my child. Medical jargon, and a lack of layman’s information was a real detriment to the fight for both my children’s lives. And let’s not downplay it – it is a fight for my children’s lives. For one, a physical fight for the continued beating of his heart, and for the other the tools to contain his sanity and learn how to learn.

For the last year, I’ve been shopping around a blog idea. I didn’t start it myself, because I really felt it needed the backup of a network to get the information to a much larger audience than what my little place here garners. I love you all, but it’s a topic well beyond just me, and I wanted it to reach as many people as possible. But while I had a few nibbles, I didn’t reel anyone in until now.

I’m proud to announce the launch of Special Needs Parent at http://preciouschild.contentquake.com.

I want all of you to visit. But, if ANY of you have children with disabilities, please please please… Blogroll the site and come back. I want this to be a site where parents who are fighting their own fight can interact with other parents, find information, have things explained to them, or just rant. I want to know what you want to see on the site.

This is about helping you help your kids. To quote Jerry McGuire, “Help me help you!” I hope to see you there.

Pausing in perusing my craptastic life to let you know I’ve published an article with TopBlogMag. The theme this week is Change… You can see my contribution here: Ready?

A new article of mine is up at Associated Content.. Uterine Didelphys, A Layman’s Guide.

An article already published elsewhere has been published again… Disabled Parenting.