Parent - JANET I. (User #470362)

Hi, my name is Janet, and I am a stay at home mom to my four children. I homeschool my three typical children ages 13, 8, and 7, and my 11 year old special needs daughter goes to Cascade Middle School's Structured Learning Classroom.

I am finding that there are a lot of extra responsibilities that come with having a special needs child, even though she goes to school. We have respite care hours available to us (more than we ever use) and appreciate having qualified people to help care for our Mary Anne during the summer and school breaks. There are other times when it would be nice to have an extra set of eyes and ears, like when I am cooking, cleaning, or have an appointment. I am an Independant Consultant with The Pampered Chef. so occasionally I am looking for someone to stay for an evening while I am having a show, or other evening engagement

Let me tell you a little about our Mary. Her main diagnosis is developmental delay, and her cognitive skills are similar to that of a pre-schooler. She has apraxia involving her brain and mouth, so communication is her biggest challenge. She can make some word approximations and a few signs, but comprehends most of what we say or sign to her. Physically she is very healthy. She needs a little help from orthotics, but can walk and get herself most places she wants to go. She needs help remembering to use the bathroom, and wears pull-ups. I would love to find someone willing to take on the challenge of helping to complete her potty training.

Mary Anne loves music, paper, balloons, water play, swings, sensory activities, outside, and is learning basic play skills like puzzles and simple games. She is strong willed and smart, so she'll wait until you're not looking to try to escape or pull down something dangerous. This is the biggest challenge with Mary Anne, so if you are committed to working one on one with her, she is very easy to keep out of trouble. Bring your creativity and a loving heart to work with this very special girl! :)