Raising Orchid Kids (www.raisingorchidkids.com) is both an empowering and greatly comforting opportunity for parents of neuro-diffferent children (those whose brains are wired differently than their typically developing peers) to find community with other parents of neuro-different kids and find practical strategies to help address the specific issues they are facing at home.
Neuro-different children are a bit like orchids: they do well in certain environments, but not so well in others. They can be fragile, but also remarkably beautiful and unique. They need a lot of care and attention. If you are the parent of a neuro-different child (with or without an official diagnosis), you know that your child requires a little (or a lot) more. More time; more patience; more strategies; more energy. Raising orchids can be hard work.
Parenting anyone is tiring, but parenting orchids can feel particularly exhausting and isolating, and many of the parenting books and programs out there do not fully apply to parents raising neurodivergent kids.
To help fellow parents navigate the challenges of parenting “orchid” children, Jen teamed up with Gabriele Nicolet, Speech and Language Pathologist, toddler whisperer and parent coach, to create a meaningful support system for parents of orchid children. Jen and Gabriele offer an 8-week online course for parents of 3-13 year olds, Raising Orchid Kids: Practical Strategies for Parents of Neuro-Different Children, which meets once a week for 8 consecutive weeks live via Zoom. The course is designed to support parents by providing time and space to think through some of the challenges that arise and how to respond more constructively. The course runs 3-4 times each year, and each course cohort is capped at 14 parents, so we can provide individualized support and attention.
After completing the Raising Orchid Kids core course, we offer ongoing support meetings and access to relevant webinars and resources to parents via our Raising Orchid Kids membership option, so parents can continue to find support and practical solutions to challenges that are ever evolving in our lives as parents of orchid kids.
For more information about our courses and webinars and to register, please visit www.raisingorchidkids.com or email Jen and Gabriele at raisingorchidkids@gmail.com.
Here’s what recent participants had to say about the Raising Orchid Kids core course:
“I want to thank you both for the Raising Orchids class. I found the class to be extremely helpful. One of the things I have found most difficult about having an orchid child is feeling like I am alone in my journey. Sure, there are teachers and therapists who provide support, but even though I know it is not the case, when I look around, it seems like other families have it so easy. The opportunity to meet and hear from other parents of orchid children was really valuable.
I am happy to hear you are planning to offer the class again. I would definitely recommend it to other parents. Both of you offered such great feedback and helped everyone think through things. I really appreciate all the support you both provided!”
-Rachel S.
“Thanks again for this class. I felt truly heard and supported through this caring and thoughtful group. I was choked up at the end of last night’s session as I realized I’ll be on my own again!
I think it’s hard to address the challenges of parents with kids of very different ages, and facing so many different physical, emotional, and developmental challenges. You guys did a great job of giving everyone a chance to be heard and facilitate some personalized problem solving from your various professional perches.
This group was perfect for me in that the leaders had such diverse professional frameworks, the participants were so supportive, and it was convenient, affordable, and small enough to feel comfortable.”
-Amy H.
“This class really put into perspective some of the issues other orchid parents are facing on a daily basis. It helped me to appreciate the amazing qualities my orchid exhibits and not just the troubles we are facing.
Gabriele and Jen are a breath of fresh air. Their loving and helpful mentality helped me to feel very comfortable with talking about and through some of the challenges that we as parents are faced with.
I got a ton of tools to help in dealing with my own emotions about myself, my parenting style and my frustrations. Since the class my relationship with my orchid has progressed right alongside my orchid’s ability to shift and express himself and that feels so amazing.”
-Edward W.
“I was fortunate to attend the Raising Orchids class during the Covid 19 pandemic when our family was really struggling, in a confined space, to manage some very big behavioral issues. Not only did the class just make us feel more normal given the countless other families experiencing very similar challenges, the facilitators constantly went above and beyond to put the exact resources we needed at our fingertips. I could not more highly recommend that parents make this investment as it will not just benefit your unique orchid, but your own sanity as well!”
-Amy B.
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